Mario Kart fans have been waiting on a new game for a long time. Recent leaks related to Mario Kart 9 inspired hope that Nintendo would release another game soon, but instead it looks like fans will have to settle for the Booster Course Pass DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In spite of the new DLC, Nintendo could very well be working on a new Mario Kart game 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 the Super Mario series.
Leakers have already suggested that a wide range of characters might appear in Mario Kart 9. Sources suggest everything from Star Fox to Splatoon to Kid Icarus will appear in the new game, resulting in a collection of Nintendo's greatest hits akin to Super Smash Bros. Ideally, Mario Kart 9 won't simply try to imitate Smash's Nintendo character roster. Instead, Mario Kart 9 ought 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.
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. Smash has kept Nintendo franchises recognizable even when they're on hiatus, and it's a valuable advertising platform for Nintendo's newer IPs. If Mario Kart 9 really is full of guest characters, it'll inevitably get compared to Smash by virtue of having a similar concept. Those comparisons could work in Mario Kart 9's favor; now that Smash's future is uncertain, it can at least temporarily play the role of Nintendo's crossover franchise.
Nevertheless, Mario Kart 9 shouldn't try to be the new Smash, even if it's a crossover game. A platform fighter like Smash can'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, Smash focuses on Nintendo's most famous franchises and celebrates their success. This means that a lot of less successful or recognizable Nintendo franchises fall by the wayside. Mario Kart 9 could be a crossover while remaining unique if it makes room for Nintendo deep cuts instead of focusing on top-tier Nintendo characters.
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 9 will include playable characters from Chibi-Robo!, Starfy, Rhythm Heaven, and more series that aren't hugely famous, as well as well-known but dormant franchises that live on in Smash like F-Zero and EarthBound. With such a potentially diverse cast, Mario Kart 9 will have a lot of features that distinguish it from Smash and make it a refreshing kart-racer experience.
It helps that bringing back franchises like these is much easier to do in Mario Kart than in Smash. Mario Kart drivers simply need a couple of uniquely themed vehicles, whereas Smash guests need highly detailed move sets. The only serious obstacle keeping these characters out of a Mario Kart crossover game is Nintendo's potential reluctance to focus on niche characters. Still, these characters would undoubtedly give Mario Kart 9 a distinct look, and fans of these smaller Nintendo franchises would be thrilled to get some representation. If Mario Kart 9 is really in the works as rumors suggest, Nintendo ought to consider giving as many franchises as possible a place in the game.
Mario Kart 9 is rumored to be in development.
