Booster Course Wave 4 for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is here, and we’re checking out All Changes
and differences made for the returning courses.
The third race of the Fruit Cup is Wii DK Summit.
Also called Wii DK’s Snowboard Cross, this track takes place on a snow-covered mountain
where Shy Guys challenge the slopes, featuring chairlift cabins, numerous half-pipes, a statue
of DK by a field of bumpy moguls, and a giant barrel that sends racers to the top.
So how does the most recent update differ from past instalments?
Let’s find out!
DK Summit in Mario Kart Wii was a popular course that had some neat ways to shave seconds
off the clock.
For Tour, the track was revamped with moderate visual adjustments—some big and some small—and
minor gameplay tweaks, except for removing a huge shortcut.
This was restored and the overall style was refined for Switch, and we could see it all
on the big screen again in more ways than one.
Let’s check out everything by starting with the gameplay changes.
At the DK Cannon entrance, a Glide Ramp was added just before the barrel in Tour.
This was widened and restyled for the latest version, with barriers added to the sides
to accommodate for a larger, icy DK Cannon.
This flight also takes a bit longer now, but the landing is clear.
Tour had removed the grating that was present in Wii only.
The half-pipes on the sides here also were cleaned up at that point, starting a bit later.
They feature a lot of coins now.
After the U-bend is a snowy ramp.
For Tour, the Dash Panel on it was made thinner and the entire ramp narrowed with snowless
sides to allow for driving on the right side.
This Dash Panel has since returned to its original thickness.
The barriers on both sides of the path were elevated a bit, exposing some of the off-road
snow.
Some of the left barrier by the deep snow was removed in Tour, as well as some of the
chevron strip in front of the statue, extending across the mogul field, with just a bit remaining
at the end.
The left barrier was cut in a similar fashion.
Now, the gap in the barrier by the first patch of deep snow is sealed again, while the barrier
by the statue has been extended a bit, much like the right barrier on the other side of
the field.
The moguls here were shorter originally, but they were given their current height with
Tour’s update.
Amidst these bumps were four ramps.
The side ramps were made narrower, while the Dash Panels on them were shortened in Tour
before being restored to their original length for the latest update.
Around the following bend in the original, a significant shortcut could be performed
across the chasm.
Because of Tour’s limits, this cut wasn’t possible anymore.
Fortunately, this shortcut is back in all of its glory—both the single and double
leap variations!
But some drivers may want to opt for the half-pipe to nab an item.
Part of the barrier just after this was replaced with another half-pipe since Tour, but this
feature was trimmed at the other end.
The start of the half-pipe on the left side was pushed a bit further down, matching the
right side that used to be part of the other before.
For Wii, two Dash Panels lay on the downward slope, but this was reduced to a single shorter
one with deep snow added to the right, all with less of a dip.
The Dash Panel has since been increased to a similar size as the original.
The two patches of deep snow just beyond were modified for Tour’s reconstruction to stop
near the top, with regular off-road snow where items used to be.
Coins now occupy these spots.
Lastly, the Snowboarding Shy Guys amidst the two deep snow patches were swapped out.
At first, a green one was between the patches, with both yellow and red varieties found after
the last patch.
But in Tour, a red Shy Guy settled in the spot before the first patch, while blue and
green types played between the two patches.
Their positions have shifted only slightly for the Switch update.
So many tweaks!
But that number pales in comparison to the aesthetic changes.
Other than the graphical enhancements, some interesting global modifications were made,
such as how the mini-map was rotated 180 degrees for Tour, but rotated back again for Switch.
More importantly, the original design started the race in a snowstorm with reduced visibility
that cleared up with each lap.
But in Tour, it stayed completely sunny—especially with the bigger sun—from the very beginning.
Now, snow falls gently with only thin clouds for every lap.
Is there a big, unseen cloud directly above?
In the original, there were dormant volcanoes in the distance, with some flat texture evergreens
surrounding the outer limits.
But Tour removed both of these elements and added closer snowy peaks with mist swirling
around some, as well as two types of modelled pines: one regular and one simplified—likely
for resource optimisation.
For Switch, the background mountains have shifted places a bit and are less cel-shaded,
with only one type of verdant tree remaining.
And just like with items and coins in every course compared with Tour’s iteration, the
spectators added in Tour are in different spots now.
...Naturally.
With that out of the way, let’s look at the starting line, which used to have 28x4
red, orange, and yellow checks.
Tour simplified this to 17x3 checks in three shades of aqua, while adding a brown starting
grid.
Snow fell between the cracks at this point, and rock debris was scattered along the planks.
Now, the starting grid is white, and confetti can be found on the ground and falling from
above where the race begins.
And, of course, the starting line sign was remade entirely.
Originally, it was wooden, with Donkey Kong’s face to the right of a classic red-and-orange
Mario Kart logo.
