Mario Kart 8: Fastest Setups

Highlights

• Players need to choose the right character, kart body, wheels, and glider to ensure maximum speed.
• Drifting is essential for the fastest karts in Mario Kart 8. Players should master drifting techniques to achieve top speed.
• Various character and kart combinations can create fast setups in Mario Kart 8. Rosalina’s Teddy Buggy, Luigi’s Inkstriker, and Wario’s Circuit Special are some of the options that provide a balanced mix of speed, acceleration, and handling.

If players want to go fast in Mario Kart 8, then it’s best to look for the fastest setupts in one of the best Kart racers. Mario Kart 8 has a variety of options to choose from. Whether it’s in the Weight class of the character, the kart body, wheels, and glider, all of these things come together to make the best kart in Mario Kart 8 and ensure that Speed will be on the side of the player so they can claim that gold trophy.

Many factors make the fastest setups in Mario Kart 8, and gaining Speed is not all there is to it when it comes to the game. Mario Kart 8 players should be aware of drifting, and its necessity, especially when going for the sheer fastest karts in Mario Kart 8.

Updated January 12, 2024, by Jake Fillery: The fastest Mario Kart 8 setup has evolved since the final release of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. With Wave 6 released, the curtain draws to a close on Mario Kart 8’s new content, but that doesn’t mean the races are over. It’s still an exhilarating ride, and with 96 courses available to those with the Booster Course Pass, now is as good time as any to get faster and take that first place, unless a blue shell has something to say about it. These setups all have their individual strengths, but they also can prove that the fastest, doesn’t mean the best setup in Mario Kart 8.

9 Toadette’s Buggybud

Top Speed: 1.5 Points

• Kart: Buggybud
• Wheels: Azure Roller
• Glider: Cloud Glider

If players don’t want to be in for a stressful time in this Nintendo game, then selecting a very light character like Toadette will provide the lack of weight necessary to speed off with great acceleration. Whilst some players might not be impressed by the fact that the points placed into speed are practically none, the acceleration will propel them into first place and beyond, provided with the right skill.

Players will need to utilize their drifts and boosts in order to stay ahead, as the acceleration provided makes this setup one of the best karts in Mario Kart 8. With decent grip, great handling, and a beautiful amount of acceleration, this kart is a go-to for players who enjoy using lighter characters, and for those who have gotta go fast.

8 Shy Guy’s Mach 8

Top Speed: 2.8 Points

• Kart: Mach 8
• Wheels: Leaf Tyres
• Glider: Cloud Glider

Shy Guy bursts onto the scene with his Mach 8 build, which will grant him consistent stats across the board. As one of the lighter characters to the game, Shy Guy doesn’t have it in him to gain speed as high as heavier characters like Bowser. Yet, Shy Guy is here to prove that every class can have the right setup to make them the fastest Mario Kart 8 build, and Shy Guy does just that with the Mach 8.

When paired with the Leaf Tyres, Shy Guy gains a considerable amount of speed, but also a great amount of acceleration. Pair this with decent handling and grip, players will be able to easily boost, and build up turbo from their easy drifting.

7 Rosalina’s Teddy Buggy

Top Speed: 3.5 Points

• Kart: Teddy Buggy
• Wheels: Roller
• Glider: Waddle Wing

A new meta in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe means a new fastest setup. Rosalina and the Teddy Buggy Kart is a combination of cuteness that goes great together. With the Roller wheels, Teddy Buggy, and Waddle Wing glider, players will have one of the most balanced heavy character builds that excels past the rest.

The stats remain anywhere between 3 and 4, but that is not a stat to laugh at. Rosalina’s Teddy Buggy build will provide players with a great balance of stats, meaning players can use turbos and their normal Speeds to drift around and reach first place with ease. That is unless a pesky blue shell is on its way.

