How to Add Friends on Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart is a fun and enjoyable casual race game, considered by many to be a true classic. As the latest version of the game is now available on Nintendo Switch as well, many players are left wondering how they can add their friends on this console, and play Mario Kart 8 together.

If you are having this same issue as well, here is a quick guide that will help you add friends and invite them to play Mario Kart 8 with you:

Making a Nintendo account

Before you can add any friends on Mario Kart, you have to either log into an existing Nintendo account or make a new one first. Here’s how you can do just that:

1. If you’ve powered on your Switch for the first time, you will automatically be prompted to create a profile, along with a nickname and a character.
2. If you’ve skipped this step in the past, you could always go to the home screen and open System Settings. Here, click on Users, and then click Add User to make a new profile or connect an existing one.
3. In case you just made a new profile, connect it in the same way, by following the second step.
4. In order to make a new profile in the Settings, you will only need an e-mail address and a chosen password.

Note: If you wish, a Nintendo account could also be made on Nintendo’s website, using your phone or computer.

Understanding Friend Codes

Once you’ve created and connected a Nintendo account, you will then be given your own Friend Code, which can be used by your friends to add you on Switch. Here’s how you can find it:

1. Go to your Switch’s home screen, and locate the character icons at the top of the menu.
2. Here, simply click on the specific icon you wish to know the code for.
3. After the profile page loads, you will see the Friend Code on the right-hand side. It will show up as a combination of two letters and twelve numbers divided into three separate sets.

Adding your friends

Now that you have a profile, and you know everything about Friend Codes, you can easily start adding different players. Just follow the steps below:

1. Go to your Switch’s home screen, and locate the character icons at the top of the menu.
2. Then, click on your icon to open your profile page.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on the Add Friend option.
4. Here, you will have the option of accepting a friend request you’ve previously received, find any local users that might also be on the console, or even enter a specific Friend Code to find one of your friends directly.

Playing Mario Kart 8 with friends

If you want to have a race with your friends online on Mario Kart, you can do so by following the steps below:

1. In the Mario Kart menu, click on Online Play.
2. Choose the number of players you would like to have in the game.
3. Then, click on Tournament, and then press Create Tournament. Confirm by pressing Yes.
4. Choose a specific icon if you wish, and then click OK.
5. Then, you can type in a tournament name, and click OK to finish.
6. Now, you can set specific rules for your tournament, and even select when and how long you’d like it to be active.
7. After you’ve created your tournament, write down or copy the tournament code. By sending this specific code to your friends, they will be able to join your game.

And there you have it! Although it might require a couple of additional steps, adding your friends on Nintendo Switch in an effort to play Mario Kart together is still an incredibly quick and easy process.