New 'Mario Kart 8' DLC Coming This Fall: Link, Isabelle And The Villager Will Be Playable Racers

Finally! Nintendo favorite Link from “The Legend of Zelda” series and the Villager from “Animal Crossing” are coming to racer “Mario Kart 8” in two new downloadable content packs. The DLC packs can be bought separately for $7.99 each or together for $11.99, according to Nintendo Co. Ltd. (TYO:7974). Players who purchase both packs will get eight new colors for racers Shy Guy and Yoshi.

Together, the two packs would add six characters, eight vehicles, four Cups and 16 tracks to the game. The tracks encompass “Wario’s Gold Mine” from “Mario Kart Wii” as well as “Zelda”- and “Animal Crossing”-themed courses. Here is a breakdown of what’s up with the two packs, available for advance purchase Wednesday:

-- Pack 1 consists of three characters (Cat Peach, Link and Tanooki Mario), four vehicles, two Cups and eight courses. The DLC can be downloaded in November.

-- Pack 2 consists of three characters (Dry Bowser, Isabelle and the Villager), four vehicles, two Cups and eight courses. The DLC can be downloaded in May.

We’re excited about the new characters, but really looking forward to the “Zelda”-related courses. It would be amazing to race around Hyrule Castle or in the Lost Woods from “A Link to the Past” or “A Link Between Worlds.”

Meanwhile, the previously announced “Mario Kart 8” Mercedes DLC drops Wednesday, as Forbes reported. It includes three new karts: the Mercedes-Benz GLA, 1950s-era 300 SL Roadster and 1930s-era Silver Arrow.

Nintendo released the highly anticipated “Mario Kart 8” May 30. The racer became the Wii U’s fastest-selling game, with 1.2 million units sold worldwide in 14 days. The game’s launch also boosted console sales in May of this year more than 90 percent over May of last year.

In June, more than 870,000 copies of “Mario Kart 8” were moved in the U.S. alone, where it was the best-selling game on a single platform. On June 2, U.K. market researcher GFK Chart-Track said the game had boosted Wii U sales by 666 percent, with 82 percent of that coming from the “Mario Kart 8” bundle.

Which Nintendo characters do you want to see in “Mario Kart 8”? Leave a comment below.