Super Mario Kart Deluxe, the long-running fan project aiming to substantially expand Nintendo's 1992 Super NES racer, now has a planned release date: December 25, 2026. Developers MrL314 and ScouBsmk confirmed the date in a teaser, giving retro racing fans a firm target after years of anticipation surrounding the extensive ROM hack.
The project, often abbreviated as SMKDX, is positioned as a deluxe-scale reworking of the first Mario Kart rather than a modest course patch or character swap. Its announced features include eight additional playable racers, six extra cups, an overhauled soundtrack, higher speed classes, mirrored tracks, competitive multiplayer additions and several mode concepts that go far beyond the original game's Grand Prix, Time Trial and Battle Mode foundations.
That makes the Christmas Day launch especially notable for players who still return to the Super NES original for its slippery handling, compact circuits and famously demanding 150cc races. Super Mario Kart established the series' blueprint more than three decades ago, but its hardware era naturally placed limits on its roster and variety. Super Mario Kart Deluxe is designed to explore how much more that framework can offer while retaining the identity of the 16-bit game.
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A larger roster built around Mario Kart history
The expanded driver line-up is one of the most immediate changes planned for Super Mario Kart Deluxe. MrL314 and ScouBsmk have named Toadette, Wario, Kamek, Birdo, Dixie Kong, Waluigi, Bowser Jr. and Daisy among the new characters joining the classic cast.
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It is a selection that draws from many different points in Mario Kart's history. Daisy and Wario became recurring staples in later entries, while Birdo, Bowser Jr. and Waluigi are familiar faces to players of the wider Mario spin-off catalogue. Kamek has gained a greater racing presence in more recent years, and Toadette brings another Mushroom Kingdom regular into an engine that originally offered only eight drivers total.
Dixie Kong stands out as a particularly interesting inclusion. She is closely associated with the Donkey Kong Country series on Super NES, so her appearance gives the hack an extra connection to the broader 16-bit Nintendo library. The overall roster expansion also gives Super Mario Kart Deluxe a different personality from the original, which was built around a tightly focused lineup of Mario characters and a then-distinct Donkey Kong Jr.
The developers have not detailed every gameplay distinction between the added racers. Still, simply broadening the selection is meaningful in a game where character choice has always mattered, with each original driver paired to another racer and defined by its own balance of acceleration, top speed, weight and handling tendencies.
Six more cups and substantially more ways to race
Super Mario Kart Deluxe is also set to add six extra cups. The original Super NES release divided its tracks into Mushroom, Flower, Star and Special Cups, alongside the game's battle arenas. Increasing that cup count should provide a major amount of fresh material for seasoned players, especially those who know the original's 20 race courses inside and out.
New courses alone would make for a significant ROM hack, but SMKDX is aiming for a broader package. A Mission Mode has been announced, with its general concept compared to the mission-driven challenges seen in Diddy Kong Racing. This suggests a more structured set of objectives beyond simply finishing ahead of rival drivers, although the exact missions and progression structure have not yet been fully outlined.
For multiplayer, the project is expected to include Shine Thief and Battle Race modes. Shine Thief has become a recognisable Mario Kart-style party ruleset through later games and fan communities: the focus is on holding a prized item while opponents attempt to take it away. Battle Race, meanwhile, promises another alternative to conventional circuit racing. Both modes could give local sessions more longevity, particularly for players looking for something different from standard balloon battles.
The announcement also points to a new soundtrack. Music is a major part of the original Super Mario Kart's character, from its brisk title theme to the distinct melodic identity of courses such as Koopa Beach and Rainbow Road. New compositions or arrangements will therefore be a central element in making the additional tracks and modes feel like part of a cohesive expanded release rather than a collection of disconnected additions.
Mirror races, 300cc and an Endurance challenge
Speed is another area where Super Mario Kart Deluxe intends to push past the boundaries of the 1992 release. Alongside Mirror Mode, the hack will support racing at up to 300cc. For context, the original Super NES game's highest standard class was 150cc, a setting already capable of making its tight corners and traction-heavy physics unforgiving. Doubling that headline speed class has the potential to dramatically change the demands of track knowledge, item use and recovery after contact with hazards.
Mirror Mode will give courses a reversed layout, requiring veterans to unlearn the visual cues and corner sequences they have internalised over decades. In traditional Mario Kart games, mirroring has long served as a simple but effective way to refresh existing content. Combined with faster classes, it could make familiar-feeling course design unexpectedly difficult.
One of the headline additions is Endurance Mode. This mode will time players and challenge them to complete tracks within a specified limit. It appears intended to create a direct test of consistency and pace, rewarding racers who can maintain clean lines while avoiding the kinds of spin-outs, off-road detours and collisions that can quickly ruin a fast run in Super Mario Kart.
Endurance Mode may prove particularly appealing to time-trial-minded players. The classic game has always supported competition over fractions of a second, even before online leaderboards became standard. A formal time-limit challenge can turn that instinct into a repeatable ruleset, whether players are trying to beat their own records or passing the controller among friends during a local gathering.
Why this project has drawn so much attention
ROM hacks have long been an important part of retro gaming culture, preserving interest in older engines while allowing creators to build new tracks, systems and experiences on familiar foundations. Mario Kart has inspired a particularly active community because its core design is easy to understand but difficult to master: a new course layout can transform the rhythm of a race, while a small change to item placement or speed can force players to rethink established habits.
Super Mario Kart Deluxe has attracted attention because its ambitions go beyond the usual scope associated with a single-game modification. It is not only planning more circuits or cosmetic replacements. The combination of extra cups, a significantly enlarged roster, fresh music, new competitive modes, mission-style challenges and extreme speed options presents a far more comprehensive reinterpretation of the first Mario Kart.
There is also an enduring appeal to revisiting the original game's specific feel. Modern Mario Kart entries have evolved through larger rosters, elaborate drifting systems, anti-gravity sections, online play and increasingly expansive track design. The Super NES game is much more compact and direct. Its visual presentation, Mode 7 track effects and sharp handling provide a distinctive kind of racing challenge that later instalments have never fully replicated.
For players who grew up competing on one screen with family members or friends, an expanded version of that experience could be an ideal holiday project. The December 25 date naturally lends itself to local multiplayer sessions, whether the goal is to see who can survive 300cc, defend a Shine Thief lead or post the quickest Endurance Mode time.
What has not yet been confirmed
While the release date and many features have been announced, there is still no confirmed information on exactly where Super Mario Kart Deluxe will be made available when it launches. Players should also keep in mind that ROM hacks typically require users to supply their own compatible, legally obtained copy of the original game rather than distributing Nintendo's copyrighted game data.
Further technical details, the complete course list, full rules for the new modes and the final implementation of every character have not been laid out in the release announcement. As with any fan-made project, plans may change before launch. For now, though, the December 25, 2026 target gives the community its clearest indication yet that the years-long project is approaching the finish line.
Super Mario Kart Deluxe is planned for release on December 25, 2026. If its promised additions arrive as outlined, it could offer one of the most substantial new ways to experience the Super NES classic while preserving the fast, fiercely competitive spirit that made the original a landmark racer.
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