A new patch for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — version 1.1 — is now available for the Nintendo Switch, bringing over minor tweaks and fixes to the critically acclaimed racing game. But most notably, the patch removes one of Inkling Girl's animations because players from some regions have previously deemed it offensive.
Why Inkling Girl's Animation Is Offensive To Some Players
The gesture in question here is Inkling Girl placing her hand on a flexed bicep as she taunts other racers she passes by, pumping her fist. For some, that might seem of no concern — it seems Inkling Girl simply wants to brag about her speed in the race.
But in other regions, the gesture is reminiscent of Rosie the Riveter, an icon who represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during the second world war.
However, Inkling Girl's gesture is actually known as the bras d'honneur, or in some parts of Europe and Latin America, "arm of honor." Performing the gesture by gripping the bicep in someone's direction means that person has pissed you off. Essentially, it seems to say, "up yours."
Of course, Nintendo wasted no time in revising the animation. So after you download the patch, Inkling Girl now simply pumps her fist in the air — no more bicep-gripping. Here are comparison photos showing the old animation and the revised one, uploaded by NeoGAF user Neiteio.
Before the patch:
After the patch:
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Version 1.1: What's New
Beyond patching up the gesture, Nintendo also brought several improvements to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which the company details in its support page.
Online matches have been greatly improved, for instance, which is great news after the game's series of issues with online matches. The game now display names in the rearview mirror view during online races, and the invincibility period after a spin-out or crash now lasts longer.
The patch also enables up to two players to spectate a friend group while they wait to join. Also, in Worldwide and Regional modes, the game now adds players to Mirror and 200cc matches less often. What's more, players with 100 or more buddies can now create a friend lobby.
The game also fixes starting positions in online races to better reflect the order in which players join. In terms of aesthetics, Nintendo also fixed an issue with Driver Miis' facial expressions — they can now properly emote during races. Finally, the tournament clock now better reflects real-world time.
How To Update 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' To Version 1.1
To get version 1.1 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, make sure your Switch is connected to the internet. The update will then be automatically downloaded and installed after you launch the game. To check if your game has been properly updated, check the version number that's displayed on the title screen.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launched on the Switch late April, and although the game is a slightly improved port of the original Wii U title, it still racked up pretty stellar critic reviews.
It's quite an important entry in the series, even if it's not exactly a new Mario Kart title. That's because the game's graphical performance is on par with the Wii U version — but it's portable, thanks to the nature of the Switch. It's the highest-resolution Mario Kart game ever released for a handheld.
Thoughts on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? Have you downloaded version 1.1.? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
