In This Article
Super Mario Maker 2 launched in June 2019. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launched in April 2017, a Switch port of an even older Wii U title. Seven and nine years later, both games sit comfortably in the top five most-played Nintendo Switch titles by hours of 2026 play according to Nintendo’s published quarterly tallies.
Below is why two ageing Nintendo games still earn the hours, what makes them durable in a way most games are not, and which one is the right entry point if you own a Switch (or a Switch 2) but have somehow not played either.
TL;DR
The pick: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the cleaner entry point: pick-up-and-play, four-player couch multiplayer, no online subscription strictly required.
Runner-up: Super Mario Maker 2 rewards a longer engagement: build, play, and share courses; the online catalogue keeps growing.
Skip if: You own a Switch 2 and want a 2026-grade Mario experience. Mario Kart World (the Switch 2 launch title) is the upgrade pick; the Deluxe and Maker 2 are the back-catalogue picks.
Why Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still earns its hours
The 2017 base game plus six waves of DLC tracks (the Booster Course Pass, finishing in early 2024) brought the total track count to 96. Local four-player split-screen still works flawlessly. The roster is the deepest in the series. The handling has the perfect blend of casual accessibility and competitive depth.
Why Super Mario Maker 2 has aged so well
The user-generated content engine is the durability secret. New courses upload daily in 2026. The Course World tagging system makes it easy to find what you want (puzzle, speedrun, narrative). The official Nintendo Tournaments service still seasonally rotates themed challenges.
The Switch 2 question
Both games run on Switch 2 (released June 2025) via the backwards-compatibility layer at higher resolution and stable frame rate. Mario Kart World is the new Switch 2 launch title, but it does not replace the 8 Deluxe experience; the games have different design philosophies.
Online play in 2026
Nintendo Switch Online remains required for online multiplayer. Twenty US dollars a year for the basic tier, fifty for the Expansion Pack which adds N64, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance classics.
Which one should you play first?
- Best for four players in one room: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Couch multiplayer at its best.
- Best for solo creative play: Super Mario Maker 2. The build mode has 100+ hours of content for makers.
- Best for the long tail: Maker 2. The Course World feed keeps the game alive years after the original community moved on.
- If you have a Switch 2: Mario Kart World for new content; Maker 2 still plays beautifully on the new hardware.
- Skip: Mario Kart Tour on phones. The mechanics are fundamentally different and the F2P design is aggressive.
FAQ
Do these need Nintendo Switch Online?
Online multiplayer requires NSO. Single-player and local multiplayer do not. NSO basic is $20 a year per account.
Are they on Switch 2 too?
Yes. Both run on Switch 2 at improved resolution and frame rate via backwards compatibility.
How much are they?
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is $60 base plus $25 for the Booster Course Pass (or free with NSO Expansion Pack). Super Mario Maker 2 is $60. Both occasionally drop to $40 on Nintendo sales.
Is there a Mario Kart for phones?
Mario Kart Tour. Free-to-play, gacha-driven, mechanically different. Most fans of the Switch versions find it disappointing.
The verdict
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Maker 2 are the rare big-budget games that have aged into permanent inventory. Buy one (or both), play with friends, and ignore the chatter about “old” games. The hours still come.
