Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Upcoming Switch 2 games banner image showing a figure holding out their hand from Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave, Yoshi from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Ditto in human form with Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Scyther, Timburr in Pokopia, and Mario from Mario Tennis Fever
Nintendo Switch 2 Upcoming Switch 2 games: New Nintendo Switch 2 games for 2026 and beyond
DS
Games The 25 best DS games of all time
Four pictures of games from our selection of the best Switch 2 games list, showing Donkey Kong, Cloud from Final Fantasy, Mario and Luigi, and three starter Pokemon.
Games The 20 best Switch 2 games to play in 2026
A picture of a Nintendo 3DS console next to several of the best 3DS games and Nintendo cards.
Games The 25 best Nintendo 3DS games of all time
Upcoming Switch games for 2026 banner showing Mega Man from the All Star Force Collection, Witches in Witchbrook, a large woman in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, and Fiona in Neverway
Action Games Upcoming Switch games for 2026 and beyond
Photo of the Super Mario Nendoroid figure sitting infront of some figure boxes.
Toys & Collectibles These Super Mario Nendoroid figures deserve a comeback, but I'll settle for the SH Figuarts re-release
Two chefs cooking on a boat with a seagull watching in the Nintendo Switch game Overcooked 2
Platforming Games Best two-player Switch games that let you team up with a friend or family member
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Super Mario Mario Kart World content update seemingly leaked by Nintendo itself, players think a fan-favorite mode is returning
The best Nintendo Switch Games with the Nintendo Switch console overlaid.
Nintendo The 25 best Nintendo Switch games to play right now
Best Sega Saturn games
Retro Best Saturn games of all time from Die Hard Arcade to Panzer Dragoon Saga
Photo of the Mario and Luigi Nendoroid figures sitting next to eachother.
Toys & Collectibles Celebrate MAR10 Day in style with the very best Super Mario merch
Pokemon Pikachu
Adventure Games The 10 best games like Pokemon for the discerning trainer
Animal Crossing: New Horizons screenshot of cat villager Punchy cooking with a pan
Games The best Switch exclusives to make sure you have in your library
Sky: Children of the Light screenshot of three figures playing different instruments
Games The best free Switch games available right now in 2026
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Games The 10 best Lego games of all time
  1. Games
  2. Racing
  3. Mario Kart 8

Eight Nintendo games that NEED to become Mario Kart 8 tracks right now

Features
By Danielle Lucas published 21 April 2017

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is awesome, and if anyone else suggests otherwise I'll Blue Shell them. It's so awesome, in fact, that games which don't even have Mario in the title are allowed to join the dangerous dodgem party.

Both The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing now part of the standard track roster, its got me thinking about who else needs to join in on the banana-flinging, horn-tooting, self-green-shelling madness. With that in mind, here are eight classic Nintendo titles that NEED to become Mario Kart 8 tracks...

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
1. Pokemon

1. Pokemon

Each region in the monster-catching series has already been partitioned out into handy routes, screaming to be turned into lengthy tracks. Just imagine skidding through the long grass with wild Pokemon appearing as driving hazards, and throwing Pokeballs instead of bananas at your fellow racers. It's super effective!

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
2. Metroid

2. Metroid

Mario Kart already has the whole space thing covered thanks to the various Rainbow Roads, but what it hasn't got is a track that takes you on a journey around a suspiciously dangerous planet before launches you (in morphball form, of course) into the twinkling abyss to careen around Samus's shiny Gunship.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
3. Star Fox

3. Star Fox

Making full use of the antigrav wheels, this track could barrel roll through the sky, passing over the length of a Arwing before bringing you crashing down to ground level after a blue shell goes rogue. Added bonus: Slippy Toad and co provide unhelpful race commentary along the bottom of the screen. Don't forget about me!

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
4. Chibi-Robo

4. Chibi-Robo

This would be the closest Mario Kart could get to being Micro Machines, with everyone charging around a messy kitchen table, with jam spills placed just after tricky corners to slow you down, and boost jumps off of Chibi-Robo's little power cord. You could even collect happy points instead of coins! Ace.

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
5. Professor Layton

5. Professor Layton

The brilliant battle mode arenas are back in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, so why not give your cranium a workout with a stage that boxes all the racers into a giant traffic-puzzle cube and sees you all frantically shunt each other around until you reach the exit. And all the coins become hint coins, too. Every puzzle has an answer! And the answer is shells. 

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
6. Kirby

6. Kirby

Imagine all the vibrancy of a Mario Kart track, but with a lovely plasticine sheen to all those piranha plants trying to gobble you up mid race. Or perhaps this is just an excuse to get yourself behind the handlebars of a hamster-themed motorbike. Move over Epona bike! Your time is over.

