Mario Kart 8 Deluxe includes all downloadable content (DLC) for Mario Kart 8, including characters, courses, and vehicle components, into a single product for Nintendo Switch, as well as being the first Mario game for the console. These features are accessible upon first starting the game, without the need to be unlocked. In addition to previous DLC, several new characters were introduced in Deluxe, including the Inklings from Splatoon, Bowser Jr., Dry Bones, and King Boo. Other notable changes to the gameplay include the ability to hold two items at once, and accessibility features to assist newer players, such as auto-acceleration or smart steering, which prevents players from veering off course. Deluxe also reintroduces the Boo item, which allows the player to steal another opponent's item and then temporarily become invisible. In Deluxe's "Booster Course Pass", several courses have differing layouts in every lap, condensing multiple variations of a course into one.