GameTimeline

Release & story order

Mario Kart timeline

Every main Mario Kart console and handheld entry in US release order—from Super Mario Kart on SNES through Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. No story timeline exists; Release and Story tabs show the same racing history. Arcade cabinets and Mario Kart Tour stay in the FAQ.

Updated July 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When each main Mario Kart shipped in the United States—home consoles and handhelds only. Mario Kart Tour, arcade GP cabinets, and Booster Course Pass DLC are optional, not separate titles on this timeline.

  • Play today → Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch—the current retail entry with online play
  • Retro marathon → Super Mario Kart (1992) through Mario Kart 7 in release order
  • Couch multiplayer peaks → Mario Kart Wii or Double Dash!! for local chaos
  • Super Mario platformers → separate timeline on Mario platformers timeline—not required for any Kart game
Story order tips

Mario Kart has no shared plot—each entry is a standalone kart racer with the same cast. Story order mirrors Release order for historical context only, not fiction.

  • No narrative links between games—pick any entry as your first Kart
  • Character roster grows over time—Release order shows when newcomers like Rosalina or Inklings joined
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe replaces Wii U Mario Kart 8 for new buyers—see FAQ
  • Mario Kart Live is a toy-camera hybrid—optional side experiment, not a numbered sequel

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Super Mario Kart

    Super Mario Kart

    SNESRacingMainline

    Super Mario Kart invented the mascot kart racer on SNES—Mode 7 tracks, item boxes, and split-screen battle that every later Kart still echoes. Short by modern standards, it remains the series origin historians return to.

    Overview
    Nintendo EAD turned Mode 7 into pseudo-3D racing with shells, bananas, and drifting that became genre staples.
    In-game setting
    Eight drivers and twenty tracks across four cups; Special Cup unlocks after medal runs. Battle arenas like Block Fort set the Battle Mode template.
    Should you play it?
    Historic first Kart—play for origins, not today's online meta.
    Release date
    US Super Nintendo cartridge launch September 1, 1992. Later playable via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
  2. Mario Kart 64

    Mario Kart 64

    N64RacingMainline

    Mario Kart 64 rebuilt Kart in true 3D on N64—four-player split screen, ghost races, and iconic circuits like Wario Stadium and Rainbow Road. It cemented the series as a living-room party staple.

    Overview
    Polygonal tracks replaced Mode 7; triple red shells and 150cc raised the skill ceiling.
    In-game setting
    Sixteen tracks including Mario Raceway and Rainbow Road; Battle Mode arenas such as Big Donut. Character roster expands beyond the SNES eight.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Super Mario Kart on a retro marathon, or anytime for N64 nostalgia. Not required before modern entries—Mario Kart 8 Deluxe supersedes it for new buyers.
    Release date
    US Nintendo 64 launch February 10, 1997. Also on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
  3. Mario Kart: Super Circuit

    Mario Kart: Super Circuit

    GBARacingMainlineHandheld

    Mario Kart: Super Circuit brought portable Kart to Game Boy Advance with new cups plus unlockable remakes of SNES courses. It is a handheld side chapter between 64 and Double Dash!!—great for collectors, optional for most players.

    Overview
    Link cables enabled multi-cart multiplayer; medal grinding unlocked full SNES retro cups.
    In-game setting
    Lightning and Star Cups plus remade SNES tracks unlocked by cup medals. Four-player needs extra GBA systems and link cables.
    Should you play it?
    Optional on a first playthrough—skip to Double Dash!! or jump to 8 Deluxe unless you want every home/handheld Kart.
    Release date
    US Game Boy Advance launch August 27, 2001. Later on Nintendo Switch Online GBA library (where available in your region).
  4. Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

    Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

    GCRacingMainline

    Mario Kart: Double Dash!! put two characters in one kart on GameCube—driver plus gunner with character-specific special items. Cooperative Grand Prix and Baby Park chaos make it the local co-op experiment the series never fully repeated.

    Overview
    Paired drivers, special items like Chain Chomp and Bob-omb Cannon, and character-locked karts changed item economy completely.
    In-game setting
    Baby Park, Waluigi Stadium, and co-op special items define the memory. Battle Mode supports the dual-driver setup.
    Should you play it?
    Best after Super Circuit on a full Release marathon; play anytime for couch co-op.
    Release date
    US Nintendo GameCube launch November 17, 2003. No official modern remaster as of 2026—legacy hardware or emulation for most players.
  5. Mario Kart DS

    Mario Kart DS

    Nintendo DSRacingMainlineHandheld

    Mario Kart DS was the first Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Kart—online races, Mission Mode, and dual-screen HUD on DS. Retro cups returned alongside new tracks, and the snaking drift meta defined competitive handheld Kart for years.

