Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the choice if you want to play a currently supported game in this comparison. Nintendo discontinued Mario Kart Tour service for smart devices at 11:00 p.m. PT on September 29, 2026. Tour is therefore a historical comparison, not an active alternative to Deluxe.
Which game should you choose now?
Choose Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch if you want to start or continue playing a supported game from this pair and have access to Switch hardware. Nintendo lists Deluxe for Nintendo Switch and marks its behavior on Nintendo Switch 2 as supported. Its US listing gives the original release date as April 28, 2017; Nintendo released a further update in September 2026.
Nintendo’s status notice is explicit: “Service for the Mario Kart Tour game for smart devices was discontinued at 11:00 p.m. PT on September 29, 2026.” That confirms the service has ended, but does not establish whether an installed app can still be opened, whether any offline play is possible, or how accounts or data are handled.
How Mario Kart 8 Deluxe supports multiplayer
Nintendo lists three play settings and their player counts for the US version:
#1 Best Overall
![Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/517O3bI45YL._SL160_.jpg)
- Hit the road with the definitive version of Mario Kart 8 and play anytime, anywhere! Race your friends or battle them in a revised battle mode on new and returning battle courses
- Play locally in up to 4-player multiplayer in 1080p while playing in TV Mode. Every track from the Wii U version, including DLC, makes a glorious return
- Plus, the Inklings appear as all-new guest characters, along with returning favorites, such as King Boo, Dry Bones, and Bowser Jr.
- Players can choose a new Smart Steering feature which makes driving and staying on the track easy for novice players and kids even at 200cc
| Setting | Players |
|---|---|
| Single system | 1–4 |
| Local wireless | 2–8 |
| Online | 2–12; Nintendo Switch Online membership required |
Nintendo’s product listing also describes TV, tabletop, and handheld play. It cautions that software compatibility and the play experience may differ on Nintendo Switch Lite.
Recent Switch 2 additions
Nintendo’s Ver. 4.0.0 update notes, released September 1, 2026, list Switch 2 display and high-resolution TV support for clearer visuals, shorter loading before races and battles, CameraPlay, and local multiplayer for five to eight players. For an eight-player session on Switch 2, Nintendo specifies that at least one Joy-Con 2 or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller is needed. CameraPlay requires a separately sold USB camera.
Rank #2
- Nuevos personajes: Inkling, Rey Boo, Huesitos y Bowsy
- Inclusi n de circuitos in ditos en el modo batalla
- Los pilotos cuentan con el volante inteligente, que ayuda a no salirse de la pista
- Hasta 8 pilotos en partidas de multijugador local
What Tour offered—and what this comparison can establish
Historically, Mario Kart Tour was a mobile game organized around race seasons and included online multiplayer, according to TechRadar’s July 9, 2026 report. TechRadar also noted that some Tour tracks later appeared in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Pass DLC. These details describe Tour before service discontinuation; they do not make it a playable current substitute.
The meaningful present-day difference is availability: Nintendo still lists Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and its Switch 2 behavior as supported, while Tour service has ended. The available official information does not support a complete feature-by-feature judgment about graphics, controls, monetization, or total content, so those are not sound grounds for declaring one game the overall winner.
Rank #3
- Included is the following: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch Game, 2x PremGear Steering Driving Wheels to use with your Joy-Con Controllers (NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SWITCH 2), PremGear 24 Slot Game card Case/Holder with 2 Slot MicroSD Memory Card Adapter and PremGear Quality Cleaning Cloth
- RACE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE! Hit the road with the definitive version of Mario Kart 8. Race your friends or battle them in a revised battle mode on new and returning battle courses
- Play locally in up to 4-player multiplayer in 1080p while playing in TV Mode. Every track from the Wii U version, including DLC, makes a glorious return
- Plus, the Inklings appear as all-new guest characters, along with returning favorites, such as King Boo, Dry Bones, and Bowser Jr.!
- Players can choose a new Smart Steering feature which makes driving and staying on the track easy for novice players and kids even at 200cc
Pick based on your situation
- You want to play one of these games now: Choose Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; Tour service ended on September 29, 2026.
- You have a Switch or Switch 2 and want shared play: Deluxe offers single-system play for one to four people and local wireless for two to eight; Switch 2’s Ver. 4.0.0 update adds five-to-eight-player multiplayer with the stated controller requirement for eight.
- You want online matches: Deluxe supports online play for two to 12, and using its online features requires Nintendo Switch Online membership.
- You specifically want a mobile Mario Kart: Tour is not an active service. No replacement mobile game is established by the sources here.
For exact current platform and player-count details, consult Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe listing, Nintendo’s update information, and Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour service notice. Historical Tour context is from TechRadar’s July 9, 2026 report.
Quick Recap
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