Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Booster Course Pass - Wave 2

Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest Mario Kart track of all time has returned. Waluigi Pinball is back! [Issue #61 – September/October 2022, p. 24]

Wave two of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC hits the spot in every way. Every track brings a smile and feels like it truly belongs. It’s a fun yet challenging collection that will have you laughing, even while occasionally losing in frustration.

Booster Course Pass Wave 2 runs with the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe formula and takes it to higher highs than Wave 1 from earlier this year. Some tracks are noticeably better than others, but these eight tracks are well worth a race-through.

The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 2 may not be filled with classics, but there are no truly weak maps here, and there are several that sit comfortably among the upper echelon of the game’s track list. Waluigi Pinball alone would make this a worthy set of levels, but Mushroom Gorge, Kalamari Desert, and Sydney Sprint will all be maps I’ll frequently vote to race on in the future. I’m glad to see these releases getting stronger and can’t wait to see what Nintendo has in store for Wave 3.

Perhaps not as strong of a track selection as Wave 1, Wave 2 of the Booster Course Pass is still very good, headlined by a completely brand-new track in Sky High Sundae and complemented well by Sydney Sprint and New York Minute. It is a bit of a wonder why the retro tracks haven't been given the anti-gravity love, especially as the retro tracks in the base game have it. Waluigi Pinball and Mushroom Gorge are all certainly fan favourites, but it is a shame that they weren't given a bit of reimagining in the same vein that Kalimari Desert received. Nonetheless, Mario Kart fans are grateful that new tracks are coming out for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and it is doubtful that many will have a bad thing to say about getting these courses added in.

All-in-all, I think this is a stronger selection of tracks for the Booster Course Pass than we saw in Wave 1. There isn’t a single dud here and no track has seen changes that take alter how they play in a negative way. As good as these courses are, it’s not an exciting grouping as the Turnip Cup or Propeller Cup lack that one knockout course that is the clear standout of the bunch. But considering some of the best Mario Kart tracks are already in MK8 Deluxe, I think I’ll be satisfied if all future waves of the Booster Course Pass are able to meet the standard set here.

Ultimately, Wave 2 Of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe doesn't quite knock it out of the park. We know we've been bashing these courses left, right, and centre, but when it comes to Mario Kart, we have pretty high standards, you know. However, none of the tracks on offer are straight-up bad; most of them just feel like "b-side" filler when compared to the main tracks created specifically for Mario Kart 8. There's still a great deal of fun to be had here, particularly when you crank up the difficulty to 200cc. We have to keep reminding ourselves of the bigger picture, too; we've now got sixteen new courses for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and we're not even halfway through yet. We've still got a ways to go.

Nice DLC, nice to go back to those nostalgic tracks with some modern twists.

Better tracks and quality. Still just a 7 honestly .............

Thank goodness we got train course back, guys. Oh also some random course inspired by Waluigi; that's also cool.