WTF?! Two-player split-screen multiplayer has become increasingly rare, as online connectivity now dominates console gaming, while four-player split-screen has almost gone extinct. However, Nintendo, still the biggest defender of couch multiplayer, has introduced something in one of its most popular titles that is virtually unheard of: eight-player split-screen.
A free update is now available for Mario Kart 8 when played on the Nintendo Switch 2. The best-selling game on the original Nintendo Switch now supports higher resolutions, faster load times, and local split-screen multiplayer for up to eight players.
Mario Kart's reliable inclusion of four-player split-screen racing over the decades likely contributed to its family-friendly appeal, eventually helping make it one of Nintendo's most successful franchises. Between the original Wii U version and the Nintendo Switch update, Mario Kart 8 has sold approximately 80 million copies during its 12 years on the market.
The kart racer's advanced age gives the Switch 2 enough processing headroom to display eight screens at once, likely at 30 fps. It's a franchise first that will likely make family gatherings even more chaotic. The update also introduces several other small changes, including a slight increase to the overall game speed and support for CameraPlay.
Multiplayer on the same console with more than four players, much less via split-screen, has always been virtually unthinkable. The last two entries in Nintendo's own Super Smash Bros. series are among the only exceptions, offering same-screen matches for up to eight players. Another racing game with eight-player split-screen, the Nintendo Switch version of Sega's Virtua Racing, is coincidentally on sale for $2.40.
Releasing a significant update for Mario Kart 8 before the Switch 2's key launch title, Mario Kart World, has received any major updates could raise concerns about the newer game's longevity. Mario Kart 8 began receiving major patches and DLC within a year of its launch, but Nintendo has yet to announce additional content for its successor.
While Mario Kart World has sold more than 15 million copies, making it the Switch 2's best-selling game, it may struggle to outpace its predecessor's 80 million. As Nintendo aims to transition its install base to the Switch 2, owners of the previous game might find the free update more appealing than its successor's landmark $80 MSRP. Even customers who own neither title face a $20 price gap, with the cheaper game offering more courses and a unique multiplayer selling point.
Another Nintendo Switch title, Pikmin 3, also received a free Switch 2 update this week to support higher resolutions.