6 Luigi’s Inkstriker

Top Speed: 3.2 Points

• Kart: Inkstriker
• Wheels: Roller
• Glider: Cloud Glider

Combining the Inkstriker, Roller wheels, and the Cloud glider, players will have a deadly combination of Speed and Acceleration. Luigi’s Inkstriker is a brilliant build, and completely balanced in the right hands. All of the stats for this build will be around 3 to 4, but those low numbers are no joke, as Luigi is number one.

Despite the appearance of the stats, the build works for itself, proving just how fast it is once the race begins. Thanks to its balanced stats, players will easily be able to drift around the track, gaining great Speed with the synergy of Speed and Acceleration.

5 Wario’s Circuit Special

Top Speed: 5.8 Points

• Kart: Circuit Special
• Wheels: Slick
• Glider: Wario Wing

Wario always loves the competitive edge, especially when it leaves Mario in the dust. Thanks to the Circuit Special kart, Wario will have a great advantage thanks to the high speed provided by the Circuit Special, Slick wheels, and Wario Wing glider.

This garlic-devouring yellow hat-wearing fiend is one of the heaviest characters in Mario Kart 8. Wario’s Weight comes to his advantage, as it permits him to have incredibly high Speeds and slightly lower Weight than the other heavy characters, ensuring his Speed stays high.

4 Dry Bowser’s B-Dasher

Top Speed: 5.8 Points

• Kart: B Dasher
• Wheels: Slick
• Glider: Wario Wing

The B Dasher, Slick wheels, and the Wario Wing glider will provide Dry Bowser with an extremely fast setup in Mario Kart 8. There’s barely any room for error with Dry Bowser’s B-Dasher build, as the Speed is intense, and the Handling and Grip are truly dreadful. If players are looking for pure Speed, then this is the fastest setup in Mario Kart 8.

With the combination of this kart, wheels, and glider, players can expect an extremely heavy build. The B Dasher is one of the fastest karts, and the Slick wheels are one of the best in terms of sheer Speed. Combining them, players will have a blast with their Speeds.

3 Morton’s Mercedes GLA

Top Speed: 5.8 Points

• Kart: GLA
• Wheels: Slick
• Glider: Wario Wing

A classic choice for one of the best builds in Mario Kart 8 is Morton and his Mercedes GLA. This is one of the rare times where Mario Kart would collaborate with a known brand, and Morton uses the Mercedes to a superb degree, granting him some extreme bonus stats when he uses the Wario Wing glider and the Slick wheels.

Morton’s GLA Mercedes build will put him just shy of the max stats for Speed. Morton will have almost 6 points in Speed, making it one of the fastest karts in Mario Kart 8. However, it lacks in Acceleration and has such a high Weight that it might be a disadvantage to be so fast.

2 Bowser’s Badwagon

Top Speed: 5.8 Points

• Kart: Badwagon
• Wheels: Slick
• Glider: Wario Wing

Bowser has never looked so good in pink thanks to Bowser’s Badwagon. This spiky-looking pink metallic car is relatively similar to the other heavy characters, with high Speed, high Weight, and a lack of Acceleration, Handling, and Grip. However, combining the Badwagon, Slick wheels, and Wario Wing glider will provide the zoom.

With the Bowser’s Badwagon build, players can expect one of Mario Kart 8’s fastest setups, even if it is not necessarily the best, it certainly provides Speed whether other players may be left in the dust. That is, as long as the track is flat and straight.

1 Waluigi Wiggler

Top Speed: 4.5 Points

• Kart: Wild Wiggler
• Wheels: Roller
• Glider:Flower Glider

The Waluigi Wiggler was once a devastating combo that annihilated the competition in Mario Kart 8. As a heavy character, Waluigi brought some great Speed to the racing scene when he used the Wild Wiggler kart. Combined with the Roller wheels and the Flower glider, players had set up one of the best karts in Mario Kart 8 thanks to its brilliant Handling and Acceleration.

Although the Waluigi Wiggler may not have the best Speed stat out of all the other options, the fact that the Acceleration stats are so high means that if players are balancing their drift turbos, then they are going to be Speeding ahead in no time as one of the fastest builds in Mario Kart 8.