Booster Course Wave 3 for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is here, and we’re checking out All Changes and
differences made for the returning courses. The first race of the Moon Cup is Tour Berlin Byways.
Based on the capital of Germany, it features iconic landmarks, like the Brandenburg Gate, the
Victory Column, and the Berlin Wall—complete with Whomps! So how does the most recent update differ
from its mobile appearance? Let’s find out! Like many city courses in the game, Berlin Byways
from Mario Kart Tour had three main variants, not including the reverse, trick, and reverse trick
subvariants for each. The implementation of these was unique, since the second variant released
before the first. Now, all three have been combined into one course that changes route each
lap, but there are some additional surprises. Let’s start with the gameplay changes. The first
lap follows the route of Berlin Byways 2, sending racers northbound through the Brandenburg Gate,
towards the Victory Column. The side barriers are gone now, with many like these removed or altered
in style throughout the course. Under the gate, items are on the ground only, with no Glide Ramp
or Thwomps yet. Instead, a Dash Panel is placed beyond the gate, much like Berlin Byways in Tour,
but as if driving in the opposite direction. This is where we encounter moving vehicles as
obstacles. Before, these were present only in Berlin Byways 3, but now they travel the road
in most places for all laps. They take routes of their own that are considered out of bounds
for any given lap, including roads without arrow fields. The vehicle types are different compared
to Tour, with coins on several of them. There are no Piranha Plant pickup trucks this time!
Parked vehicles are less common now, with the two sets that remain differing from before,
and caution signs put in front. At the train station, drivers can pass through the train
cars still, but a lone double item box can be found for going out of the way.
After a few more turns is the end of the lap. For the second lap, the Glide Ramp from Berlin
Byways 2 is here instead of the Boost Panel, along with airborne items. Once reaching the Victory
Column, the route changes to that of Berlin Byways 3. The bend at the Tempodrom was modified to
allow for a shortcut through the grass. The same applies for the bend just beyond the Berlin Zoo.
Immediately after, the shortcut that was in Tour already was tweaked a bit, having more grass. Wow,
so many ways to cut corners! Circling the Reichstag, the route changes again,
marked by an added Dash Panel, to traverse a new path that was blocked-off and unused before. This
leads onto the dirt path within Tiergarten, synching up with Berlin Byways in Tour. The
grass to the left serves as another new shortcut, with the older shortcut on the right reshaped from
having a tailored cut to being fully level and natural. Heading towards the Brandenburg Gate,
we see that Thwomps have appeared, with the Glide Ramp switching places with the
Dash Panel and the items on the ground again. The final lap continues to match Berlin Byways,
but when turning onto the path along the Beriln Wall, yet another new shortcut can be found,
this time with concrete stools to make it tricky. Speaking of which, it’s possible to
trick off fallen Whomps here. Once reaching the Brandenburg Gate again, all items will be gone,
replaced with coins. Ach nee! [Oh no!] There are some visual changes that some who
enjoy the subtleties of life may appreciate. Well, as usual, we have the various texture, lighting,
and global colourisation tweaks, as well as coin, item, spectator, arrow sign, wild plant, and cloud
placement—and type—differences, but those seem to apply for every course! What’s a bit more
specific to Berlin Byways is that the composite mini-map has been rotated about 120 degrees,
which may throw some off at first. So to get our bearings, let’s have a look at the starting line,
which had two shades of orange with the white, but they’ve been switched to red and white. Banners
blow in the breeze now, with some of them, such as these, having swapped designs. Whoa,
here’s a pair of local MKTV vans by the Victory Column. Looks like they’re not always alone! The
little birds know to keep company, too. Berlin Byways 2T had a peninsula just after
the train station that could be accessed, but since the related Glide Ramp isn’t present,
the area has been blocked off and removed from the mini-map. It’s not really a gameplay change,
since that variant isn’t incorporated in any other way. Okay, red arrow sign swaps may be
par for the course, but this unique pair from Berlin Byways 3 was pretty neat to see when
approaching the Victory Column before it was taken out for the update. This PTT truck and
others like it were removed too, but that’s understandable, considering the road needs to
remain clear for the dynamic routes. But it seems the Whomps didn’t get the memo,
since they left cracks in the road! These weren’t seen in Tour. Okay, it’s a bit difficult to let
go of the arrow sign discoveries when special types appear like these on both sides of the
Schiller Monument in Tour, only to be removed. Schade... [What a shame...] They were cute!
The music is a very catchy fusion of genres, blending electronica with classical. It features
synths, brass, strings, and transformation pads for a taste of Germany’s rich music culture. In
fact, the classical element in particular appears to be a nod to the national anthem,
Deutschlandlied, as if written by Joseph Haydn himself. The original goes
all out with the supersaw lead, accenting with industrial-flavoured drum fill transitions...
It’s enough to get our heads bopping! The remix highlights a rave style with clapping
and galloping hi-hats. The intro notes—with higher octaves used in the repeated phrase—are
syncopated rather than on beat at first to provide a different feeling than before,
while flute appears in the classical part with overall brighter sound in
the section. It all ends with a different percussive transition back to the start...
Umwerfend!
[Amazing!] Honestly, both versions are great in their own unique ways.
And that’s about it for All Changes we found in Tour Berlin Byways! This combined version
of all three main variants feels natural, and the numerous shortcuts that weren’t in the original
provide something fresh that we’d like to see in future city track imports. But what do you think?
Have you found any notable changes that we missed? Let us know in the comments below. And of course,
stay tuned to GameXplain for more on Booster Course Wave 3 for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,
and other things Nintendo, too. Thanks for watching! Until next time, tschüss! [Ciao!]