Proto:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
This page details one or more prototype versions of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
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This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.
On November 20, 2022, a prototype build of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that was apparently recovered from a Switch ODIN-eMMC was anonymously leaked online through a (now taken down) archive.org link. Built on October 18th, 2016, with a timestamp of 09:37:23, this prototype is from 6 months before the retail game's release, and only 2 days before the Switch itself was revealed to the public. On top of that, debugging features are enabled by default. Comparing the debug folders, function names, and some script files of this prototype to the debug folders of the Kiosk Demo of Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, it is likely that some of the debug features came from the original Mario Kart 8, but with more features added. Evidence of this includes function names and script files containing debug content with mentions of the Wii Remote, DRC, functions that aren't accessible or are stubbed, some function names for some features of this build in the Wii U Kiosk Demo map, a debug text display feature that was shown in the Mario Kart 8 Direct, and more.
Contents
Sub-Pages
 | Differences Mii models weren't present? |
 | Debugging Material Lots of debugging content. |
 | Patches Some patches to fix problems and enable debug features that aren't acessible. |
Test Tracks
Two test tracks are referenced in the code and one can be found in the game's files. The one found in the files is incomplete and only contains a lightning environment file and the ones referenced in the code are not present in the files.
By adding the track files to the game and writing custom code for the game to load the track filename strings in the Debug Menu and make the empty test track list entry selectable, test tracks can be loaded. They will load in Course ID 0x1 (Test) where minimap is disabled and music played is Mario Circuit, differently from Mario Kart 8 Wii U where no music plays. They aren't restricted by rule therefore they can be played in Race and Battle.
You can load them yourself by using the Test Tracks patch.
test_WiFiTest1
test_WiFiTest1 is a track found in the Kiosk Demo version of Mario Kart 8 Wii U. While the file for this track doesn't exist in this Prototype, this course is loaded online if the select course is Course ID 0x1 (Test). Here's a video of this track being loaded online (LAN) in this Prototype by adding the files of the track back to the game and patching the game's code so the track loads online even if the select course is not Test course.
test_Customizer
test_Customizer is the track that would load in the Customizer scene of the Debug Menu. The code that loads the Customizer scene is programmed to load this track but for some reason the course the scene loads is the last/current loaded course (possible issue with this Prototype build), for example, in menus, the course loaded is Gu_Menu, loading Customizer while in menus will load the scene in Gu_Menu, the course menus are loaded in, in game, it is a black void with no models or visuals.
The files for test_Customizer aren't present in the game but a skybox called VRCustomizer is present in the game's files (also in Mario Kart 8 Wii U) and is definitely used in this course. test_Customizer is definitely a copy of Gu_Menu but using VRCustomizer skybox instead, a unicolor light blue sky with a color gradiant similar to the one seen in the character selection background (coincidence?) of the Kiosk Demo version of Mario Kart DS and the corner of some title/main menu background images of Mario Kart 8/Deluxe.
The reasons test_Customizer is definitely a copy of Gu_Menu is because Gu_Menu has no checkpoints and the spawn point coordinates and rotation are at 0,0,0. Coincidentally, Customizer has the kart spawn point coordinates and rotation hardcoded to be at 0,0,0 and the game crashes if the course loaded has checkpoints. Also because Gu_Menu has no visuals as there's no models and the skybox (VRMenu) doesn't render in game so it's a black background which is out of place and it causes two issues: The character/vehicle parts text is harder to read because the color blends with the background and some vehicles are very glowy. test_Customizer has a proper skybox (VRCustomizer) that makes the text very readable and the karts aren't as glowy.
In the video below a recreation of test_Customizer is used by adding the files of the course to the game and adding it to the Debug Menu Test course list by using the Test Tracks patch (artificial custom code). Toggle Process Meter Bars and Toggle Free Camera Debug Controller Features were used to move the camera and display the game's process performance.
test_DanceFloor
test_DanceFloor is a track that would probably be used for testing. The track only contains one file and it's the lightning lightning environment file. The track folder is present in "Course/EAD", EAD probably meaning Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development. The lightning environment is a strong purple. It is likely that it would appear in the "Test(EAD)" course section of the Debug Menu.
With only course.bgenv being present, it is likely an unfinished track that was meant for lightning environment testing. The track crashes if loaded because it lacks model, collision and mapping files.
test_DanceFloor was present in the final game but then later removed after some Booster Course Pass DLC update.
In the image below, we can see how Mario Circuit looks like with this course's lightning environment file.
Test Retro Battle Stage File Prefixes
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The Debug Menu Test course list function has strings for the file prefix of every course and stage, however, it also includes battle stage prefixes for retro stages that don't appear in the game, these being Wii (Bwii), DS (Bds), N64 (B64), GBA (Bagb) and "CTR" (Bctr), which is 3DS, but the game uses B3ds. These retro stages were probably planned for the game or they were added for testing or other reasons.
Test Team Award Result UI File
A test UI file of team result for Award screen. A reference for this file exists in the code that loads the texture for Team Award but it isn't loaded, the common one is loaded instead, the same one seen in the final game. The UI file is outside of the .sarc UI files. The layout can be seen with Switch Toolbox and it looks like unique, plus, it uses images for the point numbers, normally, point numbers are text and the digital number is loaded from the font.
| File | Layout seen with Switch Toolbox |
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