Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC sparks backlash from Nintendo fans over “lazy” graphics
Nintendo / Twitter: @NibrocRockNintendo has released the Booster Course Pass DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe but not everyone is happy with the first eight new courses, claiming the graphics aren’t up to par.
Revealed during a Nintendo Direct in February 2022, the Booster Course Pass DLC adds six waves of eight courses from previous games, with the first being released on March 18, including fan-favorites like Coconut Mall and Choco Mountain.
The new 8 Deluxe expansion isn’t sitting right with every player, though, with some claiming that the graphics on tracks don’t look as good as they did in the Mario Kart games they originated from.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe fans slam “lazy” DLC
Following the release of the first wave of tracks, some fans took to social media to voice their disappointment in the graphical quality.
“These are from the same game,” Twitter user @KRoolKountry wrote on March 17, alongside screenshots of the same track from 2014 and 2022.
“After seeing what Nintendo is capable of, I have to hold them to a higher standard,” the fan followed up. “They just copy and pasted Tour’s tracks, updated the lighting, and are charging a premium for what clearly took little effort on their part. It’s disappointing after waiting so long for a new MK.”
These are from the same game.
Correction: The one on the left is from 2014 and the one on the right is from 2022. pic.twitter.com/uCWEIZtRJW
— Kremling Kampaigner (@KRoolKountry) March 18, 2022
Their post went viral on the platform, grabbing over 26,000 likes and 3,700 retweets, with countless others agreeing that the DLC feels like a step backward.
“I’ve seen roblox games that have higher quality visuals than the dlc tracks in 8 deluxe,” one player wrote.
“Graphics aren’t everything, but DLC being a clear downgrade compared to the base game deserves to be criticized,” another said. “Adding lazy mobile game ports and calling it a day isn’t acceptable from a AAA company.”
“Since when did graphics matter in a Mario Kart game?”
Graphics aren’t everything, but DLC being a clear downgrade compared to the base game deserves to be criticized. Adding lazy mobile game ports and calling it a day isn’t acceptable from a AAA company https://t.co/R0q2pBljCs
— CyberUltra (@CyberUltra_) March 18, 2022
Not everyone was critical, though, with some even making fun of those annoyed at the graphical change.
“Honestly after seeing tweets like this for the 257th time, it makes me realize how much I couldn’t care less about the graphics,” a fan said. “I just wanna play the game. Is this the unpopular opinion?”
“This really isn’t as big of a deal as people are making it out to be. It’s just grass,” tweeted another.
I don’t play Mario Kart and I’ve never been a fan of Nintendo in general but this really isn’t as big of a deal as people are making it out to be. It’s just grass.
— Adnonnymous (@Adnonnymous) March 18, 2022
With five more waves and 40 tracks being drip-fed over the coming months, it’s possible that Nintendo could take the feedback on board for upcoming courses.
There’s no release date for wave two yet, so fans will just have to wait and see if their graphical complaints will be addressed.
