Summary
Mario invites friends, foes, and cannon fodder to enjoy a friendly competition with one of the best kart racers of all time.Mario Kart8has almost been the main entry in theMario Kartseries for a decade, and it’s not only the bestMario Kartmaps that make this title so famous, but the fact that theMario Kart8-character roster is filled with some iconic characters, with more yet to come.
Every character plays differently inMario Kart8, and every fan has their preference. The best characters inMario Kart8might not be based on personal preference of their character, but on the stats that they have based on their weight class and secret bonuses.
Updated on Jun 10, 2025, by Jake Fillery:The best character in Mario Kart 8 is completely player-dependent, but with such a large cast of characters to choose from, it’s always nice to see who can offer the best performance and visuals. The best MK8 characters are immortalized in this iconic kart racer, and hopefully, with the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2, some of the more obscure characters feature in a potential Mario Kart 9.
23Princess Daisy
A Sporty Princess That Races to First Place With a Laugh
Princess Daisy is easily one of the most iconic Nintendo characters. After all, she’s always happy to get into one of Mario’s many sporting events, and usually leads the charge as a fierce competitor who doesn’t like to lose, but is always a fair sportsman. Daisy has a charismatic spark within her engagements, and if it’s not spending time with Luigi, it’s running laps on the track.
Princess Daisy is always seen as a tomboy, which makes her so much fun when it comes to sporting activities such as this. She’s always loud and competitive about racing, so running the tracks with her behind the wheel is a charismatic time for all.
22Princess Rosalina
A Royal Princess from Space Who Races for Her Lumas
While Princess Rosalina doesn’t have the same addiction to sporting events and competition as Daisy, she certainly does have a style that no other can replicate. She’s regal, sophisticated, and very loyal and loving to her Lumas, who join her occasionally to cheer her on for first place.
Rosalina is a nice character, but her kit is what truly solidifies her as great, as she can use the best Heavy vehicles, including the Teddy Buggy, to commit to great drifts, boosts, and speeds so that she can take the lead in style.
21Toadette
A Small and Cute Racer Who Proves Size Matters Not
Toadette is adorable, so it’s hard not to include her as some of the best, especially when Toad is featured too. This mushroom character is inseparable and integral to the Mushroom Kingdom. Her friendships with Toad and her commitment to Princess Peach prove that she belongs on the track from behind the wheel, and not just as a bystander.
Being of the Light weight class, Toadette also has a great selection of vehicles made available to her, including a fair mix of acceleration and speed for those light and fragile characters who want to get first place, but fear the mere hit of a larger foe.
20Kamek
A High-Ranking Koopa Troop With Magical Abilities
Featuring a character who has often acted as a thorn in Mario’s side through loyalty to none other than Bowser, it’s great to see Kamek finally get an invite to race around some wacky tracks. Kamek is no stranger to this series, and their magic has been used many times to mix things up, but now, they can put the wand away and have fun in a kart alongside other iconic characters.
Kamek might not have anything inherently special about their weight class and kart, but their appearance alone warrants their inclusion. This famed Koopa Troop can race around, cackling with every speed boost and person hit with a red shell.
19Mii (amiibo)
Uniquely Created Characters
The Mii class might not be the most exciting, but they are certainly the most unique. The Mii class has a few grand uses, with one of them being the fact that players can use their Amiibos to grant themselves unique costumes to use for their Miis in Mario Kart 8. Outside of these fun and distinct costumes inspired by other characters, players can design their own Miis.
Miis are creations made specifically by the player, meaning they can bring into the race themselves, their friends, or even their favorite characters across various films, games, and shows. The potential for Miis is limitless, so racing against Mario as one is a great way to keep things fresh.
18Bowser
Mario’s Grandest Rival Brings The Heat, Not The Cheat
It’s impossible to talk about Mario Kart characters without including Bowser himself, the ultimate rival to Mario. Whilst they seem to hate each other, and Mario constantly foils Bowser’s evil schemes to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom and kidnap Princess Peach, it shows how nice Mario is to always invite him to the next friendly competition of a kart race.
Bowser’s size and aggression make him hard to knock off the track, and he can nudge smaller characters with ease. He’s a fun one to watch with his celebratory fire breath that can intimidate others who are racing near, but at the end of the day, he’s here to win fair just like everyone else.
17Link
The Hero Of Hyrule Races Into The Scene
It’s always great to see a collab character, especially when it’s Nintendo’s own brand. Adding Link to the roster ofMario Kart 8characters is great, as not only does he come with two distinct outfits from his adventures in Hyrule, but he also comes with one of his own tracks and a set of karting items that can make him stand out from the roster.
Link is a fun character to race with, as the Heavy class is always desirable in the meta. Not only that but his animations and sounds make him charming and fun to play as, since when else will they see the hero of Hyrule himself throw bananas and red shells at Mario characters?
16Toad
Toad exists as one of the characters on the originalMario Kartroster. He’s a character as old as Mario and Peach, and will always be there to perhaps not save the day, but aid and celebrate when it is saved. Toad often brings a sense of bravery when the situation must arise, but he’s more than happy to simply shriek and cheer Mario on from the side. That is until the go-karts come out.
Toad isn’t scared to get behind the wheel and race his friends and enemies, and this light character may be small, but his appearance shouldn’t deceive racers, as there are plenty of stellar builds that can have him zoom into first place, as long as a heavy character doesn’t bash his kart and knock him off track.
15Diddy Kong
The Fastest Monkey Behind The Wheel
Diddy Kong has been absent for far too long in theMario Kartcommunity. He’s an icon and hasfeatured in many of the party gamesover the years because of his good standing with Mario and of course, his best friend, Donkey Kong. Diddy deserves a spot back in the racing scene, since after all, he had his own racing series once upon a time.
Diddy sports his red shirt and Nintendo cap with flair and gusto, and he shows it all off proudly when he zooms past the competition thanks to his medium class. Hitting boosts is extremely satisfying with Diddy, as he will often cheer and make adorable noises, providing thrills with every ounce of speed.
14Mario
The Titular Character Is Always Number One
Itdoesn’t seem fair to not include Marioin a game aboutMario Kart. The character is an icon and is easily recognizable thanks to his overalls, mustache, red-hat with his initials on it, and of course, his voice. Mario is a very versatile character in the medium class, providing plenty of options for play when it comes to racing across the many tracks ofMario Kart 8.
What makes Mario so fun is how accessible he is, and there’s a reason he’s on the box art, and the icon of the series itself. It’s not called Luigi Kart, and this fan-favorite plumber brings a modest level of cockiness when he inevitably boosts his way into first place.