This matched the insignia on the gable of the grandstand, which was structured like
a log cabin with two seating levels.
Tour’s redesign transformed the sign into one featuring a red modern logo, held up by
coloured blocks and metallic framework.
As expected, the insignia of the grandstand reflected this update, but the exterior remained
wooden.
However, this was flattened without an overlapping second tier or icicles hanging from the roof.
But apparently, doorways were placed between the stairs for everyone to come and go.
These audience members used to include Toads, several of Bowser’s minions, Light Blue
Birdo clones, and even various Miis, but they were swapped out for Shy Guys, Toads, and
Koopa Troopas in Tour, which now have been rearranged for some reason.
The angled metal grating barriers adorned with DK Mountain, Jump, and Tricks trackside
banners from the original were replaced with pliable mesh barriers supported by posts,
moving the banners to the grandstand for Tour.
More sponsors were added by the redesigned chairlift and boarding cabin, with other lifts
given the same treatment.
A snowplough was added to the right of the starting line, which now has snow resting
on top of it.
The chevron strip barrier ahead was replaced with the red mesh in Tour, just like all yellow
grating throughout the track.
Meanwhile, the planks that were curved at the corner were made angular—much more logical!
And now, Snowboarding Shy Guys can be seen shredding the slopes out of bounds.
Various elements of the DK Cannon entrance—including the sign—were remodelled from Wii to Tour,
with the mesh stopping at criss-cross wooden sides rather than continuing to the barrel
like before, while some snow was removed.
The lines of the cannon interior were flipped, too.
This is starting to seem familiar, but here we goooo!
While soaring through the air, we can see that many of the cliffs and slopes were reshaped
throughout the course.
It also seems that the back doors of the chairlift boarding cabins are now closed, making it
fully dark inside, and the cabin near the end was moved to the right.
No longer being an eyesore, the nearby dead trees were removed or replaced with evergreens
during Tour’s facelift.
Landing safely, drivers pass logos painted in the snow, which changed from classic to
modern in Tour, with the second logo pushed a bit closer than before.
Two more were added on the opposite bank, with all end lines cut.
Other such markings later in the course were adjusted a little, too.
And all arrow signs like these above the half-pipe were removed.
Just around the bend, trackside banners along the barriers were taken down, with only three
sponsors replacing them: two near the cabin, and one on the left side.
The angle of the lines marking the deep snow patches was modified to match the flow of
the path.
Passing through these patches now ices up the camera.
The snowboarding statue ahead in Wii was made of wood and depicted either Mario or a Mii,
depending on driver selection.
This was swapped out for a stone statue of DK, which now is wood again.
The streaks in the area with the Snowboarding Shy Guys were wiped out for Tour, but permanent
snowboard lines can be seen everywhere in the snow in the Switch update, with vehicle
tyres leaving temporary treads.
The snowboards belonging to the Shy Guys had three stars on the bottom with black grips
on top originally, but for Tour, these were replaced by the modern Mario Kart logo on
the top only.
Now, it’s on the bottom, too.
The jumbotron and trackside banners were removed in Tour’s renovation, with sponsor signs
filling the spot.
Thankfully, the large display is back now—and in a new style, too—but the Princess Orange
sign had to be sacrificed to make room for it.
Too bad it didn’t just scoot over like the tree that shifted to the back.
Lastly, as an auditory change, the pin-pon bell sound effect triggered when passing through
the gates before the DK Cannon switched to an air horn in Tour, and this has remained
for the Switch version.
Play it loud!
And we do just that with the music for the course.
It’s a jazz fusion with some elements of drum ‘n’ bass, sounding very in line with
Mario Kart Wii’s soundtrack.
In the original heard in both Wii and Tour, the floaty intro features a Shy Guy vocalising
a lead-in count, “1, 2, 3, 4!”
cuing the kick and snare.
The A section that follows has a crunchy lead over a lot of old-school synth, while the
B section plays a digital harmony in the repeat of the phrase...
Right on!
The new arrangement has dirty drums and a high synth added in the intro.
The Shy Guy says, “1, 2, 3, GO!”
this time, before a new, sustained bass note plays.
A wild drum fill leads into the A section with a guitar melody and organ-like harmony,
while the B section has chill guitar strumming contrasting the rapid kick and selective harmonic
notes throughout—all with dissonant bass.
The bridge before the loop bends the bass down, creating even more dissonance...
Now that’s how to make an electronic enhancement of a classic with just a hint of this game’s
signature sound.
And that’s about it for All Changes we found in Wii DK Summit!
It’s a solid track with many of its features that made it good returning and other elements
adjusted pretty nicely, although we do miss the changing weather!
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 4 for Mario Kart
8 Deluxe, and other things Nintendo, too.
Thanks for watching!
Until next time, ciao!