Summary
- The final update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is highly anticipated, with players speculating which two characters will be added in Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass. Placeholder question marks on the character selection screen hint at the upcoming additions.
- Several characters from the Donkey Kong series, such as Funky Kong and Donkey Kong Jr., have appeared in previous Mario Kart games and could potentially be added in Wave 6 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
- Wave 6 could also introduce characters that have only appeared once before in the Mario Kart series, like Paratroopa and the Honey Queen, or even bring in characters exclusively from Mario Kart Tour. R.O.B. From Mario Kart DS is another possible DLC character.
In anticipation of the final update for Mario 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 to Mario 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 of Mario Kart that 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 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's last DLC characters will be Diddy Kong after appearing multiple times throughout Mario Kart already, but the sheer number of potential candidates has others doubtful. After all, when new characters like Kamek only featured in Mario Kart Tour after being cut from Mario Kart 64, it seems like Wave 6 could subvert everyone's expectations.
Donkey Kong Racers Could Come From Several Mario Kart Games
Mario Kart has always had an overlap with the Donkey Kong Country series, 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 in Mario Kart. Funky Kong was previously added as a playable character in Mario Kart Wii and most recently returned for Mario 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 join Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Wave 6.
But Funky is not the only other Kong to have appeared before in Mario Kart, as Donkey Kong Jr. Featured as a playable character in the original Super Mario Kart. Like Funky, Donkey Kong Jr. Also returned to Mario Kart Tour making him just as likely to be added as DLC, and with Mario Kart already featuring characters racing against their baby counterparts, Donkey Kong Jr.'s appearance wouldn't be a concern. However, if he kept Donkey Kong Jr.'s classic look from Mario Kart Tour, then he might be a likelier candidate for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as 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 both Mario Kart Tour and 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 Deluxe added Koopa Troopa once more as a potentially newfound staple character, but back in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! They weren't introduced alone. As a variation on the Koopa Troopa themselves, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe could see the Paratroopa return to the series after being absent from the series for two decades.
Though Wave 5 added exclusively Super Mario enemies with Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Kamek, Wave 6 could rebalance things with a less antagonistic character. Therefore, having appeared recently in Mario Kart 7 but overlooked in Mario 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 to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe could bring with it more tracks inspired by Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2.
Similar to Donkey Kong Jr., though, Nintendo might consider reprising another classic character from Mario Kart's DS history as a DLC character. While R.O.B. Has been a key figure in Super Smash Bros., the toy-turned-character also previously featured in Mario Kart DS. Not only does this make R.O.B. As old as Paratroopa, but their recent appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate could make them a distinctive choice for returning to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as 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 from Mario Kart's mainline games, there will always be the possibility that characters once exclusive to Mario Kart Tour will now be joining Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. With at least ten characters in the running who have only appeared in Mario 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 more Super Mario enemies, 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 if Dixie Kong were to return to Mario Kart. Other recent or recurring Super Mario characters could instead take her place, such as Pauline from Super Mario Odyssey, or the familiar faces of King Bob-omb, Monty Mole, or Nabbit, since they all appeared in Mario Kart Tour.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is available now on Nintendo Switch.