Who Is the Best Character in Mario Kart 8 and Why?
Dec 06, 2024
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Everyone knows what getting hit by a blue shell or falling off Rainbow Road is like. Mario Kart is associated with competitive nostalgia, and Mario Kart 8 is a phenomenal entry in the franchise for the Wii U and ported to the Nintendo Switch. So, who is the best character in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? Here’s a complete guide to help you win more races.
The Characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Before diving into who is the best character in Mario Kart 8, you will want to know the roster if you aren’t already familiar. The characters and their variants include:
| Mario, Tanooki Mario, Baby Mario, Metal/Gold Mario | Luigi, Baby Luigi | Rosalina, Baby Rosalina | Birdo |
| Peach, Cat Peach, Baby Peach, Pink Gold Peach, Peachette | Daisy, Baby Daisy | Yoshi | Toad |
| Koopa Troopa | Shy Guy | Lakitu | Toadette |
| King Boo | Petey Piranha | Wiggler | Wario |
| Waluigi | Donkey Kong, Funky Kong | Bowser, Dry Bowser | Dry Bones |
| Bowser Jr. | Kamek | Lemmy | Larry |
| Wendy | Ludwig | Iggy | Roy |
| Morton | Diddy Kong | Pauline | Mii |
| Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy from Splatoon | Link from The Legend of Zelda | Villager Male, Villager Female from Animal Crossing | Isabelle from Animal Crossing |
Some of these characters are new, but others have been with the franchise since the Nintendo Entertainment System and the original games. Do you remember racing on Rainbow Road with no guardrails? If you throw your controller on the ground after falling off, it’s hard to blame you.
So, Who Is the Best Character in Mario Kart 8?
Fans of Mario Kart 8 have a couple of answers for this, especially when it comes to choosing the fan favorite versus an objective “best” driver. but a few data scientists attempted to make an objective chart of the most optimal combinations.
The Best Character — Wario
Wario is a fan favorite and, statistically, a high-ranking choice. Paired with the Gold Standard or Sports Bike, he has pretty insane speed and acceleration to get into first place quickly. Wario is in the heavy character class, which tends to ascend highly into Mario Kart veteran favorites. Statistically, heavy characters have more ways to achieve higher statistics than lower-weight classes.
Wario is also an objective fan favorite because passing drivers rarely shove him aside. Just try to knock him over — it won’t happen often. This antagonist is a solid answer when people ask who the best Mario Kart character is in all games. In games like Mario Kart: Double Dash, Wario consistently knocks other competitors off the course.
2. The Runner Up — Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong is another contender. Paired with the Biddybuggy or Sports Bike, his heavyweight status also puts him in stiff competition against Wario. This sturdy antagonist can maintain speeds for a very long time compared to other characters — if you have the skill to achieve it. Plus, his banana peels are an excellent defensive power if you get them in item blocks.
The caveat of choosing a heavyset character like Donkey Kong or Wario is their lack of acceleration. If you get hit by a turtle shell, it takes longer for your character to reach their top speed again. Compare it to the vehicles you see in real life. When prioritizing acceleration, you’d rather have a Corvette than a Ford F-350 towing an RV.
3. The Late Arrival — Dry Bowser
This reskinned version of Bowser in DLC has different stats than his original counterpart. The regular Bowser doesn’t have ideal handling, but Dry Bowser makes up for his shortcomings. Perhaps those bones gave the previously hefty Bowser some lightweight class advantages? This character is a good middle ground if you don’t want the heaviest driver in the field.
Dry Bowser is the king of all the Dry Bones, just like Bowser is the king of all the Koopas. While a DLC, he has quickly become a go-to Mario Kart character for many players. If you play online, there’s a good chance you’ll see other players use Dry Bowser. You could easily argue he’s the best character in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe who is undervalued by average players.
