Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update changes gliders so they don’t close when struck by lightning

Nintendo has released Ver. 2.2.0 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In addition to support for the paid Booster Course Pass Wave 3 DLC and new “Custom Items” feature in the item rules, the update includes the following change to gameplay:

When getting struck by lightning while gliding through the air, the glider no longer closes.

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a common strategy is to use the Lightning item while other players are soaring through the air with their gliders. Players struck by lightning while gliding over gaps are sent plummeting off the track as their gliders close, costing them coins and valuable time. It’s an extremely strong strategy and commonly used by competitive players.

However, with this latest update, players who are struck by lightning while gliding will continue their glide instead of falling into the abyss. Considering how widely used this strategy is in multiplayer, the change alone will likely have an impact on the competitive scene. Furthermore, this strategy was never possible in Mario Kart Tour, so you could say the change brings Mario Kart 8 Deluxe more in line with it.

The update also adds a change where the period of invincibility a player has after spinning or crashing is based on the driver and machine parts selected. This seems like a big change, and the community has already started performing tests to dig into the details. While the patch notes don’t explain the finer points of the change, players are sure to figure out what they mean for the variety of parts and drivers available.

The patch notes for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Ver. 2.2.0 can be found here.

Written by. Nick Mosier based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-12-08 13:08 JST)