Today is the day Mario Kart 8 launches in Japan, and those residing in the country have been blessed with a rather surprising piece of news. A DLC that infuses the game with a Mercedes-Benz GLA-inspired kart has been announced by Nintendo and the German carmaker. It will be made available this summer, and is said to be a free download.
What we’re oblivious to is whether the Mercedes DLC will be making its way to nations outside Japan or not. When inquired about the same, a Nintendo UK spokesperson told Joystiq that something related to this matter will be announced only in the future. The issue thus, still remains vague. Accompanying the new announcement is a commercial from Mercedes which in typical Japanese fashion, is quite weird. Do look for it in the space below.
As its name suggests, Mario Kart 8 is the eighth installment to the legendary series. It is being released exclusively for the Wii U, equipped with all the traditional gameplay features which the series is known for. Fresh characters make their way into the game as well, in the form of Koopalings, Baby Rosalina and Pink Gold Peach.
One of its new gameplay additions is anti-gravity racing which allows the characters to drive on walls and ceilings at certain points on the track. Apart from single-player gameplay, this title also offers online and offline multiplayer support, so that you can play against your friends as well.
Like we said, the Mercedes-Benz DLC for Mario Kart 8 hasn’t been announced for nations outside Japan as yet. We’ll have more on it when additional details are out.