Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • 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
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime 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
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • 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
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime 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
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Pokemon Legenda Z-A
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2025
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Gaming Controllers The best Nintendo Switch controllers in 2025
Photo by Tabitha Baker of the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera in its box.
Hardware Need a camera to play Super Mario Jamboree? These are the Switch 2 cameras I'd grab right now
Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong and Pauline looking frightened facing off against Grumpy Kong
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong Bananza credits reignite a popular Mario Kart World fan theory that the beloved gorilla is getting his own expansion in the Switch 2 racer
LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight screenshot showing batman grabbing joker
Adventure Games Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's website says it'll only have "seven playable characters" but I wouldn't worry just yet
Racers ride over a stone paved corner in Kirby Air Riders, while Chef Kawasaki blasts Gooey and Meta-Knight drifts to the side, with the GamesRadar+ Autumn Preview frame
Kirby I played Kirby Air Riders and it's the perfect racer for players who've had enough of Mario Kart
Kirby rides a jet-powered warp star in the announcement teaser for Kirby Air Riders, over a lush green race course
Kirby Kirby Air Riders director Masahiro Sakurai says those who haven't already played the GameCube racer might ask themselves "if it's basically Mario Kart," and, uh, yeah, "it basically is like Mario Kart"
Mario Kart World
Super Mario Mario Kart World banana snipers beware: that MKTV helicopter watching you race can apparently obliterate your chances at winning
Mario Kart World screenshot for Switch 2 showing Wario blasting ahead with a host of characters right behind him in a desert biome
Super Mario I finally got to play Mario Kart World after hundreds of hours in Mario Kart 8, but Knockout Tour was so stressful that I immediately went back to its predecessor
SpongeBog SquarePants jumps for joy in front of his burger car in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic Racing CrossWorlds' Avatar and SpongeBob packs are a start, but I'm desperate for classic Sega rep – Crazy Taxi, when?
Super Mario Mario is a sports star, doctor, and has even fought Sonic – 40 years after Super Mario Bros, it's the plumber's sheer versatility that's been the secret to success
Spike closely staring at the camera in a Mario Kart World screenshot.
Super Mario I need to know what the 190,000 people who bought a Switch 2 at launch without Mario Kart World were doing, because I refuse to believe Welcome Tour was a system seller
A header crop of the Drag X Drive key art, showing a heavily padded character in a wheelchair spinning a basketball on their finger with a neon-lit basket in the background
Sports Games Animal Crossing co-creator and longtime Mario Kart programmer are the leads behind the Nintendo Switch 2's newest exclusive, a Rocket League-esque basketball game
Screenshot featuring Toad and Toadette from the Wii U version of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Games The 25 best Wii U games of all time
Mario Kart World screenshot showing Toad elated after hitting a boost pad on a bike
Racing Games Wow, Mario Kart World really is Nintendo's take on Grand Theft Auto, as NPCs can break into each other's cars: "He's breaking into Green Shy Guy's car! And now he's stealing it!"
Sonic Racing Crossworlds
Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is filling the Mario Kart-shaped hole in my life that World isn't, and I'm as shocked by that as anyone
  1. Games
  2. Racing
  3. Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8 characters - Who will you play as?

Features
By GamesRadar Staff published 15 May 2014

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

Start your enginges

Start your enginges

Once you've unlocked all of the characters in Mario Kart 8, you're met with a gigantic wall of Nintendo nostalgia. From Mario to Wario to all seven Koopalings, the game features a huge number of racers. 30, in fact--which makes it the roster the largest in any of Nintendo's racers to date.

But who should you take on the road first? We've put together a roster showing you what each looks like in-game. Want to know who comes unlocked, and who doesn't? Want to decide now who you want to play as, based on their weight class? Well, why didn't you say so! We have all that info here.

