What’s the Difference Between 50cc and 200cc in Mario Kart? (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Explained)

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch, 50cc is the slowest and easiest class to control, and 200cc is the fastest and most demanding. Nintendo says a higher class number raises the kart’s top speed, and it recommends 50cc for newcomers. Nintendo has not published an exact speed multiplier between the two classes, so any “200cc is X times faster” figure should not be treated as an official number.

What the cc number changes

The cc setting is a speed class. Nintendo’s official Japanese beginner guidance for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe describes it this way: in Grand Prix, players can choose classes such as 50cc and 100cc, and the higher the number, the higher the machine’s top speed. The same page recommends starting with 50cc, where the speed is slower and the kart is easier to control (Nintendo’s beginner techniques page).

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]	$59.99	Buy on Amazon
2		Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Non-US Version)	$57.20	Buy on Amazon

グランプリでは「50cc」「100cc」などのクラスが選択でき、数字が大きいほどマシンの最高速度があがります。最初のうちは、スピードがゆっくりで操作しやすい50ccから始めるのがおすすめです。

Translation (not Nintendo’s published English wording): In Grand Prix, you can select classes such as 50cc and 100cc, and the higher the number, the higher the machine’s top speed. At first, we recommend starting with 50cc, where the speed is slower and it is easier to control.

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#1 Best Overall

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Nintendo’s guidance is about top speed and control. It does not break down acceleration, cornering or item behavior by class, so those points should not be assumed beyond what the class name implies.

50cc versus 200cc side by side

The table reflects Nintendo’s qualitative descriptions. The “ultra-fast” wording comes from Nintendo UK’s March 2017 announcement of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which describes “the high-octane, ultra-fast 200cc Grand Prix.” That is promotional language rather than a measured speed (Nintendo UK, March 2017).

Which class should you pick?

• New to Mario Kart or to kart racing: start at 50cc. This is Nintendo’s stated recommendation for beginners.
• Comfortable with steering, drifting and item use: move up through the intermediate classes before attempting 200cc, so you can judge how much harder each step is.
• Experienced players who want the most speed and pressure: 200cc is the class Nintendo markets as the fastest and most challenging option.

Because the speed difference is not quantified by Nintendo, the best test is practical: run the same course at two classes and note how early you need to brake for corners and how often you recover from mistakes.

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What the sources do not establish

• No official speed multiplier. Nintendo’s materials describe the difference as higher top speed, not as a ratio.
• No independent measurements. The official materials covered here do not include measured speed, handling or difficulty data for each class.
• No universal rule across releases. The class system and its unlock behavior have changed between versions, as the next section explains.

Version differences: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the original Wii U game

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the Nintendo Switch release, and Nintendo describes it as having five speed classes, including 200cc (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe official site). The original Wii U version of Mario Kart 8 is a different case. Its 200cc class arrived later through an update, and its unlock rules changed within weeks. Nintendo Support’s update history for Mario Kart 8 lists releases through August 2023, and its entries for the 200cc addition are summarized below (Nintendo Support, Mario Kart 8 update history).

These are historical Wii U update notes. They do not describe how Mario Kart 8 Deluxe unlocks or handles 200cc, so do not carry them over to the Switch version.

A related game: Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit also offers classes from 50cc through 200cc. In that game the class changes the speed of the physical kart, and Nintendo recommends newcomers work up from 50cc (Nintendo UK product page). The page does not state a date, and its class behavior applies to that product rather than to the Deluxe game.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

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Bestseller No. 2

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Nuevos personajes: Inkling, Rey Boo, Huesitos y Bowsy; Inclusi n de circuitos in ditos en el modo batalla

$57.20

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