{"id":2124917,"date":"2026-09-02T17:11:48","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T14:11:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2124917"},"modified":"2026-09-02T17:11:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T14:11:48","slug":"mario-kart-8-deluxe-gets-a-surprise-switch-2-update-bringing-eight-player-split-screen-to-the-evergreen-racing-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2124917","title":{"rendered":"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gets a surprise Switch 2 update, bringing eight-player split-screen to the evergreen racing game"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gets a surprise Switch 2 update, bringing eight-player split-screen to the evergreen racing game<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Boo!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Mario-Kart-8-Yoshi.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Screenshot from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, showing seven differently coloured Yoshis racing side by side on motorbikes.\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Mario-Kart-8-Yoshi.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Nintendo<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Kaan Serin avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/1633424287.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"216\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Kaan Serin avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"1633424287.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"216\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/kaan-serin\">Kaan Serin<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\n<p>Published on   <time datetime=\"2026-09-02T17:11:48+00:00\" data-auto-time-zone=\"true\" data-year=\"numeric\" data-month=\"short\" data-day=\"numeric\" data-hour=\"numeric\" data-minute=\"numeric\">Sept. 2, 2026, 5:11 p.m.<\/time>\n              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/mario-kart-8-switch-2-update-eight-player-split-screen-nintendo?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          9 comments<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"header_actions\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"fb4d0640-e8df-491a-b3be-389de172e414\" data-name=\"Mario Kart 8\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Mario Kart 8\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Mario Kart 8\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Mario Kart 8\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Mario Kart 8\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Mario Kart 8\" title=\"Follow Mario Kart 8\"><br \/>\n  Follow Mario Kart 8<br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n  <a class=\"button outline wide preferred_source_button\" data-component=\"preferred-source-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=eurogamer.net\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"logo\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><br \/>\nPrioritise us on Google  <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Nintendo heard us. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/mario-kart-8-deluxe\">Mario Kart 8 Deluxe<\/a> parties weren&#8217;t simultaneously ruining enough friendships, so the evergreen racer can now be played in split-screen with up to eight players thanks to a surprise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/platforms\/switch-2\">Switch 2<\/a> update.<\/p>\n<p>Nintendo last night added Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendo.com\/us\/gaming-systems\/switch-2\/transfer-guide\/games-with-free-updates\/\">list of games<\/a> that now enjoy free Switch 2 updates. The surprise patch includes improved image quality and faster loading times when playing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/mario-kart-8\">Mario Kart 8<\/a> on Switch 2 consoles, alongside support for GameShare and CameraPlay &#8211; meaning you can watch your soon-to-be ex-friends shout expletives as you spam them with red shells, as long as you&#8217;re playing with two-to-four players.<\/p>\n<p>But the headlining feature is easily the ability to play with up to eight people on the same console. Before this week, Mario Kart 8 only supported four players locally, but that limit can now be doubled. You just need to be playing on a Switch 2 and have at least one Joy-Con 2 or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller connected. I&#8217;m not sure how legible Mario Kart 8 might be when the TV&#8217;s sliced eight ways, but a little more chaos can&#8217;t hurt, right?<\/p>\n<p>A few more minor changes are also buried at the bottom of Nintendo&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/en-americas-support.nintendo.com\/app\/answers\/detail\/a_id\/26098\">patch notes<\/a>. Booster Course Pass owners now have a &#8217;96 Races&#8217; option when creating custom VS matches, you&#8217;ll no longer be slowed down when Boo goes off to steal an enemy&#8217;s item, and all racers now go a little faster &#8220;by the equivalent of one coin.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Even outside of its seemingly immortal kart racer, the Big N&#8217;s been unusually busy with free updates this week. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/pikmin-3-deluxe\">Pikmin 3 Deluxe<\/a> was also treated to a free Switch 2 update just a few days ago, bringing very similar graphical improvements to the game. Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/super-smash-bros-ultimate\">Super Smash Bros. Ultimate<\/a> cleaned up its online battles in a <a href=\"https:\/\/en-americas-support.nintendo.com\/app\/answers\/detail\/a_id\/42809\/\">small patch<\/a> that was pushed out earlier today. No Switch 2 update for the crossover brawler, though. At least, not yet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Nintendo heard us. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/mario-kart-8-deluxe\">Mario Kart 8 Deluxe<\/a> parties weren&#8217;t simultaneously ruining enough friendships, so the evergreen racer can now be played in split-screen with up to eight players thanks to a surprise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/platforms\/switch-2\">Switch 2<\/a> update.<\/p>\n<p>Nintendo last night added Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendo.com\/us\/gaming-systems\/switch-2\/transfer-guide\/games-with-free-updates\/\">list of games<\/a> that now enjoy free Switch 2 updates. The surprise patch includes improved image quality and faster loading times when playing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/mario-kart-8\">Mario Kart 8<\/a> on Switch 2 consoles, alongside support for GameShare and CameraPlay &#8211; meaning you can watch your soon-to-be ex-friends shout expletives as you spam them with red shells, as long as you&#8217;re playing with two-to-four players.<\/p>\n<p>But the headlining feature is easily the ability to play with up to eight people on the same console. Before this week, Mario Kart 8 only supported four players locally, but that limit can now be doubled. You just need to be playing on a Switch 2 and have at least one Joy-Con 2 or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller connected. I&#8217;m not sure how legible Mario Kart 8 might be when the TV&#8217;s sliced eight ways, but a little more chaos can&#8217;t hurt, right?<\/p>\n<p>A few more minor changes are also buried at the bottom of Nintendo&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/en-americas-support.nintendo.com\/app\/answers\/detail\/a_id\/26098\">patch notes<\/a>. Booster Course Pass owners now have a &#8217;96 Races&#8217; option when creating custom VS matches, you&#8217;ll no longer be slowed down when Boo goes off to steal an enemy&#8217;s item, and all racers now go a little faster &#8220;by the equivalent of one coin.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Even outside of its seemingly immortal kart racer, the Big N&#8217;s been unusually busy with free updates this week. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/pikmin-3-deluxe\">Pikmin 3 Deluxe<\/a> was also treated to a free Switch 2 update just a few days ago, bringing very similar graphical improvements to the game. Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/super-smash-bros-ultimate\">Super Smash Bros. Ultimate<\/a> cleaned up its online battles in a <a href=\"https:\/\/en-americas-support.nintendo.com\/app\/answers\/detail\/a_id\/42809\/\">small patch<\/a> that was pushed out earlier today. No Switch 2 update for the crossover brawler, though. At least, not yet.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gets a surprise Switch 2 update, bringing eight-player split-screen to the evergreen racing game Boo! Image credit: Nintendo News by Kaan Serin Contributor Published on Sept. 2, 2026, 5:11 p.m. 9 comments Follow Mario Kart 8 Prioritise us on Google Nintendo heard us. Our Mario Kart 8 Deluxe parties [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2124917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2124917"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124917\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2124917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2124917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2124917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}