Welcome back to what’s already wave 5 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Courses Pass! This penultimate DLC features some much-anticipated courses like Wii Koopa Cape and GCN Daisy Cruiser, but I’m especially hyped for the three city courses from Mario Kart Tour. Most of the time, the tour courses are little gems, with tracks like New York Minute, Berlin Byways, and Singapore Speedway all ranking very high in previous waves. Still, with Tokyo Blur also out there, there’s no guarantee that the courses will be truly good.
There’s no shortage of things to say about the 8 new tracks. Before I forget though – head on over to the comment section to point out why I’m wrong! I’m curious about your opinions, as well. The ranking is by my tastes, of course, but I’ll especially look at originality, uniqueness, and used remake potential. So, with the chit-chat out of the way, let’s get to it! Let’s rank wave 5 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Courses Pass!
The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass is available for $25, or as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
Sunset Wilds (GBA)
The Mario Kart: Super Circuit retro tracks have so far been hit-or-miss. While Snow Land and Boo Lake were formidable, Sky Garden and Riverside Park fell short. Sadly, Sunset Wilds falls into the latter category. But let’s start with the positives. Sunset Wilds is a fun little track, with many ramps and plenty of drift potential. The music, too, is an absolute banger. I want more wild west Mario content, Nintendo!
Sunset Wilds suffers form the same problem as Coconut Mall.
So let’s get to why this track ranks last. First of all, it’s pretty generic. There’s nothing too crazy going on. The laps are short, and there are no shortcuts that stand out. But of course, the main problem is that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe removed its distinguishing feature. In previous iterations, this track’s appeal was that the sun would slowly set, and you’d drive the last lap in the dark. For some strange reason, Nintendo removed this feature. While I don’t think it ruined the track, removing its main appeal factor is enough reason for me to rank Sunset Wilds last.
Moonview Highway (Wii)
Speaking of generic, Moonview Highway takes the cake for me in the category “most underwhelming.” It’s nice to be back on the circuit I raced on as a kid, but I would’ve liked to see something new. This faithful remake doesn’t feel like the crazy high-speed track I imagined driving on as a kid.
All and all, I’m glad to revisit Moonview Highway.
While the circuit certainly isn’t bad, the saving grace that makes this track fun is the 200 cc-mode. You’ll fly over the tracks, making the cars an actual frantic obstacle race that justifies the crazy good background music. There’s also a lot of fun stuff to do with the bomb cars, which is always a plus. All in all, Moonview Highway remains a fun experience, but I would’ve loved to see more.
Daisy Cruiser (GCN)
Daisy Cruiser is such a fitting Mario Kart track. Everything about it just screams Mario. The bright, summery atmosphere makes this track the perfect short and sweet circuit to play casually. As my friend Antonio Samson pointed out to me, the upgraded visuals and music are astounding. These elements alone make this iteration of Daisy Cruiser truly better than its Gamecube original or Mario Kart 7 iteration.
It’s perfect if you like your circuits short and sweet!
What Daisy Cruiser does have in visual appeal, it lacks in racing. It’s like a scenic dark ride compared to an exciting roller coaster. There are some tight turns, but there’s little tricking potential or truly exhilarating stunts to pull off. 6th is a fine ranking for this nice course.
Los Angeles Laps (Tour)
It’s time for the first tour track! Los Angeles Laps is one of the better city tracks that grace Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Its intro is already formidable. Starting on the beach, you immediately face ramps, half-pipes, and enormous turns that let you unleash all the Mario Kart mechanics. It reminds me a little of the Excitebike Arena with all its tricks and speed.
Los Angels Laps lets you go FAST!
The track proceeds to be immensely diverse, as the circuit morphs into the inner city and even an industrial area. It’s a fun circuit to race on, although its highlight is definitely its start. After its beginning, the craziness slows down a little, which I think is a shame. All and all a decent city track, albeit not super memorable. Sydney Sprint did the fast-paced summer track better.
Squeaky Clean Sprint
Squeaky Clean Sprint once again shows Nintendo’s creative power. A course set in a bathroom, entirely bathroom-themed, I don’t think my brain would ever conceive of it. The design of the circuit is flawless, making this course a visual joy to drive through.
You can hit people into the toilet on this track.
In contrast to Daisy Cruiser, however, there are also loads of opportunities for tricks and a bunch of tight turns. In 200 cc, the course can be pretty challenging, which I’m pretty fond of. The music is perfect as well. The jazzy upbeat song sounds like relaxed cleaning montage music. Pretty fitting!
Koopa Cape (Wii)
Koopa Cape does precisely what Koopa Cape is supposed to do. Be a hectic and zany track with lots of tricking potential. In this version, it certainly delivered. The tricking potential of this track is where it shines.
The sheer chaos of this track makes it a solid pick on multiplayer.
The circuit gets immediate bonus points for including an anti-gravity section. These get used far too sparingly in the Booster Course tracks, so it’s good to see them put to good use. Especially on 200 cc, you’ll find yourself thrown into all the corners of the Koopa Cape, and that’s a good thing. It’s a fun, fast track, especially for those who like the more messy and wacky races.
Athens Dash (Tour)
Wow. Wave 5 instantly blew me away by starting with Athens Dash. This course immediately had me awe-struck. The Greek ruins are a grand and imposing appearance, and the bright blue sky made me wish I could explore them in real life.
Man, now I want to go to Athens.
What sets this track apart for me is its sense of height. You climb mountains and drop into enormous depths with glide or boost panels. Thanks to those heights, this circuit feels like a stunt track. This track perfectly blends its environment with a great racing experience. And it would be number one if it weren’t for…
Vancouver Velocity (Tour)
This is the third time in a row I ranked the finishing course first. Vancouver Velocity nails the city track perfectly. It manages to blend an elegant winter vibe with the modern city aesthetic, which is very well reflected in the background music. There are loads of areas to trick and drift and – for once – a substantial anti-gravity zone. I always love those.
Vancouver Velocity may be one of my all-time favorites.
Vancouver Velocity is a diverse track that didn’t bore me for a single second. The coziness of Vancouver Park plays well with the modernity of the city itself, and the section straight through the Ice Skating arena is a very nice touch. And that’s not to mention the beautiful Northern Lights in the background. This circuit may be one of my all-time favorites.
And that’s all of them – my ranking of the eight new courses in the fifth wave of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. Do you agree with my ranking, or do you have a completely different list? Did you like the course selection of this DLC? Let me know in the comments!
