Mario Kart 8 Deluxe unlockables - how to get Gold Mario, all the kart parts, and more

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gives gamers another great excuse to pick up Nintendo's Switch console - especially those interested in some good, old school arcade racing. But once you get it… what do you do? Jump online? Invite friends over to play? Try to beat some time trials? The correct answer is all of the above, since doing just about anything in Mario Kart 8 will help you unlock goodies.

Unlocking Gold Mario

There were 30 Mario Kart 8 characters in the Wii U version, with 16 available at the start of the game and 14 that needed to be unlocked by getting Gold on each track. However, the Deluxe version on Switch features all of the original and DLC characters from the Wii U version unlocked from the start, so you can pick your favourite driver straight away.

The only unlockable character (of sorts) is Gold Mario, which is actually a variant of Metal Mario. To get him, you'll need to take first place in all of the Grand Prix cups at the new 200cc level, so get practicing those speedy laps!

Unlocking Kart Parts

Every Kart is made up of three parts: a body, wheels, and a glider. Though many come unlocked from the start, there are a few dozen that you can get by collecting coins - the ones that you run into during play. Here is a list of the parts available:

Wheels

  • Azure Roller
  • Blue Standard
  • Button
  • Crimson Slim
  • Cushion
  • Cyber Slick
  • GLA Tires
  • Hot Monster
  • Leaf Tires
  • Metal
  • Retro Off-Road
  • Slick
  • Triforce Tires
  • Wood

Gliders

  • Bowser Kite
  • Cloud Glider
  • Flower Glider
  • Hylian Kite
  • MKTV Parafoil
  • Paper Glider
  • Peach Parasol
  • Waddle Wing
  • Wario Wing

Kart Bodies

  • 300 SL Roadster
  • B Dasher
  • Badwagon
  • Biddybuggy
  • Blue Falcon
  • Bone Rattler
  • Cat Cruiser
  • Flame Rider
  • GLA
  • Inkstriker
  • Jet Bike
  • Koopa Clown
  • Landship
  • Mach 8
  • Master Cycle
  • Mr. Scooty
  • P-Wing
  • Pipe Frame
  • Prancer
  • Sport Bike
  • Sports Coupe
  • Tanooki Kart
  • Teddy Buggy
  • The Duke
  • Tri-Speeder
  • Varmint
  • W 25 Silver Arrow
  • Wild Wiggler
  • Yoshi Bike

Special Parts

In addition to all the vehicle parts listed above, there are three special Gold parts available - but you'll need to complete the tasks below in order to unlock them:

Gold Tires - beat all 48 staff ghosts in the 150cc Time Trials.
Gold Glider - collect a total of 5,000 coins.
Gold Standard - get at least a 1 star ranking for all Mirror Cups.

Coins

Kart parts are unlocked randomly when you reach different coin benchmarks. While it starts off at every 30 coins, the increments gradually increase when you reach 450 (every 50) and 1,500 (every 100) coins. For example:

  • 30
  • 60
  • 90
  • 120
  • 150
  • 180
  • 210
  • 240
  • 270
  • 300
  • 330
  • 360
  • 390
  • 420
  • 450
  • 500
  • 550
  • 600
  • 650
  • 700
  • 750
  • 800
  • 850
  • 900
  • 950
  • 1000
  • 1050
  • 1100
  • 1150
  • 1200
  • 1250
  • 1300
  • 1350
  • 1400
  • 1450
  • 1500
  • 1600
  • 1700
  • 1800
  • 1900
  • 2000
  • etc.
Iain Wilson
Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has well over 900 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.