Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Every fact on this page applies to update 4.0.1, the one version tested. Other versions may behave differently.
No emulator needed: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe runs natively on the Apple chip. How nxnative compares with emulators
Running through nxnative
How Mario Kart 8 Deluxe runs
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe plays on the iPhone at 60 fps, with plenty of GPU time to spare: the project developers measured about 6 ms of GPU work per frame in docked mode on a recent iPhone, with no audio dropouts. It is also a large Game: its Packed app came to about 11.9 GB when the developers last published sizes.
How it runs
On the Mac, it was tested through the title screen, the Mii pick, the menus with their video previews and a full 50cc Grand Prix race, with sound and steady memory use. Players have since reported complete races on iPhone, including a build with the Booster Course DLC. Two players on one Mac work too, with a second controller connected.
Versions
nxnative's profile covers updates 4.0.0 and 4.0.1 and packs 4.0.1 by default. Put both update files in the same folder as the base game before you Pack: a build from that profile expects both.
Controls
The Packed app starts in the 2D touch layout. Use the layout button at the top centre to switch if you prefer another one.
Good to know
- Mii heads stay blank. Everything else about the Miis, including their bodies and colours, shows normally.
- On a controller with rotating rumble motors, the game keeps a light rumble going for the whole race. Setting
DM_RUMBLE_MIN=0.45in the app'senv.txtfile filters that out and keeps the rumble for crashes and drifts. - At about 11.9 GB the Packed app may be too big for some sideloading setups. nxnative's packing script can keep the game files out of the app with
--romfs separate; see the install guide.
Known issues
- Mii heads do not appear. Mii bodies and their favourite colours show, but the heads are blank because the console data they are built from is not part of nxnative.
Packing command
Run this in your nxnative folder on the Build Mac. Replace the game folder and the keys path with your own. Add --platform mac-app to get a Mac app instead of an iPhone and iPad app.
python3 scripts/build_ipa_from_nsp.py ~/Games/mario-kart-8-deluxe -k ~/keys/prod.keysFAQ
Does Mario Kart 8 Deluxe work with nxnative?
Yes. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is tested with nxnative on update 4.0.1.
Which iPhone, iPad or Mac do I need to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?
An iPhone 15 Pro or newer (A17 Pro chip or later) or an iPad with an M1 chip or later, on iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, or a Mac with Apple silicon. iPads with the A17 Pro chip (iPad mini) have the iPhone 15 Pro's chip but are untested by nxnative. Packing needs a Mac with macOS 26.6 or later and Xcode 27.1.
Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe included?
No. Neither this site nor nxnative includes any game. You Pack Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from your own copy of the game, with keys dumped from your own Switch.
Does online play work in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?
Online play in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is not confirmed to work, so do not count on it.