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
7. Fire Emblem

7. Fire Emblem

You drive along the edge of giant version of Lucina's sword, as she bravely battles with Chrom. The track could leap between their blades as they clash. Instead of your standard mushrooms and shells, you battle with the rock-paper-scissors set up of the traditional Fire Emblem weapon triangle of sword, axe and lance. And there would be awkward romance, too. Although I'm not sure how. 

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
8. Monster Hunter

8. Monster Hunter

It's the turn of the ever helpful Palico to get behind the wheel, meowing incessantly and spitting out cat puns as you navigate a prehistoric field while being chased by raptor-like Jaggis. Harvest speed-boosting meat chunks in place of coins by running over the local wildlife. No, it's not weird. YOU'RE WEIRD. 

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
CATEGORIES
Wii-u Platforms Nintendo
Danielle  Lucas
Danielle Lucas
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Dani's ears prick up every time the words 'final' and 'fantasy' are mentioned in the same sentence. Great when talking about JRPGs, but it becomes a real hassle when discussing the finals of your fantasy football league. Cloud would totally be a better striker than Rooney.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Read more
Four pictures of games from our selection of the best Switch 2 games list, showing Donkey Kong, Cloud from Final Fantasy, Mario and Luigi, and three starter Pokemon.
The 20 best Switch 2 games to play in 2026
 
 
Image of the front and back of the Hori Mario Kart World racing wheel, with a blue GamesRadar+ background behind it.
Sorry Nintendo, Hori's new Mario Kart World wheels are what the Switch 2 truly deserves
 
 
Mario Kart World screenshot featuring Birdo
New Mario Kart World update finally adds team races to the Switch 2 game's Knockout Tour mode
 
 
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Mario Kart World content update seemingly leaked by Nintendo itself, players think a fan-favorite mode is returning
 
 
Best Mario games
The 15 best Mario games of all time
 
 
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Best local multiplayer Switch games to play in 2026
 
 
Latest in Racing
Star Wars Galactic Racer big preview
Star Wars: Galactic Racer makes more sense for the Star Wars universe than Palpatine somehow returning ever did
 
 
Mario Kart Arcade GP key art, with Pac-Man and Mario racing against each other
Nintendo's forgotten Mario Kart game is finally playable again as the best GameCube emulator gets even better
 
 
Forza Horizon 4
Creating a new studio with former Forza and Codemasters devs is like "taking the best singers from the best boy bands"
 
 
Big in 2026 - Star Wars Galactic Racer
The Outer Rim is your highway in Star Wars Galactic Racer, but it's more than Burnout in space
 
 
Forza Horizon 6
Forza Horizon 6 is going full anime with Initial D-inspired Touge Battle mode and a full-sized Gundam
 
 
Forza Horizon 6 gameplay screenshot
Forza Horizon 6 adds Assassin's Creed Shadows-style base where you can build anything, if you fund it with tofu delivery
 
 
Latest in Features
Underside of Alienware 16 Area-51 gaming laptop with glass viewing window and RGB fans
We could get a shock when 2026 gaming laptop prices are unveiled, here's what you need to know about buying this year
 
 
In Hitman World of Assassination, Agent 47 sits at the departure gate in an airport during the loading screen
After weeks spent locked into Hitman's Freelancer mode, I realize there's one vital thing 007 First Light needs to learn
 
 
Mario gadgets, accessories, and games on a blue background
The ultimate Mario Day starter pack, kit up for the plumber's big day
 
 
Glen Powell as Becket in How to Make a Killing
How to Make a Killing is Glen Powell's latest mid-budget movie, and I hope he never stops making them
 
 
Jensen Huang next to AI robot on stage at GTC 2024
Nvidia's CEO says "we created the modern video game industry," but all its push into AI upscaling has done is destroy good game optimization
 
 
Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby walking in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ending explained: does Tommy Shelby die and will there be a new season?
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Mario riding Yoshi through space with Luigi and Peach flying along beside him
    1
    Super Mario Galaxy Movie reveals Donald Glover as the voice of Yoshi and more new casting in a star-spanning trailer
  2. 2
    Reacher star Alan Ritchson says season 4 is coming this year: "It's by far the best season we've had yet"
  3. 3
    Clair Obscur Expedition 33 took inspiration from a surprising anime - Soul Eater creator's Fire Force
  4. 4
    "The God of War sex mini-games were designed by women," which is why Aphrodite's bed looks "like a labia"
  5. 5
    Resident Evil Requiem leads let actors re-do "technically" perfect scenes if it made them happy, says Grace actor

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...