Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Wave 5 characters and tracks, DLC release date on Switch, Booster Course Pass details

Another exciting new batch of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tracks is about to drop as the ever-popular Nintendo racer launches its fifth wave of the game's Booster Course Park.

Over the last 18-months or so, Nintendo has been steadily adding tracks to the 10-year old game to give it a new lease of life, bringing back classic tracks from Mario Kart entries of yesteryear and sprucing them up with a new lick of graphical paint.

This being the fifth wave does mean that sadly there is only one more batch of tracks after this, and that's expected to be with us before the end of the year. But until then, there are eight more fresh courses for us to enjoy! Here is everything you need to know about it.

What are the new courses?

Koopa Cape (Mario Kart Wii)

Widely regarded as one of the standout tracks in Mario Kart Wii, Koopa Cape features a combination of land and water sections, offering a dynamic and varied racing experience through waterfalls, caverns and over bridges, providing different paths and shortcuts for players to explore.

Los Angeles Laps (Mario Kart Tour)

Set in the bustling cityscape of Los Angeles and offering a fast-paced racing experience, this track features iconic landmarks like the Hollywood sign and palm tree-lined streets as players navigate through tight turns, jumps and ramps while avoiding traffic and hazards.

Moonview Highway (Mario Kart Wii)

Loved for its unique setting and adrenaline-pumping gameplay, Moonview Highway offers a thrilling and challenging racing experience within its urban environment, characterised by long, straight sections interspersed with sharp turns and ramps, and wide roads that offer ample opportunities for overtaking and manoeuvring around opponents.

Squeaky Clean Sprint (New)

Squeaky Clean Sprint is a brand new course in the Mario Kart universe. As such, we don't have any concrete information on the track layout or which tactics might work well on the track until we've actually played it. One thing is clear though, it's a bathroom-themed circuit which will see you racing between giant bottles of shampoo.

Athens Dash (Mario Kart Tour)

Mario Kart Tour's blending of real-world locations with the Mario Kart universe continues in Athens Dash, which will take the historic sights of the ancient city and present them as a cartoonish-circuit to race around. Expect to see landmarks like the Parthenon and Acropolis as you fire off red shells.

Daisy Cruiser (Mario Kart: Double-Dash!!)

Daisy Cruiser stands out in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for its vibrant cruise ship setting, diverse obstacles and multiple route choices, and features a mixture of straightaways, tight turns and narrow corridors, providing a varied and challenging racing experience.

Sunset Wilds (Mario Kart Super Circuit)

Sunset Wilds' challenging layout features a scenic desert setting with tight turns, narrow pathways and a labyrinthine structure, which demands precise handling and tactical manoeuvring, making it a test of skill. Mastering the corners and navigating through the maze-like structure are crucial to maintain speed and gain an advantage.

Vancouver Velocity (Mario Kart Tour)

Vancouver gets the Mario Kart Tour treatment in this track, which is sure to feature Canadian landmarks as you race around the streets of the city that hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Who are the new racers?

Aside from the eight new tracks coming to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Wave 5 is also delivering three new playable characters. Like the majority of 'new' tracks featured in this and previous track waves, they're characters that have been seen in Mario Kart before, but are marking their debut in the latest iteration of the game.

Petey Piranha (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)

Petey Piranha is classified as a heavy character, with a higher top speed and better off-road capabilities compared to lighter characters. In Double Dash!!, he came with slower acceleration and handling in exchange for his weight advantage, but players who prefer a more robust and powerful racer may find Petey Piranha's attributes suit their play style.

Wiggler (Mario Kart 7)

Like Petey Piranha, Wiggler is also classified as a heavyweight character, and players who prefer a powerful and stable racer may find Wiggler's attributes to be suitable for their play style.

Kamek (Mario Kart Tour)

Kamek was initially intended to be included in the N64 Mario Kart game. However, he was ultimately replaced by Donkey Kong just before the game's completion.

When can I play it?

Wave 5 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass will be made available from Wednesday 12 July.