With hundreds of possible kart combinations, it can be tough for new players to discover the fastest Mario Kart 8 setups. These are the very best.

Mario Kart 8, easily one of the greatest kart racers of all time, includes plenty of vehicle customization options. Players are free to change their tires, kart, glider, and, of course, character. In Mario Kart 8, it's important to keep track of all five stats—those being speed, acceleration, weight, handling, and traction—sometimes it's all about speed.

Although heavy characters have the slowest acceleration, they also have the highest speed. Thus, when looking for the best Mario Kart 8 setups, heavy characters are preferred. In addition, while there are no gliders that increase speed, there are some that reduce it.

Updated on May 2nd, 2022 by Tanner Fox: It's an exciting time for fans of Nintendo's Mario Kart franchise. Not only is Mario Kart 9 in active development, but the Switch version of Mario Kart 8 recently received eight new DLC courses. Those looking for a reason to return to the game need look no further, and this is only the first smattering of a total of 48 courses set to debut through 2022 and 2023.

These new tracks will have Mario Kart players of all experience levels dabbling with new kart configurations as they work out what works best on which tracks. Those who prioritize speed above all else ought to give these setups a go.

Donkey Kong, B Dasher Kart, Triforce Tires & Super Glider

Donkey Kong has the second-highest speed of all characters, and, combined with the B Dasher kart, the Triforce tires, and the Super Glider, he can reach exceptionally high speeds. The tires also help with his traction, which is extremely helpful for heavy characters.

In addition, the default glider is preferred so that the kart's speed will not suffer from the penalties other gliders have. With this build, DK reaches a total of 5.25 speed.

Roy, Standard ATV Kart, Gold Tires & Plane Glider

Roy holds the second-highest possible base speed, much like Donkey Kong, and, with the perfect kit, he can be very fast. Both the Standard ATV kart and the Gold tires provide him some solid extra speed at the cost of acceleration and handling.

Lastly, the Plane glider slightly increases his traction at the cost of a small increase to his weight. This is an overall fast build reaching 5.5 max speed, making it one of the best Mario Kart 8 setups.

Baby Daisy, Biddybuggy, Roller, Cloud Glider

This is a pretty unorthodox combination when going for speed, but speed itself isn't the only stat that dictates how fast a kart can cross the finishing line. Acceleration can be the Achilles heel of some kart configurations, and this Baby Daisy build takes that into account.

With 0.75 max speed, this would be a horrendous setup for normal play. However, with 5.5 acceleration, it could come in handy on 150cc or 200cc when speed can easily become a detriment and the need to quickly recover from mistakes is greater.

Wario, Circuit Special Kart, Metal Tires & Wario Wing

At 4.75, Wario has the highest possible character speed in the game, making him a go-to for speed-focused kart configurations. Adding the Circuit Special kart and the Metal tires adds an extra 1.0 speed at the cost of acceleration, handling, and traction.

Finish the build with his iconic Wario Wing to reach 5.75 max speed, making this one of the fastest builds in the game. Of course, with great speed comes great risk, as racers will have to contend with some less-than-optimal kart handling.

Bowser, P-Wing Kart, Kart Gold Tires & Hylian Kite

Bowser, the heaviest character in the game, is also among the fastest. Combining his default 4.75 base speed with the P-Wing kart and the Kart Gold tires brings him to the speed cap of the game, which is 5.75.

Adding the Hylian Kite ensures that Bowser isn't losing any speed for the glider while also not gaining any extra weight that could make this build impossible to control.

Morton, P-Wing Kart, Cyber Slick Tires & Waddle Wing

Morton sides with Bowser and Wario as the heaviest and thus fastest character in the game. Although the P-Wing kart significantly reduces Bowser's other stats, the maximum speed increase is too good to ignore.

Combined with the Cyber Slick tires, Morton reaches the speed cap of 5.75, while the Waddle Wing glider ensures that he doesn't lose any speed or gain any extra weight. Given how little he's seen in standard Mario games, Morton is an oft-overlooked character that Mario Kart 8 fans should consider incorporating into their constructions more often.

Dry Bowser, Mercedes GLA, Slick Tires & Hylian Kite

Despite being slightly lighter than the other heavy characters, Dry Bowser maintains a high base speed of 4.75. In addition, the good-looking Mercedes GLA and the Slick tires allow Dry Bowser to reach a swift 5.75 max speed.

Some players shrugged off the free Mercades Mario Kart DLC when it originally came out, viewing it as a bit of obvious product placement. However, a few of the carts that were added in that expansion really help certain characters.

Baby Daisy, Pipe Frame, Standard Tires & Wario Wing

This is another of the best Mario Kart 8 setups that don't focus on all-out speed, it, instead, places an emphasis on acceleration and handling. While heavy characters like Wario or Pink/Gold Peach may be doing laps around this lightweight kart, at 200cc, this will be the better option.

It seems like an odd trade-off, but, at some point, increased speed becomes reckless and can result in slower lap times. While there are certainly some pro Mario Kart players who can make just about anything work on any setting, for normal players, measured builds such as these will definitely prevail.

Bowser, Badwagon Kart, Cyber Slick Tires & Super Glider

Bowser, one of the most powerful villains in the Mario franchise, is integral to some of the fastest builds in Mario Kart 8. With the Badwagon kart and the Cyber Slick tires, he can reach a max speed of  5.75.

In addition, the default Super Glider ensures that Bowser doesn't have to sacrifice multiple stats for this high speed. Not only is he the hardest villain to deal with, but also one of the fastest opponents to face in Mario Kart 8.

Morton, Circuit Special Kart, Slick Tires & Plane Glider

Morton's high base speed of 4.75 can skyrocket with the Circuit Special kart and the Slick Tires, up to the cap of 5.75. Although this build significantly reduces acceleration and traction, it is a worthy price to pay for being so fast.

Skilled drivers who can maintain max speed can make this build really shine. That said, on 200cc, this setup becomes something of a nightmare to control, as do most of the ultra-fast kart setups in the most current Mario Kart installment.

Bowser, Landship, Standard Tires & Cloud Glider

As opposed to other Bowser builds that strictly prioritize speed, this is more of a jack-of-all-trades heavy kart that maintains a relatively high max speed of 4 without sacrificing acceleration or handling. While the handling stat could be a bit sturdier at 2.75, with 3.75 acceleration, Bowers won't be nearly as slow to start as he'd normally be.

While most speed builds focus purely on just that stat without accommodating for inevitable heat-of-the-moment mistakes, this setup is as fast as it needs to be and can be controlled much more easily.

Wario, Mercedes GLA, Kart Gold Tires & Wario Wing

Wario's high base speed of 4.75, when combined with the iconic Mercedes GLA and the Kart Gold tires, can do the trick if players are looking for speed. Wario reaches the 5.75-speed cap at the cost of greatly reducing his acceleration, which can admittedly be a real problem in chaotic situations.

Nevertheless, the Mercedes GLA offers increased handling and reduced weight compared to most of the other fastest cars. As long as the players can reach the max speed, it's going to be easier to maintain it, making this easily one of the best Mario Kart 8 setups.

Dry Bowser, B Dasher Kart, Metal Tires & Gold Glider

Dry Bowser is able to maintain the same maximum speed as Bowser and Morton with the added bonus of slightly reduced weight. Equipping him with the B Dasher kart and the Metal tires ensures that he reaches the cap of 5.75.

If the player manages to get ahead and reach max speed while also utilizing some of the most annoying Mario Kart items like blue shells, bananas, and fake item boxes, victory is almost guaranteed. In addition, the Gold gilder allows Dry Bowser to win and look good while doing it.

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