Mario Kartfans have been waiting on a new game for a long time. Recent leaks related toMario Kart 9inspired hope that Nintendo would release another game soon, but instead it looks like fans will have to settle for the Booster Course Pass DLC forMario Kart 8 Deluxe. In spite of the new DLC, Nintendo could very well be working on a newMario Kartgame in the background.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s expansion could simply be buying time for the rumored new game, which will supposedly feature tons of Nintendo characters from outside theSuper Marioseries.
Leakers have already suggested that awide range of characters might appear inMario Kart 9.Sources suggest everything fromStar FoxtoSplatoontoKid Icaruswill appear in the new game, resulting in a collection of Nintendo’s greatest hits akin toSuper Smash Bros. Ideally,Mario Kart 9won’t simply try to imitateSmash’s Nintendo character roster. Instead,Mario Kart 9ought to dig deep into the Nintendo library to represent some of the company’s more obscure IPs.Mario Kart’s simple concept means there’s room for characters of all kind to get a day in the sun.
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Contrasting Mario Kart with Super Smash Bros.
For many years,Super Smash Bros.has cropped up as a playable means to celebrate Nintendo’s impact on the game industry.Smashhas kept Nintendo franchises recognizable even when they’re on hiatus, and it’s a valuable advertising platform for Nintendo’s newer IPs. IfMario Kart 9really is full of guest characters, it’ll inevitably get compared toSmashby virtue of having a similar concept. Those comparisons could work inMario Kart 9’s favor; now thatSmash’s future is uncertain, it can at least temporarily play the role of Nintendo’s crossover franchise.
Nevertheless,Mario Kart 9shouldn’t try to be the newSmash, even if it’s a crossover game. A platform fighter likeSmashcan’t quite be replaced by a racing game. Both franchises will also be better off if they maintain distinct identities, rather than becoming similar game concepts in different genres. It wouldn’t be hard to distinguish the two; as a general rule,Smashfocuses on Nintendo’s most famous franchisesand celebrates their success. This means that a lot of less successful or recognizable Nintendo franchises fall by the wayside.Mario Kart 9could be a crossover while remaining unique if it makes room for Nintendo deep cuts instead of focusing on top-tier Nintendo characters.
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The Breadth of Nintendo’s Reach
Nintendo is a storied company that has produced and published a ton of unique franchises over the years, and they all deserve recognition for helping build the company’s legacy. Ideally,Mario Kart 9will include playable characters fromChibi-Robo!, Starfy,Rhythm Heaven,and more series that aren’t hugely famous, as well as well-known but dormant franchises that live on inSmashlikeF-ZeroandEarthBound.With such a potentially diverse cast,Mario Kart 9will have a lot of featuresthat distinguish it fromSmashand make it a refreshing kart-racerexperience.
It helps that bringing back franchises like these is much easier to do inMario Kartthan inSmash.Mario Kartdrivers simply need a couple of uniquely themed vehicles, whereasSmashguests need highly detailed move sets. The only serious obstacle keeping these characters out ofaMario Kartcrossover gameis Nintendo’s potential reluctance to focus on niche characters. Still, these characters would undoubtedly giveMario Kart 9a distinct look, and fans of these smaller Nintendo franchises would be thrilled to get some representation. IfMario Kart 9is really in the works as rumors suggest, Nintendo ought to consider giving as many franchises as possible a place in the game.
