Mario Kart is not like Super Smash Bros. The two franchises may feature a cornucopia of Nintendo characters, but they have historically had very different philosophies.
Super Smash Bros. It gets bigger and bigger with every game, expanding the roster of characters, available maps, music and trophies with each new entry. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was just that, the last89 playable characters by the time all DLC fighters are added. The series started with only 12 games on the original N64, which is quite an increase.
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We don't need Mario Kart 9 on Switch 2, we need a Double Dash sequel
2 double 2 dash.
'More' has been the answer because 'different' was largely rejected. Brawl, the game in the series that messed with the formula the most, was the least popular with the fanbase. Smash players want Smash, and they want Smash to feel like Smash.
Carts They are A-chanjin
In contrast, Mario Kart is changed. The first entry, Super Mario Kart on the SNES, feels like a prototype, with forced perspective that approximates 3D with your character driving and drifting around a flat map. Mario Kart 64 took the series into true 3D. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Added a second character to the cart, who focused solely on using items.
The GBA entry, Super Circuit, isn't particularly noteworthy. It's mostly just a portable retread of the SNES original.
Mario Kart DS added online play for the first time. Mario Kart Wii added motion controls, and was sold with the Wii Wheel accessory. 3DS entry Mario Kart 7 added gliding sections and underwater bits. However, it's been over a decade since there were only 8 Mario Kart games. The game originally launched on the Wii U after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe brought an upgraded and improved Battle Mode to the Switch. That port didn't bring any new mechanics to the table, though, which means it's been 11 years since we've seen any innovation from the series.
Mario Kart 8 Decades
And, to be honest, I didn't find the 8's big innovation – the anti-gravity sections – to be all that game-changing. It's a cool idea, sure, but it pales in comparison to how the unique double dash dual-driver mechanic makes that game feel, or the Wii's unique controls.
As a result, Mario Kart feels like it's been in the same place for a long time. Mario Kart 9 will undoubtedly be bigger than any previous game. Eagle-eyed viewers noted that gameplay from the Switch 2 featured starting positions for 24 racers, double Mario Kart 8's maximum. It will also likely introduce a bunch of new characters.
But not enough of a big selling point, at least not for me. I want the series to dive back into that double dash, and introduce a new mechanic that gives the game a unique feel.
Since the Switch 2 was revealed, there's been some speculation that the game might introduce fuel management, and that's exactly the kind of idea I'm talking about. I want something that fundamentally changes the Mario Kart experience, and giving players resources to manage does just that.
Mario Kart 8 may have been an unpopular idea when it launched, but the current generation of gamers grew up on survival games like Minecraft and hard-hitting action RPGs like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have shown that these mechanics can appeal to a wide audience.
It doesn't necessarily have to be fuel management in particular. Mario Kart 9 may feature out-of-kart sections where you defeat other players, a la Tony Hawk's Underground. It can give Mario a gun. It can bring snowboards or other forms of racing with monster trucks. Perhaps it could borrow Mario Odyssey's ownership system and let players transform into creatures or objects scattered throughout the course. I don't care what it does. I want to do this something.
another one
Mario needs his own Sonic Generations
It's time for a game that combines 2D and 3D Mario.
