Highlights
- Princess Zelda and Samus Aran deserve to be playable characters in the next Mario Kart game, alongside other Nintendo royalty.
- Ryuji from Persona 5 should be the one to get behind the wheel, bringing the Phantom Thieves to Mario Kart.
- Banjo-Kazooie and Bayonetta would be perfect additions to the Mario Kart roster due to their history with Nintendo.
Mario Kart has become one of Nintendo's staple franchises over the years, first launching on the Super Nintendo in 1992. The chaotic, friendship-destroying racing game has spawned some of the industry's best games thanks to its flawless driving mechanics and sense of disastrous fun. But one thing that appears to be in constant flux throughout the franchise is the roster, which has changed significantly over time to incorporate more of Nintendo's growing roster of characters.
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Nintendo has shown a willingness to step out into the weird when adding characters, as Link from The Legend of Zelda and the Inklings from Splatoon all made their debut in Mario Kart 8. But as MK8 was originally a Wii U title and appears to be having its swan song, it's time to start thinking about the next mainline title and what that could mean in terms of characters.
1 Princess Zelda
The Famous Nintendo Princess Deserves Her Time To Shine
Having Link as a racer in MK8 was fantastic, but it's time for Princess Zelda to get her due. Though she still isn't playable in the Zelda games, there's no reason for her not to be one of the next Mario Kart's main attractions.
As Mario Kart is already home to other Nintendo royalty in the form of Peach and Daisy, Zelda needs to take her rightful place with them. And since the MK series has also started to dig deeper into aesthetics and alternate costumes, giving Zelda some older outfits to race in is also a must.
2 Samus Aran
The Iconic Lead Of Metroid Needs To Step Behind The Wheel
Samus Aran has been known to step outside the bounds of the Metroid franchise before, appearing as a fighter in Super Smash Bros., a cameo appearance in Super Mario RPG, and even appearing in Dead or Alive: Dimensions. As far as Nintendo characters go, Samus tends to pop up in strange and random places.
That said, it's long overdue for Samus to trade in her gunship for a kart and start shooting red shells. In addition to potentially having a new course themed after Metroid, Nintendo could also pack in a few alternate outfits for Samus such as the Zero Suit or the Dark Suit from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.
3 Ryuji
Fan-Favorite Persona 5 Character Should Take A Lap Next
The inclusion of Joker from Persona 5 in the first Fighters Pass for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate showed that Atlus and Nintendo are keen to share characters. So while any member of Persona 5's stellar cast would make sense, it has to be Ryuji to be the one to get behind the wheel.
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As it's always fun to think about a potential course themed after a character or the franchise they come from, a Persona 5-themed course could be fabulous. Basing it on one of the more popular palaces, such as Kamoshida or Futaba, seems like it would be a perfect way to bring the Phantom Thieves to Mario Kart.
4 Wolf O'Donnell
Star Fox Villain Deserves A Spot On The Course
Despite rumors of a Star Fox racing game, no characters from Nintendo's roster of anthropomorphic, space-faring sci-fi games have ever appeared in Mario Kart. While Fox McCloud himself has appeared in every Super Smash Bros. game, fans have sadly yet to see a Star Fox character trade their Arwing in for a kart.
And while it would be enticing to add Fox or someone like Falco, Mario Kart needs good villain racers. Seeing the snarling leader of the Star Wolf mercenary group hurling shells at the likes of Mario and Peach would make for a great time, as he would add a sense of real danger to the proceedings.
5 Banjo-Kazooie
Former Nintendo Mascot Is A Perfect Addition
Despite Banjo-Kazooie being purchased by Microsoft after they acquired Rare in 2003, this duo has still been linked with Nintendo in numerous ways. Banjo has appeared in Smash and his first game was re-released on the Switch in 2022. The two even have a history of appearing in racing games, as they appeared in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing.
Despite being owned by the competition, Banjo-Kazooie still has a home at Nintendo. So it's an absolute no-brainer to bring the wacky bear and his trusty breegul companion into the next title, as his cartoony energy and playful style are a flawless fit in the Mario Kart world.
6 Bayonetta
The Umbra Witch Is Ready To Rev Her Engine
Despite how popular it was, the first Bayonetta game failed to reach sales expectations and the sequel was funded by Nintendo. As a result, Bayonetta has become associated with Nintendo in many ways, as she appears as a fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
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So it makes quite a bit of sense for Nintendo to continue this tradition and insert Bayonetta into the opening night roster of the next Mario Kart, as she would be a perfect fit. Hearing her iconic quips and one-liners as she passes by racers and hits them with red shells would be an absolute delight.
