Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can support races with up to 12 players. The game carries forward the series’ large-field racing format, allowing twelve racers to compete together in online multiplayer and selected network modes.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an enhanced Nintendo Switch version of Mario Kart 8, which originally launched on Wii U in 2014. The Deluxe edition arrived in 2017 and includes additional characters, vehicles, battle courses, and modes. Its maximum race size makes the tracks feel crowded and increases the importance of item timing, drafting, and choosing safe lines through turns.
The number can be confusing because the maximum depends on the multiplayer method. A single Switch console supports fewer simultaneous human players, while local wireless and online arrangements can involve more. Twelve is the standard answer when the question asks for the game’s maximum race field, not the number of players who can share one console. Mario Kart Wii also helped establish twelve-racer racing in the series.