You're sitting there staring at the character select screen. It's half-empty. Or maybe you're playing the Deluxe version on Switch and wondering why everyone is already there, yet you’re still missing that one gold-tinted plumber. It's confusing. Mario Kart has changed a lot over the last thirty years, and how you get your hands on the full roster depends entirely on which console is currently plugged into your TV.
Honestly, the "unlockable" era peaked with Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U. Back then, you actually had to earn your keep. Now? It's a bit of a mixed bag. If you’re playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you basically get everyone for free right out of the box, with one shiny exception. But if you’ve gone back to the classics—maybe you’ve got the N64 or Wii version running on an emulator or original hardware—the grind is very real. You need to know exactly which Cup to win and at what difficulty, or you'll be stuck playing as Mario and Luigi forever.
The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Reality Check
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Most people searching for mario kart how to unlock characters are playing the Switch version. Here’s the deal: Nintendo decided to unlock almost the entire roster from the start. They wanted people to be able to jump into multiplayer without feeling like they were missing out on Link or Isabelle.
But there is still one character that requires a bit of sweat: Gold Mario.
To get him, you have to place first in every single cup in the Grand Prix at 200cc. That is not a typo. 200cc is fast. It’s chaotic. If you don't know how to drift-brake, you're going to spend most of your time flying off the edge of Rainbow Road. Once you secure that gold trophy in every 200cc cup, Gold Mario replaces Metal Mario on the character select screen. It’s purely cosmetic—he has the same stats as Metal Mario—but the flex is worth it.
💡 You might also like: Why The Walking Dead Telltale Season 1 Still Hits Like a Freight Train Over a Decade Later
Then there's the Booster Course Pass. This changed the game halfway through its life cycle. Nintendo started dropping "new" characters like Birdo, Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Kamek. You don't "unlock" these through gameplay in the traditional sense; you unlock them by owning the DLC. If your game is updated and you have the pass, they just show up. Easy. Boring, maybe, but easy.
Going Back to the Wii: The Golden Age of Unlocks
If you think the Switch version is too easy, go play Mario Kart Wii. That game was a gauntlet. You couldn't just "win"; you had to win specific ways.
Rosalina is the most famous example here. If you had a save file for Super Mario Galaxy on your Wii, she’d just show up after a few races. If you didn’t? Good luck. You had to get a 1-Star rank or better in all 8 Mirror Mode Wii-Cups. Or, if you were really patient, she would eventually unlock after you played 4,950 races. Yes, nearly five thousand. That’s the kind of dedication Nintendo used to demand from us.
The roster in the Wii version was massive for its time. You had Baby Peach, Baby Daisy, Dry Bowser, and even your own Mii. Unlocking the Mii (Outfit B) required unlocking all 32 Expert Staff Ghosts in Time Trials. That meant you had to be fast. Faster than the developers. It’s a stark contrast to the modern era where everything is handed to you on a silver platter.
How it worked on the Wii U
The original Mario Kart 8 on Wii U was the bridge between these two philosophies. When you first started the game, the roster was surprisingly thin. To unlock characters like Ludwig, Morton, or Pink Gold Peach, you simply had to win Gold Trophies in the Grand Prix. The catch? The unlock was random. You knew you were getting someone after winning the Mushroom Cup on 50cc, but you didn't know if it would be Toadette or Iggy Koopa. It kept you playing, cup after cup, until the grid was finally full.
The Handheld Grind: DS and 7
Handheld Mario Kart games were always a bit more straightforward, but they still had their quirks. In Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS, you had to place first in specific cups at 150cc to get characters like Shy Guy, Wiggler, or Honey Queen.
- Mushroom Cup: Unlocks Queen Bee.
- Star Cup: Unlocks Tira.
- Special Cup: Unlocks Lakitu.
It was predictable. You knew exactly what you were working toward. Mario Kart DS was similar, though the roster was smaller. The real prize there was Daisy and Waluigi. Honestly, playing those games now feels like a trip back to a more disciplined time in gaming. No microtransactions. No "pay to skip." Just you, a tiny screen, and a lot of blue shells standing between you and a complete roster.
💡 You might also like: Play Free Pinochle Games Online: Why This Century-Old Card Game is Having a Massive Digital Moment
Why Some Characters are Missing
Sometimes you're looking for how to unlock a character that simply isn't there. People often ask about unlocking Kirby or Captain Falcon. Despite their vehicles or tracks appearing in Mario Kart 8, those characters aren't actually in the game. It’s a weird oversight by Nintendo, honestly. Link and the Inklings made the cut, but the pink puffball is still on the sidelines.
There's also the "Costume" confusion. In the Switch version, Link has his Breath of the Wild tunic. You don't "unlock" this by beating a quest; you just toggle it on the character select screen. Same goes for the different colors of Yoshi and Shy Guy. If you have the DLC, these are available immediately.
Strategies for Winning 200cc
Since Gold Mario is the only real "unlock" left in the modern game, you need to master 200cc. It’s a different beast.
First, forget everything you know about holding the accelerator down 100% of the time. You have to use the "B" button while drifting. This is called brake-drifting. It allows you to maintain your slide without flying into a wall. If you aren't tapping the brake during tight turns, you aren't going to win.
Second, weight matters. If you’re struggling to stay on the track, pick a lighter character like Baby Mario or Dry Bones. They have higher handling and acceleration stats. While they don't have the top speed of Bowser or Donkey Kong, staying on the track is always faster than falling off of it.
The Future of Unlocking Characters
Looking ahead to the inevitable Mario Kart 9 (or whatever they decide to call the next one on the "Switch 2"), the community is split. Do we want everything unlocked from day one? Or do we want the struggle of the Wii era back?
There’s a certain psychological hit of dopamine when that "A New Character is Available!" screen pops up. It feels like an achievement. When everything is unlocked from the start, the game can feel a bit hollow, like you've already finished it before you've even started the first race.
Actionable Steps for a Full Roster
If you want to maximize your roster right now across the most popular versions, do this:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch): Focus entirely on 150cc first to get the hang of the tracks, then jump to 200cc. Win every cup. Don't worry about "stars" (the ranking), just get the Gold Trophy. This gets you Gold Mario.
- Mario Kart 8 (Wii U): Just play through the Grand Prix. Every Gold Trophy earns you a random character until the roster is full.
- Mario Kart Wii: If you're on original hardware, go hunt down a copy of Super Mario Galaxy to save yourself the headache of the 5,000-race grind for Rosalina. Otherwise, start practicing your Time Trials to unlock those Expert Staff Ghosts.
- Check your DLC: On the Switch, make sure your game is updated to version 3.0.0. If you don't see Birdo or Kamek, you likely haven't downloaded the Booster Course Pass content from the eShop.
Stop worrying about the "perfect" build or the meta-game for a second. The beauty of unlocking characters is the variety it adds to your couch co-op sessions. Whether you're aiming for the prestige of Gold Mario or just trying to get Daisy on your 3DS, the process is part of the fun. Go win some trophies.
To make progress today, start with the Mushroom Cup on the highest difficulty you can manage. Success in Mario Kart is about consistency and learning when to hold your items for defense rather than throwing them away immediately. Once you secure that first gold trophy, the rest usually falls into place. Keep your eyes on the track, watch for the blue shell warning, and keep drifting.