Summary
In anticipation of the final update forMario Kart 8 Deluxe, many players are trying to predict which two characters will most likely be added as part of Wave 6 in Nintendo’s Booster Course Pass. During the previous Waves of the Booster Course Pass the main focus appeared to be bringing older tracks toMario Kart 8 Deluxe, but Birdo joined the roster as a returning playable character in Wave 4. Since then, Wave 5 upped the ante with three new racers, and ahead of the last Wave of the DLC, the character selection screen has teased two more yet to come with placeholder question marks.
However, there are more than two characters throughout the history ofMario Kartthat have not yet been added to the latest game leaving players at odds over which characters in particular will make the final cut. The current consensus seems to be that at least one ofMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s last DLC characterswill be Diddy Kong after appearing multiple times throughoutMario Kartalready, but the sheer number of potential candidates has others doubtful. After all, when new characters like Kamek only featured inMario Kart Tourafter being cut fromMario Kart 64, it seems like Wave 6 could subvert everyone’s expectations.
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Donkey Kong Racers Could Come From Several Mario Kart Games
Mario Karthas always had an overlap with theDonkey Kong Countryseries, with many of its characters appearing as playable drivers. While Donkey and Diddy Kong have appeared several times before, they aren’t the only members of the Kong family to have taken to racing inMario Kart. Funky Kong was previously added as a playable character inMario Kart Wiiand most recently returned forMario Kart Tour. Though he might not be as memorable as the likes of Diddy Kong, as a canonically skilled mechanic,Funky Kong is likely to joinMario Kart 8 Deluxein Wave 6.
But Funky is not the only other Kong to have appeared before inMario Kart,as Donkey Kong Jr. featured as a playable character in the originalSuper Mario Kart. Like Funky, Donkey Kong Jr. also returned toMario Kart Tourmaking him just as likely to be added as DLC, and withMario Kartalready featuring characters racing against their baby counterparts, Donkey Kong Jr.’s appearance wouldn’t be a concern. However, if he keptDonkey Kong Jr.’s classic look fromMario Kart Tour, then he might be a likelier candidate forMario Kart 8 Deluxeas a series' homage to its first-ever game.
New Racers Might Have Appeared Only Once Before
However, while the DLC has so far added characters who’ve appeared previously in bothMario KartTourand at least one other game from the series, there are potential candidates who shouldn’t be counted out of the running for Wave 6. For example,Mario Kart 8 Deluxeadded Koopa Troopa once more as a potentially newfound staple character, but back inMario Kart: Double Dash!!they weren’t introduced alone. As a variation on the Koopa Troopa themselves,Mario Kart 8 Deluxecould see the Paratroopa return to the series after being absent from the series for two decades.
Though Wave 5 added exclusivelySuper Marioenemies with Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Kamek, Wave 6 could rebalance things with a less antagonistic character. Therefore, having appeared recently inMario Kart 7but overlooked inMario Kart Tour, the Honey Queen could be an ideal character to join through DLC. Not only could she offer a new “good guy” heavy character to the roster, but her addition toMario Kart 8 Deluxecould bring with it more tracksinspired bySuper Mario GalaxyandGalaxy 2.
RELATED:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Pass Paves a Surprising Path for the Next Game
Similar to Donkey Kong Jr., though, Nintendo might consider reprising another classic character fromMario Kart’s DS historyas a DLC character. While R.O.B. has been a key figure inSuper Smash Bros., the toy-turned-character also previously featured inMario Kart DS. Not only does this make R.O.B. as old as Paratroopa, but their recent appearance inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatecould make them a distinctive choice for returning toMario Kart 8 Deluxeas they’re both fresh in players' memories and visually unique compared to the other characters.
New Racers Could Be Exclusive To Mario Kart Tour
Yet while these remaining DLC characters could come fromMario Kart’s mainline games, there will always be the possibility that characters once exclusive toMario Kart Tourwill now be joiningMario Kart 8 Deluxe. With at least ten characters in the running who have only appeared inMario Kart Tour, Nintendo could throw players a curveball with an unlikely choice from the mobile game. Some of these characters are unlikelier than others, such as Peachette and Captain Toad who are too visually similar, or the Hammer Bros and Chargin' Chuck as yet moreSuper Marioenemies, there are several others with better odds.
For instance, alongside the rest of the Kong family, Dixie Kong is arguably better known among players than Funky, but her association with Diddy Kong might force Nintendo’s hand to add them both ifDixie Kong were to return toMario Kart. Other recent or recurringSuper Mariocharacters could instead take her place, such as Pauline fromSuper Mario Odyssey, or the familiar faces of King Bob-omb, Monty Mole, or Nabbit, since they all appeared inMario Kart Tour.
