Nintendo only releases one Mario Kart game per platform, but this time around it’s decided to continue supporting one of its biggest releases with regular downloadable-content updates … and that means Link is finally getting in on the action.
The publisher’s U.K. website revealed that is working on two downloadable content packs for Mario Kart 8. One that will launch Nov. 14 and another that will debut in May — yes, eight months from now. Each pack will include three new racers, four new carts, and eight new tracks. You can pre-purchase both packs tonight for $8 each or get both as a $12 bundle starting tonight. If you go the $12 route, you’ll get immediate access to new colors for the Yoshi and Shy Guy characters in the racer. Nintendo confirmed that this is part of an effort to keep sustained interest for the Mario Kart game through next year. The publisher also noted that it only started working on this since content since releasing Mario Kart 8, which explains the wait.
The most exciting part of the Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8 plans is that it will finally bring characters from other Nintendo brands into the racing game. That includes Link from the Legend of Zelda as well as Villager and Isabelle from Animal Crossing. Nintendo will also release Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, and Dry (skeletal) Bowser.
Link, Tanooki Mario, and Cat Peach are all coming in the November DLC, while the rest are scheduled for May.
When it comes to courses, things are just as interesting. Each expansion will introduce two new cups, and the 8 courses will come as one of three types: A remake of classic track, a brand new Mario-style track, or a crossover from another game.
For the crossover, Nintendo is promising stuff from F-Zero and Excitebike.
Finally, for the new Karts, Nintendo only gave one example, which is Captain Falcon’s Blue Falcon ship from F-Zero.
We asked Nintendo about the possibility of a Collector’s Edition that includes all this content, but it didn’t have any answers about that as this time.
Mario Kart 8 is one of Nintendo’s top-selling games. The company reported that it has already sold more than 1 million copies of the racer in the U.S. alone since its May 29 launch.