Page 1 of 31
Page 1 of 31
Mario

Mario

Weight Class: Medium

Page 2 of 31
Page 2 of 31
Luigi

Luigi

Weight Class: Medium

Page 3 of 31
Page 3 of 31
Iggy

Iggy

Weight Class: Medium

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 4 of 31
Page 4 of 31
Ludwig

Ludwig

Weight Class: Medium

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 5 of 31
Page 5 of 31
Princess Peach

Princess Peach

Weight Class: Light

Page 6 of 31
Page 6 of 31
Daisy

Daisy

Weight Class: Light

Page 7 of 31
Page 7 of 31
Yoshi

Yoshi

Weight Class: Light

Page 8 of 31
Page 8 of 31
Toad

Toad

Weight Class: Light

Page 9 of 31
Page 9 of 31
Koopa Troopa

Koopa Troopa

Weight Class: Super Light

Page 10 of 31
Page 10 of 31
Shy Guy

Shy Guy

Weight Class: Super Light

Page 11 of 31
Page 11 of 31

Weight Class: Super Light

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 12 of 31
Page 12 of 31
Toadette

Toadette

Weight Class: Super Light

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 13 of 31
Page 13 of 31
Larry

Larry

Weight Class: Super Light

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 14 of 31
Page 14 of 31
Wendy

Wendy

Weight Class: Super Light

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 15 of 31
Page 15 of 31
Baby Mario

Baby Mario

Weight Class: Feather

Page 16 of 31
Page 16 of 31
Baby Luigi

Baby Luigi

Weight Class: Feather

Page 17 of 31
Page 17 of 31
Baby Daisy

Baby Daisy

Weight Class: Feather

Page 18 of 31
Page 18 of 31
Baby Peach

Baby Peach

Weight Class: Feather

Page 19 of 31
Page 19 of 31
Baby Rosalina

Baby Rosalina

Weight Class: Feather

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 20 of 31
Page 20 of 31
Lemmy

Lemmy

Weight Class: Feather

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 21 of 31
Page 21 of 31
Metal Mario

Metal Mario

Weight Class: Heavy

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 22 of 31
Page 22 of 31
Pink Gold Peach

Pink Gold Peach

Weight Class: Heavy

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 23 of 31
Page 23 of 31
Bowser

Bowser

Weight Class: Super Heavy

Page 24 of 31
Page 24 of 31
Wario

Wario

Weight Class: Super Heavy

Page 25 of 31
Page 25 of 31
Morton

Morton

Weight Class: Super Heavy

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 26 of 31
Page 26 of 31
Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong

Weight Class: Super Heavy

Page 27 of 31
Page 27 of 31
Rosalina

Rosalina

Weight Class: Cruiser

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 28 of 31
Page 28 of 31
Waluigi

Waluigi

Weight Class: Cruiser

Page 29 of 31
Page 29 of 31
Roy

Roy

Weight Class: Cruiser

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 30 of 31
Page 30 of 31
Mii

Mii

Weight Class: Any

Needs to be unlocked.

Page 31 of 31
Page 31 of 31
CATEGORIES
Wii-u Platforms Nintendo
GamesRadar Staff
Social Links Navigation

GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

See more Platform Features
Read more
Donkey Kong Bananza Donkey Kong and Pauline looking frightened facing off against Grumpy Kong
Donkey Kong Bananza credits reignite a popular Mario Kart World fan theory that the beloved gorilla is getting his own expansion in the Switch 2 racer
 
 
LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight screenshot showing batman grabbing joker
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's website says it'll only have "seven playable characters" but I wouldn't worry just yet
 
 
Racers ride over a stone paved corner in Kirby Air Riders, while Chef Kawasaki blasts Gooey and Meta-Knight drifts to the side, with the GamesRadar+ Autumn Preview frame
I played Kirby Air Riders and it's the perfect racer for players who've had enough of Mario Kart
 
 
Kirby rides a jet-powered warp star in the announcement teaser for Kirby Air Riders, over a lush green race course
Kirby Air Riders director Masahiro Sakurai says those who haven't already played the GameCube racer might ask themselves "if it's basically Mario Kart," and, uh, yeah, "it basically is like Mario Kart"
 
