You Won’t Believe How Different Mario Kart: Double Dash Almost Was!

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Summary

  • Mario Kart: Double Dash almost did not have the two-driver mechanic due to challenges in development.
  • Developers considered sidecars but faced issues with width, leading to the final design.
  • The ability to swap positions on the kart was added to solve the issue of blocking the character in the front seat.

It was nearly omitted from the gameplay, but the two-driver mechanic in Mario Kart: Double Dash could have been absent, as revealed by its creators and chief director. Despite the anticipation for Mario Kart World on the Switch 2, many fans still cherish some of the timeless entries in the series, such as Mario Kart: Double Dash.

The Mario Kart series has journeyed quite a distance from its beginnings on the SNES. With every new edition, Nintendo faces the task of enhancing the racing experience without veering too far from what fans cherish about the series. One daring concept showcased in the series was the two-driver system in Mario Kart: Double Dash on the GameCube. Although this feature brought a new perspective to classic gameplay, it was nearly left out of the game according to Nintendo developers.

A 2003 interview from Nintendo Dream (previously untranslated but now translated by Shmuplations) has emerged, shedding light on some intriguing details about Mario Kart: Double Dash. The conversation was between producers Tadashi Sugiyama, Shinya Takahashi, and chief director Kiyoshi Mizuki, focusing primarily on the two-driver mechanism in Mario Kart: Double Dash. According to Takahashi, the inspiration for this feature stemmed from brainstorming ways to elevate the multiplayer aspect of the game. However, they acknowledged that implementing this concept proved challenging, as there was doubt about whether it would make it into the final product. Remarkably, Sugiyama disclosed that this difficulty led to the creation of a backup version of the game, featuring single-driver karts, which he referred to as an “emergency escape hatch.

Mario Kart: Double Dash’s Two-Driver Mechanic Initially Had a Different Design

Ultimately, Nintendo managed to successfully implement the mechanic in the game. However, the process of creating it went through several stages before arriving at the version seen in the finished product. As Sugiyama explained, the team initially considered designing the karts so that two characters could sit side by side. “Our initial concept was to have sidecars,” Takahashi added. But they realized this would make the vehicles too broad. “Imagine if eight large karts were aligned like that!” Sugiyama joked, leading to the passenger sitting behind the driver in the final game design.

Initially resolving the width problem, Sugiyama found that another complication emerged: during races in Mario Kart: Double Dash, the driver would be obstructed by the rear rider. To remedy this predicament, the development team proposed a solution – allowing characters to change their positions on the kart. This adjustment enabled players to switch drivers whenever desired, ultimately resolving the issue at hand.

The 2003 interview offers insights into the difficulties encountered when implementing the two-driver system for Mario Kart: Double Dash. Although Mario Kart 8 Deluxe allows multiple items to be held, it’s only in this GameCube edition that two characters can ride in a single kart. Whether players will get to enjoy this mechanic on the Switch 2 remains uncertain. As of now, Mario Kart: Double Dash has not been confirmed for the system, but since Nintendo has hinted at adding GameCube games to NSO + Expansion Pack, there’s a possibility that the game might be included in a future update.

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2025-04-10 03:39