Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada 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
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
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
Don't miss these
Animal Crossing New Horizons villager wearing majora's mask from Zelda and standing in front of the master sword
Animal Crossing Full Animal Crossing New Horizons Zelda item list and how to unlock them
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
Donkey Kong and Dixie Kong in Returns HD
Donkey Kong Out of nowhere, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD gets updated with new content a year since launch
The 50 Most Iconic Video Game Characters
Games The 50 most iconic video game characters of all time
Marathon Recon runner shell tracking enemy footsteps
FPS Games All Marathon characters and Runners Shells we know of and their abilities
Best Switch 2 games: Images of Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Cyberpunk 2077, and Kirby Air Riders.
Games The 15 best Switch 2 games to play in 2026
Where winds meet character codes
Action RPGs The best and weirdest Where Winds Meet character creation codes
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K WWE 2K25 MyRise walkthrough and chapter rewards guide
Super Mario Galaxy movie
Animated Movies Chris Pratt hints at "a couple more" new character surprises in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Image of three amiibo figures sitting on a blue GamesRadar+ background.
Toys & Collectibles Hey collectors, here's all the Nintendo Switch 2 amiibo releasing in 2026 so far
Photo of a Nintendo Switch 2 sitting on a pile of Zelda and Splatoon amiibo figures while running Animal Crossing New Horizons.
Toys & Collectibles Here's all the Switch amiibo you need to unlock the New Horizons Zelda and Splatoon characters
Lego Mario in Kart turns to look at a Lego Luigi set, which is just off frame
Toys & Collectibles Lego Luigi is about to give Mario his famous death stare in new set teaser
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K How to unlock all wrestlers in WWE 2K25
The best Nintendo Switch Games with the Nintendo Switch console overlaid.
Nintendo The 25 best Nintendo Switch games to play right now
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
Trending
  • Fable 4 interview
  • New Games for 2026
  • Big in 2026
  • Arknights: Endfield codes
  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.

Share by:
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Whatsapp
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Read more
Kirby Air Riders
Kirby Air Riders' fan-favorite racer is a hilariously fast, oversized hamster named Rick who's been dominating beta lobbies: "Why is THIS the face of carnage and destruction?"
 
 
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 showing Mario and Luigi battling for top position in a vast open world race
Nintendo wants Mario Kart World to be a Switch 2 game fans will "continue to choose for years to come" like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and I hope that means DLC could be on the cards
 
 
Mario Kart World screenshot for Switch 2 showing Wario blasting ahead with a host of characters right behind him in a desert biome
Mario Kart World update makes playing with friends easier, one intermission track less pathetic, and finally allows you to turn that soundtrack up to the only option you need: "Loud"
 
 
Fighters from Super Smash Bros Ultimate including Link, Mario, Samus and others on a red background
Can you name all 84 Super Smash Bros Ultimate fighters without looking them up?
 
 
Donkey Kong Bananza DK and Pauline ready to sing in front of snake crowd
I'm convinced Nintendo might be gearing up for a Mario Kart World DLC announcement as it prepares to spotlight a Donkey Kong Bananza character it's been refusing to publicly acknowledge since launch
 
 
Latest in Racing
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
 
 
Forza Horizon 6 gameplay screenshot
Forza Horizon 6 Premium Edition is $120, even more expensive than the previous game, and it doesn't include all DLC
 
 
Forza Horizon 6 key and May 19 release date
Forza Horizon 6 looks like the pinnacle of open-world racing games: "It really is just about driving wherever you want and exploring"
 
 
Forza Horizon 6
Xbox confirms the Forza Horizon 6 release date it previously leaked but you're going to have to wait for the PS5 version
 
 
A Subway Surfers City racer glides through pink trees
In a literal game changer for TikTok videos, Subway Surfers 2 is finally happening over 13 years after the original
 
 
Latest in Features
Lee Byung-hun as Man-su in No Other Choice
No Other Choice's Park Chan-wook and Lee Byung-hun discuss reuniting after 20 years for their new black comedy thriller
 
 
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams talking with Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery in Wonder Man.
The Marvel movies you've got to watch before tuning into Disney Plus show Wonder Man
 
 
Fortnite South Park
The Fortnite x South Park collab has me yearning for a canceled GTA-inspired game from 2005
 
 
Halo: Combat Evoled screenshot showing a grunt running away from an explosion in the sand
The head of Xbox Game Studios on Developer Direct reveals, multiplatform strategy, and hard lessons learned from 2025
 
 
Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob in One Battle After Another
Oscars 2026 predictions: who will win Best Picture, Best Director, and the major acting awards?
 
 
Fable image with Big in 2026 branding
Why Playground Games' ambitious open-world Fable reboot is a fresh start for the series: "This has to be Playground's Fable"
 
 
  1. Origin Story box and cards laid out on a wooden surface
    1
    Looking for a good 2-player board game? This superhero adventure is worth suiting up for
  2. 2
    Trails Beyond the Horizon review: "This JRPG's thrilling real-time and turn-based combat evolves Metaphor ReFantazio's hybrid battles, making up for a poorly paced adventure"
  3. 3
    Scythe review: "This alt-history board game is still a gold standard for modern strategy"
  4. 4
    Skate Story review: "A beautiful and unique skateboarding game with great, stylized visuals set in a grungy underworld"
  5. 5
    Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
  1. Return to Silent Hill protagonist James Sunderland
    1
    Return to Silent Hill review: "Neither an impressive adaptation nor coherent enough to act as a standalone film"
  2. 2
    28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: "The wildest and weirdest entry into the franchise yet"
  3. 3
    Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
  4. 4
    Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
  5. 5
    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
  1. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.
    1
    Wonder Man review: "A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best"
  2. 2
    Starfleet Academy review: "It may feel a little different to what we're used to, but this is Star Trek through and through"
  3. 3
    A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a surprisingly heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"
  4. 4
    Stranger Things season 5 finale review: “Shows off both the best and the worst of Hawkins”
  5. 5
    Stranger Things season 5, Volume 2 review: “All set up for a finale that has so much to deliver”

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
  • 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...