    Overview
    Online matchmaking, download play for guests, and Mission Mode challenges expanded single-player depth.
    In-game setting
    Shell through Star Cups plus SNES and N64 retro cups. Mission Mode and ghost races fill offline hours.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Double Dash!! on Release order. Wi-Fi servers are long gone—local and nostalgia only today.
    Release date
    US Nintendo DS launch November 14, 2005. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service discontinued; local wireless and Mission Mode remain.
  6. Mario Kart Wii

    Mario Kart Wii

    WiiRacingMainline

    Mario Kart Wii added bikes, tricks off ramps, and twelve-player online lobbies with optional Wii Wheel motion steering. Coconut Mall and space Rainbow Road became meme landmarks—still a peak couch multiplayer Kart for many fans.

    Overview
    Bikes with inside/outside drift, mid-air tricks, and massive online rooms defined the Wii party era.
    In-game setting
    Coconut Mall, Maple Treeway, and Rainbow Road define the track set.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Mario Kart DS on a full marathon, or anytime for local chaos. Competitive communities still time-trial on legacy setups.
    Release date
    US Wii launch April 27, 2008 (Wii Wheel often bundled or sold separately). Online services later sunset; local multiplayer still shines.
  7. Mario Kart 7

    Mario Kart 7

    Nintendo 3DSRacingMainlineHandheld

    Mario Kart 7 brought gliders, underwater driving, and stereoscopic 3D Kart to Nintendo 3DS—the first handheld entry with full kart customization. StreetPass ghosts and Metal Mario as a racer mark the late handheld era before 8.

    Overview
    Glider hang-time, propeller underwater sections, and parts customization (body, tires, glider) previewed systems refined in Mario Kart 8.
    In-game setting
    Metal Mario debuts as playable; customization parts carry design DNA into 8.
    Should you play it?
    Handheld companion after Mario Kart Wii—optional before Wii U Mario Kart 8. Available via Nintendo Switch Online for subscribers.
    Release date
    US Nintendo 3DS launch December 4, 2011. Also on Nintendo Switch Online 3DS library (subscription required where offered).
  8. Mario Kart 8

    Mario Kart 8

    Wii URacingMainline

    Mario Kart 8 launched HD anti-gravity Kart on Wii U—wall riding, Mario Kart TV replays, and later 200cc. It is the base game later absorbed into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; new players should buy Deluxe instead of hunting Wii U hardware.

    Overview
    Anti-gravity sections let karts race on walls and ceilings; HD presentation and replay theater raised production values.
    In-game setting
    Mount Wario, Electrodrome, and anti-gravity Rainbow Road headline the set. Wii U DLC cups later ship inside Deluxe at launch.
    Should you play it?
    Superseded for new buyers by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe—same core tracks plus extras.
    Release date
    US Wii U launch May 30, 2014. DLC character and track packs sold separately on Wii U before Deluxe bundled them.
  9. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

    Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

    SwitchRacingMainline

    Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the definitive Switch Kart—portable and docked HD racing with all Wii U DLC included, reworked Battle Mode, and later Booster Course Pass retro cups. If you buy only one Mario Kart, buy this.

    Overview
    Combines Mario Kart 8's anti-gravity base with Switch hybrid play, stronger Battle Mode, and new racers (Inkling, Link, Anim
    In-game setting
    Current competitive and casual standard with online play.
    Should you play it?
    Start here for 2026 play—replaces Wii U Mario Kart 8 for new buyers. No story prerequisite from earlier Kart games.
    Release date
    US Nintendo Switch launch April 28, 2017. Booster Course Pass DLC rolled out across 2022–2023; verify current store bundle pricing.
  10. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

    Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

    SwitchRacingHybrid

    Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit pairs physical RC karts with Switch camera AR to build tracks in your living room. It is a toy-camera hybrid experiment—not a traditional numbered sequel—and optional for anyone who only wants digital Grand Prix.

    Overview
    Velocio RC karts stream through the Switch to overlay gates, items, and ghosts onto real floors.
    In-game setting
    Living-room gate courses and AR item boxes; not compatible as a pure software sequel to 8 Deluxe.
    Should you play it?
    Optional side entry after 8 Deluxe—skip unless you want the RC gimmick. Requires purchasing Mario or Luigi kart hardware sets.
    Release date
    US launch October 16, 2020 (Nintendo Switch + physical RC kart set). Mario and Luigi kart packs sold separately; camera uses the Switch console itself.

FAQ

Release order for home and handheld Kart, no fiction chain, MK8 vs Deluxe, mobile and arcade boundaries, and links to Super Mario platformers.

Play order

See the Mario games timeline for side-scrolling and 3D platformers from Super Mario Bros. through Wonder. This page covers kart racers only—same characters, different genre, no required play order between the two.

No. Mario Kart games do not continue one plot—each Grand Prix is a standalone racing package. Story order on this page mirrors US release dates for historical context only. Pick Mario Kart 8 Deluxe if you want the modern entry, or follow Release order if you are collecting the full series.

What's included

Mario Kart 8 (2014, Wii U) is the original HD game. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017, Switch) includes all Wii U DLC characters and tracks at launch, reworked Battle Mode, new racers (Inkling, etc.), and later Booster Course Pass retro cups (2022–2023). New buyers should get Deluxe only—the Wii U version is legacy hardware.

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.