4. The Fan Favorite — Luigi
Luigi might not be the best character in the game, but he’s undoubtedly a fan favorite. Mario’s brother has tagged along with him in games like Mario Tennis, though he has his own titles like Luigi’s Mansion. If you pick the green team, you get a middle-of-the-road character who doesn’t necessarily have weaknesses. However, he has better handling than his brother, Mario.
Luigi has become a cult favorite over the past few years, especially with the rise in memes. His funny voice and goofy actions make him seem like a joke in the Mario universe. However, he’s one of the best Mario Kart 8 characters if you use the right setup. His total speed adds up to a 10 when you include the mini turbo feature, so he’s a force to be reckoned with.
5. The Underdog — Yoshi
Yoshi is the unexpected choice here. If you’re an expert Mario Kart 8 racer, Yoshi is ideal for min-maxing because of his balanced stats. Yoshi is nothing if not consistent. With excellent off-road handling and speed, Yoshi is good if you find yourself off-track. If you know there are some shortcuts you could take by going off-map, Yoshi might be the perfectly cute racer you need.
The dinosaur-inspired character has tagged along with Mario in old video games like Super Mario World. What if we told you Yoshi is even better in the racing games? Yoshi is one of the best Mario Kart 8 Deluxe characters if you want a speedy, well-rounded racer. Plus, you get more customization because of the different colors.
What Does Each of the Stats Mean?
Players in Mario Kart 8 must choose their driver and car parts. The parts comprise the vehicle, tires and glider. The vehicle can either be a kart, bike or ATV. Each aspect has pre-assigned metrics, and the game automatically determines a score for them based on an equation. If you have the best Mario Kart 8 setup, you can climb to first place and stay there.
Each wave of DLC continues to release new characters. Every character is rated from very light to very heavy, which should be considered against their stats. The five vehicle categories in Mario Kart 8 include:
- Speed: Top land speed capability.
- Acceleration: How fast the vehicle reaches top speeds.
- MK8 weight classes: How much the car weighs, which matters for knocking other players with lower weight classes.
- Handling: How well the vehicle turns, where higher stats dictate sharper turns and drift potential.
- Traction: Off-road driveability and how much the vehicle slips.
On top of the stats for your personally designed vehicle, all characters have assigned stats. Each character has a number for each of the base vehicle stats. Still, they have additional categories branching from them with their own numbers, including:
- Anti-gravity speed
- Air speed
- Water speed
- Mini-turbo
- Invincibility
- Anti-gravity handling
- Air handling
- Water handling
What Are Other Gameplay Tips to Think About?
That is a lot of information to consider, but these stats prove there are statistically better characters than others. However, a character’s potential lies within the player’s ability to match them with an equally powerful kart to maximize their stats. If you know who the best character in Mario Kart 8 is but don’t know the build that suits them best, you may have an unbalanced setup.
Additionally, the same setup may only work for some map types. Optimizing for water speed doesn’t make sense if no water is present in the level. That focus could have been better allocated to increasing mini-turbo or handling. Familiarity with the maps is vital for stat distribution. You may benefit from playing older Mario Karts to understand the nostalgic tracks.
Understanding the setup is also key for utilizing the environmental elements to your advantage. If you want to hit all the item boxes or speed boosts, you must know how and when to start drifting with the correct angles. Anticipate the items coming and give yourself a wide enough angle slide into the box without harming your vehicle. The last thing you need is a date with Lakitu as he pulls you from the water.
Plus, player skill has a lot to do with it. You may choose the perfect combo, but being the best at Mario Kart can only happen with good old-fashioned practice. This is time well spent — after all, video games can benefit your health if you take a wise approach. Pick up Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart 7 or Mario Kart DS to understand the ins and outs of this unpredictable game.
Selecting the Best Characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The cool thing about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is people have their own passionate opinions about who the best character in the game is. You might not get a Shy Guy main to pick a Bowser main or vice versa. It’s all about how you use the racers. Pick the best combo that matches your play style and get to the checkered flag first. Learning the ins and outs of the game is how you beat your friends and earn the ultimate bragging rights.
Originally posted Dec 14, 2023 – Updated Dec 6, 2024
