Mario Kart 8 Deluxe characters: Every DLC, best racers

Apr 26, 2024

Reading time: 2 min

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has every Nintendo character you can think of—and more! Want to make sure you have every racer unlocked and ready to race? Here is the complete list of all the characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!

Every Mario Kart 8 Deluxe character

First, let’s share every character you can be in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe! Here’s the full list:

Mario
Luigi
Princess Peach
Princess Daisy
Toad
Toadette
Yoshi
Bowser
Bowser Jr.
Donkey Kong
Wario
Waluigi
King Boo
Rosalina
Tanooki Mario
Cat Peach
Koopa Troopa
Shy Guy
Lakitu
Metal/Gold Mario
Pink Gold Peach
Baby Mario
Baby Luigi
Baby Peach
Baby Daisy
Baby Rosalina
Dry Bones
Dry Bowser
Lemmy Koopa
Larry Koopa
Wendy O. Koopa
Ludwig Von Koopa
Iggy Koopa
Roy Koopa
Morton Koopa Jr.
Inkling Girl
Inkling Boy
Link
Male Villager
Female Villager
Isabelle
Mii

Are any characters unlockable?

All the characters above are available right when you download the game except for one: Gold Mario.

Here is your guide to unlocking Gold Mario in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The key is to get as many coins as possible!

Are any characters DLC?

Yes, on top of the main roster above, there are actually DLC characters as well. Even though fans only expected new courses in each wave of DLC, Nintendo surprised us with characters from past Mario Kart games as well!

Here are the DLC characters:

Birdo
Petey Piranha
Diddy Kong
Peachette
Wiggler
Kamek
Funky Kong
Pauline

Which characters are the best?

If you play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe competitively, you’ll realize some characters and Kart builds are superior to others. Based on characters’ stats, a meta has been formed for online racing.

Related: Fastest combo in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Dry Bowser is currently considered the best racer in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Why? He is pretty fast despite being a heavy character. This means he has great handling and defense as well as the acceleration needed to remain in the lead.