An unlockable character is a hidden character that must be unlocked by completing certain criteria before being able to play as them. Every game in the Mario Kart series besides the first three (Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit) has at least one unlockable character, although Super Circuit features colored Yoshis (light blue, pink and yellow) that are exclusive to Single-Pak multiplayer mode.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!![]
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! has a total of 4 unlockable characters.
- Toad and Toadette - Win the 100cc Special Cup. Unlocking them also unlocks the Toad Kart.
- Petey Piranha and King Boo - Win the Mirror Mode Star Cup. Unlocking them also unlocks the Piranha Pipes.
- Special Item: Random, except for Luigi's Fireballs and Birdo's Egg
Mario Kart DS[]
Mario Kart DS has a total of 4 unlockable characters.
- Dry Bones - Receive a gold trophy in the 50cc Special Cup.
- Daisy - Receive a gold trophy in the 50cc Lightning Cup.
- Waluigi - Receive a gold trophy in the 100cc Lightning Cup.
- R.O.B. - Receive a gold trophy in the Mirror Mode Special Cup.
Mario Kart Wii[]
Mario Kart Wii has a total of 14 unlockable characters, all of which have three methods.
- Baby Daisy - Earn at least a 1-star rank in every single 50cc Wii Grand Prix cup or play 1,950 races.
- Baby Luigi - Unlock eight expert staff ghosts in Time Trials, play 3,150 races, or win 100 Wi-Fi Connection Ghost races.
- Birdo - Play 16 Time Trials, play in 1,350 races, or win 250 Wi-Fi races.
- Bowser Jr. - Earn a 1-star rank or higher in every single 100cc Retro cup or play 3,450 races.
- Daisy - Win the 150cc Special Cup or participate in 2,850 races.
- Diddy Kong - Win the 50cc Lightning Cup or play 450 races.
- Dry Bones - Win the 100cc Leaf Cup or play 2,850 races.
- Dry Bowser - Earn a star in every single 150cc Wii cup or play 4,350 races.
- Funky Kong - Unlock four expert staff ghosts in Time Trials or play 2,250 races.
- King Boo - Win the 50cc Star Cup or play 750 races.
- Mii (Outfit A) - Win the 100cc Special Cup or play 1,650 races.
- Mii (Outfit B) - Unlock all expert staff ghosts in Time Trials, play a total of 5,100 races and battles, or win 5,000 Wi-Fi Connection Ghost races.
- Rosalina - With a Super Mario Galaxy save file, play 50 races. Alternatively, earn a 1-star rank in all eight Mirror Mode cups or play 4,950 races.
- Toadette - Play Time Trials on all thirty-two courses, participate in 2,550 races, or win 1000 Wi-Fi races.
Mario Kart 7[]
Mario Kart 7 has a total of 9 unlockable characters.
- Daisy - Win the 150cc Mushroom Cup.
- Wario - Win the 150cc Flower Cup.
- Rosalina - Win the 150cc Star Cup.
- Metal Mario - Win the 150cc Special Cup.
- Shy Guy - Win the 150cc Shell Cup.
- Honey Queen - Win the 150cc Banana Cup.
- Wiggler - Win the 150cc Leaf Cup.
- Lakitu - Win the 150cc Lightning Cup.
- Mii - Win the Special Cup and Lightning Cup in any engine class.
Mario Kart 8[]
Mario Kart 8 has a total of 14 unlockable characters. Some have no concrete unlock conditions and are unlocked after winning a random cup. However, the same cup will not unlock more than 1 character. The Mii is the only character that isn't unlocked at random, instead it is always the 8th character to be unlocked.
- Rosalina - Random
- Metal Mario - Random
- Lakitu - Random
- Toadette - Random
- Baby Rosalina - Random
- Pink Gold Peach - Random
- Larry Koopa - Random
- Roy Koopa - Random
- Wendy O. Koopa - Random
- Iggy Koopa - Random
- Morton Koopa Jr. - Random
- Lemmy Koopa - Random
- Ludwig von Koopa - Random
- Mii - Always the 8th Unlock. If you have a compatible Amiibo, they can be unlocked early.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[]
In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, all of the characters previously unlockable in the original are available at the start. However, only one unlockable character exists.
- Gold Mario - Receive a gold trophy in every cup in 200cc (alt. color of Metal Mario).
- Birdo - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
- Petey Piranha - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
- Kamek - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
- Wiggler - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
- Diddy Kong - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
- Funky Kong - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
- Pauline - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
- Peachette - Purchase the Booster Course Pass (DLC)
Mario Kart Tour[]
In Mario Kart Tour, all of the characters can unlockable randomly from the pipe, and can be purchased from Daily Selects, Daily Spotlight, Spotlight Shop, and other Shops. The player can unlock Toad, Toadette, or Peachette for the tutorial. After the tutorial, they are granted a free pipe launch which grants either Peachette, Metal Mario, or Dry Bowser. Some of the High-end Characters will be unlockable (for free) by completing all Cups during a tour to unlock a gold pipe. Gold pipe give a chance to get a good High-end when the invisibility star give the light from pipe.
Trivia![]
- If counting the mainline and the spin off series, then Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX are the only Mario Kart games where Wario is an unlockable character.
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is the only Mario Kart game where Toad is an unlockable character.
- Mario Kart Tour is the only game where every character is unlockable. This includes Mario.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the only game to have only one unlockable character.
- Not counting Mario Kart Tour, Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8 have the most unlockable characters with 14 in total.