There has been a wide range of vehicle designs over the course of the Mario Kart series. Some are iconic and still reappear in the more modern titles, while others have fallen into obscurity. With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continuing the series' long legacy on the Nintendo Switch - and is arguably one of the best tabletop games for that console - fans have been introduced to a whole slew of brand new kart designs.
But with so many from across the series, it can be hard to discern which is the best. While some karts may be considered classic by many people's standards, others may stand out as being unique in their own right. From rhino-themed racers to tug-boat trawlers, there are a plethora of fantastic designs out there.
10 Master Cycle - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
It comes as no surprise that Link made his way into the Mario Kart series. Not only is he an iconic character in The Legend Of Zelda, but he has also appeared outside of the series, such as in the Super Smash Bros. series. While Link brings two bikes into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it is his Master Cycle that truly shines.
Its horse-like design coupled with the Hylian shields on the sides makes it a stand-out vehicle design in the game. It perfectly blends together numerous iconic iconography from the series to create the ultimate Legend of Zelda-inspired vehicle.
9 Prancer - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
While Mario Kart 8 Deluxe may not be the only kart racer on the market, it is by far one of the best. That is, in due part thanks to its creative vehicle designs including the Prancer. The Prancer perfectly replicates the bobbing horses typically found on carousels, and its ornate carriage rear makes it appear like a horse-drawn carriage.
It is one of the more regal vehicle designs in the game, especially when compared to the product placement vehicles players can unlock. It's unique in design and evokes a wonderful sense of fantasy and childlike wonder.
8 Tiny Tug - Mario Kart 7
The Tiny Tug kart part is one of the funniest designs in Mario Kart 7. It is, as one would suspect, a small boat that players can outfit with wheels and race around tracks while ingesting mushrooms. While it isn't the most creative in terms of originality, the idea of racing in a boat is too funny to pass up.
There have been other boat-themed kart racers in other installments in the series such as the Landship kart in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. However, while they offer a similar thrill, Tiny Tug's quaint frame and prominent pipe that juts from the rear of the ship make it stand out above all the rest.
7 Magikruiser - Mario Kart Wii
Kamek and the Magikoopa's are formidable enemies in the Mario games. So, taking the opportunity to practically ride on one is incredibly enjoyable. The Magikruiser takes the basic design of a Magikoopa and transforms it into a bike. Its head and hood make up the top end of the bike, while the vibrant brush of its broom explodes out of the tail end.
It's a colorful design that perfectly encapsulates both the original design of the enemy as well as a fast bike. This is a phenomenal design and just another brilliant way that Nintendo managed to incorporate iconography from across the series into its seminal kart-racer.
6 Quacker - Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii has some of the most underrated tracks in the series' history, many of which are well worth revisiting. For those who fancy another go on Mario Kart Wii, doing it in style is greatly advised. And what better vehicle to do it in than the fantastic Quacker.
The Quacker is a bike that is shaped like a duck. Not unlike Tiny Tug, Quacker is a fantastic vehicle design purely based on both its humor value and its out-of-place nature in the series. The Quacker is an incredibly fast bike and actually one worth unlocking in the game. It's also just a great way to race around and embarrass all those around you.
5 Booster Seat - Mario Kart Wii
Baby Mario and co were introduced in Mario Kart: Double Dash, but disappeared in Mario Kart DS. They would then go on to appear in Mario Kart Wii and the ensuing titles in the series. While some may find their appearance a little obnoxious, with them came a series of fantastic karts including the Booster Seat.
The Booster Seat is not only a fantastic design for a baby character but is also a brilliant spiritual successor to the Goo-Goo Buggy. It was a great standard kart to reintroduce the baby characters with and perfectly combines their playful and pro-racing sides.
4 Rambi Rider - Mario Kart DS
According to Metacritic, Mario Kart DS is considered to be one of the best Mario Kart games ever released. While some of that is likely due to its high-fidelity graphics and iconic track list, it's possible that a big part of its success lay in its excellent kart design. From the iconic Cucumber to Donkey Kong's legendary Rambi Rider, Mario Kart DS had it all.
The Rambi Rider isn't complex in design, but it perfectly encapsulates everything there is to know about Donkey Kong. It's a rhino-shaped kart that looks as fearsome as Donkey Kong does perpetually happy. While the Rambi Rider lacks all the bells and whistles seen on other karts in the series, its simplicity allows it to excel and become incredibly memorable.
3 Gold Mantis - Mario Kart DS
The Gold Mantis is a golden digger kart that belongs to Waluigi. What makes this design so special is not only the fact that it is a gold-plated digger capable of steamrolling over its competition, but that it is disproportionately small compared to Waluigi's immense height.
Watching Waluigi sit cramped with his long spindly legs stretching out on either side is a lot of fun. His arms reach out to the top of the digger especially when he pumps his fist in the air after a well-deserved victory. It's a great vehicle design as it not only perfectly accentuates Waluigi's comically large height, but also his vapid sense of self-worth.
2 Goo-Goo Buggy - Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Mario Kart: Double Dash is perhaps one of the best Mario Kart games out there, and one of many GameCube games that desperately need to be remade for modern consoles. It introduced fans to the baby characters and brought with them some incredible karts.
The Goo-Goo Buggy, despite its silly name, is an incredibly fun kart. With Baby Luigi hanging desperately on the back while Baby Mario steers from the front, it's hard not to crack a smile whenever it races by. While the Goo-Goo Buggy didn't return in some of the later installments, its place is still cemented in Mario Kart history as one of the best-designed karts.
1 Koopa King - Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
The aptly named Koopa King is a kart designed around the fearsome, but often rather adorable, Bowser. Named Koopa in Japan, Bowser's frightening appearance is perfectly replicated in this gold-plated kart. With a sharp grin on the front, horns jutting from either side, and a tuft of fur extending from the driver's seat, this six-wheeled beast will surely invoke fear into its foes.
While ultimately Bowser isn't nearly quite as scary as his kart, it serves as a fun reminder that this hapless father, who's just trying to get by in a world full of vengeful plumbers, is intended to be a frightening figure.