AMario Kart 8 Deluxestudy has found the best combination of playable character and customizable vehicle build, with the most optimal option being Peach with a Teddy Buggy. TheMario Kartfranchisehas had a history of character tiers, where certain playable characters end up outclassing others in the game. These tiers are usually based on the most optimal character to hit the top speed, accelerate, and handle on the track. Heavyweight characters have traditionally been the most common choice for expertMario Kartplayers, as seen with characters like Bowser inSuper Mario Kartor Funky Kong and the Flame Runner inMario Kart Wii.
Mario Kart 8, followingMario Kart 7’s example, attempted to circumvent most of the common character and vehicle combination problems by having gamers select their own racer and customize their vehicle based on the parts earned in-game. It mostly worked, asMario Kart 8has a variety of parts and racers that can result in thousands of build options. While there have been some optimal picks for online multiplayer races and time trials, one study claims to have found the best racer and vehicle combination.
Conducted by data scientist Antoine Mayerowitz, this study attempted to findMario Kart 8’s best characters and vehiclesusing the Pareto principle. The first is by narrowing the statistically similar characters and vehicle parts, with many of them being cosmetically different. With duplicates being omitted, the number of combinations goes down from 703,560 to 25,704. From there, Mayerowitz applies the Pareto principle, narrowing down the best for different playstyles that favor either acceleration or speed.
The Best Mario Kart 8 Combination
WhileMario Kart 8’s heavyweightslike Bowser and Wario are the fastest in terms of top speed, they are hampered by their low acceleration. As a result, Mayerowitz tries to find the perfect character in the middle of this curve. As it turns out, the perfect character in this middle of Pareto’s max utility curve is Cat Peach, who can be substituted for Female Villager, Inkling Girl, or Diddy Kong, overshadowing other racers like Koopa. From there, it is further narrowed down to 585 distinct builds with unique speed and acceleration properties, with 14 being classified as the “most efficient” when taking the mini turbo into acceleration. After all that, the study finds that Princess Peach with the Teddy Buggy bike, roller tiers, and the Cloud glider to be the most optimal combination.
This build is supported by how it is the most common one used byproMario Kart 8players. That said, Peach might not be a gamer’s preferred playable character, depending on what they favor in a race. Other optimal combinations did include heavyweight racers like Donkey Kong or Wario, but the data shows how the pattern revolves around the trade-offs when prioritizing a certain aspect and the most optimal choices between them.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
WHERE TO PLAY
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a racing game in the world-renowned racing game series. The game was released in 2017 for Nintendo Switch and was at the time the first Mario game on the platform. It is an improved version of the Wii U game Mario Kart 8. It comes with added characters and changes in Battle Mode.Burn rubber across Mushroom Kingdom raceways—underwater, in the sky, upside-down in zero-g, and past the finish—for the win! Get revved up for local multiplayer, online in-game tournaments, a revamped battle mode, and more!Stay fresh in the Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe game by playing as guest characters Inkling Girl and Inkling Boy! You can use their Splatoon inspired karts on their battle mode stage, Urchin Underpass.There are also returning items, like Boo, the item-stealing ghost, and the Feather, used exclusively in battle mode. Veterans rejoice—you can hold two items at once! Prove you’re the world’s best racer and battler in online tournaments, or simply race and battle friends online. With many control options and handheld mode, there’s always a way to play on the Nintendo Switch™ system!
