Best Mario Kart characters

23059 duels later, Yoshi is still #1 in the Mario Kart ranking, with Rosalina close behind at 1386 ELO points.

The podium reveals a clear hierarchy at the top. Rosalina sits at rank 2 with 1386 ELO points, but a 52-point gap separates her from Shy Guy in third place, the largest divide among the top ranks. Mario, the franchise's namesake and most recognizable face, lands at rank 4 with 1314 ELO points and a 53% win rate across 223 duels. His position behind Yoshi, Rosalina, and even Shy Guy shows that nostalgia alone does not guarantee voter preference. Dry Bowser rounds out the top 5 with 1306 ELO points after 271 duels. At the bottom, the community has spoken decisively against customizable options. Mii languishes at rank 43 with just 1019 ELO points and a 33% win rate over 183 duels, while Villager (Female) fares little better at rank 42. The rejection of these player-created avatars suggests voters favor established characters with defined personalities over blank slates.

This ranking draws from 23059 duels involving 139 players across 43 contenders, updated on 10 October 2026. Yoshi's dominance at 1407 ELO points reflects the green dinosaur's enduring appeal, but the tight race between top contenders means the podium remains fluid. Cast your vote in head-to-head duels to shape the next update and determine whether Yoshi holds the crown or whether Rosalina can close the gap.

Updated on October 10, 2026

How this ranking is computed

Every duel won lifts a contender and every loss drops them, by an amount that depends on the opponent's strength: beating the leader is worth more than beating the last. It is an ELO, the same principle as in chess. Duels are not drawn at random — an adaptive entropy sort puts the least predictable match-ups first, which settles the ranking far faster than a full round robin. A worldwide ranking is only published past 30 completed plays. Known limit: a contender who has faced few opponents keeps an approximate score, and the bottom of the table moves more than the podium.

How our rankings are made →