Mario Kart 9 should be the Forza Horizon of kart racers.

Nintendo has big plans for Mario Kart 9. First of all, this was the only game shown as part of the Switch 2 reveal trailer. That means you can expect it to serve as a launch title for the new console later this year. There were only a few seconds of footage shining on the new screen throughout the video, but it was enough to learn that MK9 will have a different aesthetic, higher player count, and a wider scope than anything we've seen before in the series. , a more ambitious world for players to explore that may hint at unexpected evolutions.

Donkey Kong looks different. There's a gas canister on the side of the cart, which could hint at a new gameplay mechanic, and Yoshi has a burger-shaped diner. It's going to be very interesting, and there's hope that Nintendo will do their best to create a Mario Kart experience like we've never seen before. Actually, I wish it was an open world.

Mario Kart 9 needs an open world campaign mode

At first glance, this suggestion may seem absurd. Aside from the occasional battle mode or experimental outings from previous titles, Mario Kart has always stuck to its lovely mix of local multiplayer and grand prix tournaments that help brighten up the beautiful combo of driving and drifting. Playing with this format is risky, and you risk diluting a formula that has stayed the same for decades, save for a few special effects like zero gravity or stuffing two characters into one cart.

And I also have a question about the roster. If the 24-man race is actually true, we many Both new and existing characters are joining the ranks.

Switch 2 playing the new Mario Kart game.

But I think it's time for a change, and for Nintendo to push the Mario Kart experience to a place it never intended to take. I want the series to do Forza Horizon perfectly by giving us an open world to explore, filled with missions to complete, races to win, trophies to earn, and characters both new and familiar to meet.

Mario Kart already lets you customize your kart and choose from a variety of characters. So what's stopping us from choosing one of them and embarking on a journey across the Mushroom Kingdom? Or the highway kingdom I creatively came up with. Apart from Forza Horizon, there are other titles like Lego 2K Drive that made the kart racer open world a huge success.

And you can learn from Forza Horizon and Lego 2K Drive.

A blue Ford Highriser racing against other cars through a desert canyon in Forza Horizon 5.

Few people played or cared about LEGO 2K Drive, but I admire how it utilizes the mechanics of the kart racing series and the humorous charm of brick-laying across a variety of biomes to tell their own stories alongside a roster of unique characters. I did it. Every new world you explore introduces new gameplay ideas.

There's nothing stopping Mario Kart 9 from letting us loose in large areas or taking a level-based approach using tracks and areas while also rewarding us for our progress. There's a lot of potential here if Nintendo is willing to take a few risks, and considering that there have been two relatively safe versions of Mario Kart 8 over the past decade and nothing else, I think it's time to push the boat (or kart) forward . ) out.

LEGO 2K Drive

Exactly how diverse this open world is will depend on how much Mario Kart 9 plans to integrate other Nintendo properties into the experience. We can expect many of the usual suspects, like Mario.

There's Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Daisy, and more, but if newer games are any indication, there's also likely to be Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon drivers.

Nintendo isn't afraid of Mario Kart going the way of Super Smash Bros. if it means creating a more enjoyable and varied game in the end. I hope that's true because it would change my dream concept of an open world ripe with Nintendo homages and a lot more enjoyable things to do.

It's time for change, and what better way to usher in a new console generation than by boldly elevating Mario Kart to the once unimaginable?

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Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 is the successor to Nintendo Switch and is scheduled for release in 2025. Backwards compatibility is confirmed so you can play both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. Full release is scheduled for April 2, 2025.

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