Best Mario Kart 8 Wii U Setup

Even though Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch is the definitive way to play the game (After all, it’s become the best selling Nintendo game of all time because of it) that doesn’t mean no one plays the Wii U version anymore.

The Wii U version of Mario Kart 8 is the one that started it all, but because it isn’t supported anymore, it doesn’t have some of the content that was released recently, such as everything that came with the Booster Course Pack.

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Regardless, the Wii U version has some great builds or setups that can still be used, with these next time you and your friends are having a tournament, you win every single time without fail. We’ll be going through three of these  builds, with all of them being different from each other.

Best Mario Kart 8 Wii U Setup: Build #1: Rosalina (Speed Build)

Ever since Mario Kart 8 came out, Rosalina has been a fan favorite. While that’s partly because of her being such a well liked character, it also relates to the fact that she comes in the third heaviest category in the game. Characters in that category have really good top speeds and drifting potential but fall short when it comes to handling off road and acceleration. 

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In addition, because of their weight, they’re able to bully people behind them to stop them from going ahead. Rosalina is all that and more, with her having the same stats as characters like Waluigi, who’s considered to be one of the best characters when in the air. 

Kart: Circuit Special

In addition, the Circuit Special is a kart body part that increases her speed even more, allowing you to reach top speeds you might not think were possible in the game.

However, there’s always a downside, and the downside here is that it hinders acceleration and traction, which means that if you mess up on a turn or go on the water, you’ll lose all the momentum you would have gained.

Tires: Slick Tires

This speed is increased even further with the use of slick tires, which decrease your traction even more. What this means is that this build is a gamble. If you’re able to stay on track and keep your momentum, then congratulations you have already won the game.

As for the glider, it doesn’t really matter what you choose as it doesn’t affect your stats too much, but most players tend to go for the cloud glider.

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One thing to keep in mind is that if you fumble for even a second, then it’ll take too long for you to reach your top speed again. That hasn’t stopped professional players from playing this same exact build in the past, and it shouldn’t stop you either.

Best Mario Kart 8 Wii U Setup: Build #2: Toadette (Control Build)

While the above build was for players that believe speed is the name of the game, there are other players that believe control is the most important thing in a game like this. So if you think slow and steady wins the race, then this is the build for you

Coming in the lightweight class, Toadette is a character that is very easily pushed aside by opponents of a higher weight class than her. What she does have in spades, however, is acceleration and control.

Toadette players tend to use their high acceleration stat to first reach top speed fairly quickly. Then, they take advantage of the excellent handling to keep the momentum till the end of the race. 

Kart: Flame Rider

Using the Flame Rider kart body bumps up all of these stats. Her acceleration is better, her handling (ground, air, water, and anti gravity) is easier, and although her weight does go down (even more), it doesn’t make too much of a difference seeing as how she was already a light weight.

Tires: Ancient Tires

By equipping ancient tires, you’ll be able to increase your traction to ensure that even if you happen to go off road or on water, you still won’t lose too much of that hard earned momentum. Truly, slow and steady wins the race.

Similar to the above build, it doesn’t matter much what your glider is, but we would recommend the gold glider to make sure you look good on the track.

Best Mario Kart 8 Wii U Setup: Build #3: Waluigi (Most Popular Build)

Waluigi is an insanely fast character, there’s no arguing that, but with the Wild Wiggler, you’re able to reach top speeds that most characters could only dream of. After all, the Waluigi Wiggler combo is, to this date, one of the most used combos in the game.

The reason is simple. What do you get when you give a character with very good top speeds, a kart that has excellent acceleration? Some very unhappy competitors, that’s what. 

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After all, Waluigi is part of the third heaviest group of characters that not only makes it so that the maximum speed he can hit is more than most other characters, but his control is also good enough that you don’t have to struggle too much.

Kart: Wild Wiggler

The Wild Wiggler is what most consider to be Waluigi’s signature kart. The reason for this is that, as mentioned above, the ‘Waluigi Wiggler combo’ is one that players are using to this day. Why this specific kart? Because of its huge boost in acceleration.

This makes it so that Waluigi is able to reach his insanely high top speed as quickly as possible, all the while making handling easier as well. Unfortunately, it does decrease the traction statistic, making it much more difficult to drive off road.

Tires: Slick

While most would try to balance out the lack of traction by equipping wheels that make off road driving easier, where’s the fun in that? Instead, we recommend you equip the Slick tires that increase the total speed by a huge amount.

The thing about these tires is that they were so overpowered that they ended up getting nerfed in the deluxe edition that came out on the Nintendo Switch. Luckily for you guys, this isn’t the Nintendo Switch version

Although the top speed, when reached, takes some getting used to, soon you’ll be getting used to leaving the opposition in your dust as you zoom towards the finish line, drifting and jumping on the way.

When it comes to the glider, it doesn’t really matter all that much which one you equip Waluigi with, but if you ask us we say go for the super glider. Only one of the best for one of the best characters and builds in the game after all.

Final Thoughts

While these were indeed some of the best setups or builds when it comes to stats in Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, at the end of the day, different players prefer different characters and builds. Therefore, we recommend you experiment as much as you can with different karts, tires, and gliders to see which one suits you the best.

The three builds we mentioned above, however, are the ones most commonly used either by high-ranked players or professional players and for good reasons too.