Mario Kart 8 Deluxe wave 6: characters, Booster Course Pass DLC tracks including Rainbow Road - release date

Over the last couple of years, Nintendo has been slowly releasing waves of new Mario Kart 8 tracks as part of the game's Booster Course DLC.

Despite being over a decade old at this point, Mario Kart 8 remains the pinnacle of the series, and while it wasn't stale by any stretch of the imagination, Nintendo's remastered retro tracks - and, sometimes, brand new ones - has added new life to the game.

But now, the time is almost upon us for the bittersweet end of the much welcomed DLC offering, with the sixth and final wave dropping within a matter of days.

Wave 6 not only brings new courses with it, but like other recent waves, also introduces a batch of fresh playable characters to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Here is everything you need to know about it.

What's new in Wave 6?

As is customary, the upcoming wave will feature eight courses divided into two fresh cups, sourced from both previous titles and the mobile game Mario Kart Tour.

The eight 'new' courses (and the previous Mario Kart games they are pulled from) are as follows:

• Rainbow Road (Wii)
• Madrid Drive (Tour)
• DK Mountain (GCN)
• Daisy Circuit (Wii)
• Piranha Plant Cove (Tour)
• Bowser Castle 3 (SNES)
• Rome Avanti (Tour)
• Rosalina's Ice World (3DS)

But the new courses aren't everything that's being introduced in Wave 6. Four new characters will be making their debut in the game: Diddy Kong (medium weight), Funky Kong (heavy weight), Peachette (medium weight), and Pauline (heavy weight).

Additionally, the game will introduce 18 new Mii Suits, and players will be treated to a new Sound Test feature, enabling them to enjoy the game's music tracks.

This writer in particular is thrilled by that last inclusion, as the music in Mario Kart 8 features a wide variety of catchy, upbeat tunes that are not only enjoyable to listen to but also memorable, and incorporates a wide range of musical styles from jazz and rock to electronic and orchestral compositions.

When is Wave 6 released?

The final wave of the Boost Course DLC will be available from Thursday 9 November.

If you don't already have access to the Booster Course Pass, you can buy it as a standalone purchase for £24.99.

Additionally, it is available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which is slightly more expensive at £34.99, but does also include access to select N64 games, Game Boy Advance games and Mega Drive games.