While an official launch date for Mario Kart 8’s first downloadable pack has yet to be confirmed, a recent listing on the Wii U eShop confirms said DLC is scheduled for a late November release. Mario Kart 8’s first DLC includes three new characters (Link, Tanooki Mario, and Cat Peach), four new karts (the Blue Falcon, B Dasher, Master Cycle, and the Tanooki Kart), in addition to eight new tracks, two of which being the Yoshi Circuit and Excitebike Area.
Additionally, Mario Kart 8’s second DLC called ‘Animal Crossing X Mario Kart 8’ will be released by the “end of May 2015,” and it includes characters like the Animal Crossing Villager, Isabelle, and Dry Bowser, in addition to four new karts and eight new tracks. Customers can purchase said packs individually for $7.99, or they can get them both at a discounted price of $11.99.
Like other games in the series, in Mario Kart 8, players control characters from the Mario franchise and participate in kart-racings on various race-tracks, using items to hinder opponents or gain advantages. While incorporating game-mechanics originally featured in earlier Mario Kart games, Mario Kart 8 introduces anti-gravity vehicles that allow players to drive on walls or ceilings. The game features multiple single-player and multiplayer game modes. Mario Kart 8 also incorporates Miiverse functionality and online multiplayer supported via the Nintendo Network.
Mario Kart 8 was a critical and commercial success upon its release, currently holding aggregate critical scores of 88.52% and 88% on GameRankings and Metacritic, respectively. It is the fastest selling Wii U game as of June 30th, 2014, with 1.2 million copies sold within the first four days of its release and 2.82 million copies during its first month. The game will continue to receive post-release patches and support for Nintendo’s upcoming Amiibo line of figurines. As you might have guessed, Mario Kart 8 is a Wii U exclusive.