Players from Australia and New Zealand who are fans of Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will have an exciting opportunity to vie for prizes and honor in the Splatoon 3 AU/NZ Championship 2023 and the Mario Kart AU/NZ Championship 2023. The tournaments will culminate in a thrilling live final held at PAX Australia 2023!

In August, Nintendo Australia launches a series of online qualifying events for the Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe championships. These open qualifiers will identify the top teams and players eligible to compete in the finals on Sunday, 8th October, during PAX Australia 2023. Players of all skill levels have various avenues to play and participate, and further information about these thrilling events can be accessed on Nintendo Australia’s website.

Splatoon 3: AU/NZ Championship

Australia and New Zealand’s freshest Splatoon 3 squads will be decided through Turf War and Anarchy Battle modes, where strong teamwork and clever strategy will be needed in heated four-on-four match-ups. Registered teams will face off against each other in Turf War best-of-three single elimination bracket, with the quarter and semi finals in Turf War and Anarchy Battle best-of-five single elimination. The winning team from each qualifier will be invited to the Live Grand Final at PAX Australia on Sunday, 8th October 2023.

For all of the tournament details, including the qualifier information, head over to the official tournament page.

• Online Qualifier #1: Saturday 19th August @ 11am AEST / 1pm NZST
• Online Qualifier #2: Sunday 27th August @ 11am AEST / 1pm NZST

Mario Kart 8: AU/NZ Championship

To determine the Australian and New Zealand Mario Kart 8 Deluxe champions, racers will compete in 150cc Race Mode with normal items across a variety of courses, accruing points with the top two racers per qualifier (for a total of 12) qualifying for the Live Finals at PAX Australia on Sunday, 8th October 2023.

For all of the tournament details, including the qualifier information, head over to the official tournament page.

• Online Qualifier #1: Friday 1st September @ 4pm–10pm AEST / 6pm–12am NZST
• Online Qualifier #2: Saturday 2nd September @ 12pm–6pm AEST / 2pm–8pm NZST
• Online Qualifier #3: Sunday 3rd September @ 12pm–6pm AEST / 2pm–8pm NZST
• Online Qualifier #4: Saturday 9th September @ 12pm–6pm AEST / 2pm–8pm NZST
• Online Qualifier #5: Sunday 10th September @ 12pm–6pm AEST / 2pm–8pm NZST
• Online Qualifier #6: Monday 11th September @ 10am–4pm AEST / 12pm–6pm NZST

Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are both currently available for the Nintendo Switch system. Players who are interested in taking part in the tournaments can head online now to start practicing; online play can be accessed in both of these games with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. A free seven-day trial is available for non-members directly through the Nintendo Switch system.

PAX Aus 2023 takes place October 6-8 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. For more information and badges, visit the official website or follow PAX Aus 2023 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.