 
Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World banana snipers beware: that MKTV helicopter watching you race can apparently obliterate your chances at winning
 
 
Mario Kart World screenshot for Switch 2 showing Wario blasting ahead with a host of characters right behind him in a desert biome
I finally got to play Mario Kart World after hundreds of hours in Mario Kart 8, but Knockout Tour was so stressful that I immediately went back to its predecessor
 
 
Latest in Racing
The Crew 2
The Crew 2 will be "accessible for years to come" thanks to its new offline mode, which Ubisoft attributes to "player feedback" – a low-key way to acknowledge 1.4 million signatures worth of Stop Killing Games pressure
 
 
Wipeout 64 cover art
PS1-era Sony nearly fell out with one of its most legendary studios because the "traitors" put Wipeout on Nintendo 64: "What the f*** was Psygnosis doing on the N64?"
 
 
Mt Fuji seen in the cinematic teaser for Forza Horizon 6.
Forza Horizon 6: Everything you need to know about the new Forza Horizon game set in Japan
 
 
Screenshot from Forza Horizon 5's Hot Wheels expansion, showing some cars racing on a hot wheels track wrapped around natural terrain.
Forza Horizon 6 is the first game in the series set in Japan because Playground Games wanted to "do the country justice," and its Hot Wheels DLC helped that happen
 
 
Mt Fuji seen in the cinematic teaser for Forza Horizon 6.
Forza Horizon 6's Japan is even bigger than Forza Horizon 5's map, which itself was double the size of FH4, but the new setting is "also dense" with "always something around the corner"
 
 
Forza Horizon 6 screenshot from the debut trailer showing a cat figurine next to a bowl
Forza Horizon 6 devs worked "closely" with a cultural consultant to ensure they were being "authentic and respectful" with the racing game's Japan setting
 
 
Latest in Features
HOMM olden era demo
Don't underestimate Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era's arena mode – it taught me how to win a campaign after 5 failed attempts
 
 
Josh O'Connor as JB in The Mastermind
The Mastermind is a brilliantly frustrating anti-heist movie that defies expectations, and it's one of my favorite movies of the year
 
 
Phyre stands in front of Seattle in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
Step aside Duskbloods, Dawnwalker, and Bloodlines 2 – somebody give me a Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG to commemorate the series' revival
 
 
A pink-haired trainer faces Yveltal in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
Pokemon Legends Z-A and Arceus are true successors to the classic Pokemon games I first fell in love with
 
 
All the Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set models laid out on a wooden table
Which Warhammer Helsmiths of Hashut models should you buy for your army? I've made all them, so here's what I think
 
 
Storm, Wolverine, Nova, and Spoider-Man fight bug enemies on the streets in Marvel Cosmic Invasion
I spent an undisclosed but fireable amount of time playing games at work, and here are my 10 Steam Next Fest demos you shouldn't miss before they're gone
 
 
  1. The screen is filtered with red with huge Japanese text in Ninja Gaiden 4 as Yakumo uses a massive attack to obliterate all enemies on screen
    1
    Ninja Gaiden 4 review: "Thrilling action and deep blood powers make this the series' best and a stunning return to form"
  2. 2
    Keeper review: "One of the most wonderfully bizarre games I've ever played – a stunning slice of magic"
  3. 3
    Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 review: "My dream vampire RPG has been staked – this blunt-toothed sequel is just a boring, linear action brawler instead"
  4. 4
    Ball x Pit review: "Vampire Survivors and Breakout collide in this brilliant roguelike ball basher that struggles with repetition"
  5. 5
    Pokemon Legends: Z-A review: "Fast fluid real-time fights and a world worth exploring make this finally feel like the anime come to life"
  1. Tron: Ares
    1
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  2. 2
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  3. 3
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  4. 4
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  5. 5
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  1. Splinter Cell Deathwatch
    1
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
  2. 2
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  3. 3
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  4. 4
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  5. 5
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."

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

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

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

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...