Mario Kart World: Big Step Forward or Major Step Back from MK 8 Deluxe?

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In contrast to the significant leap forward in characters, karts, and courses offered by the upcoming game, dubbed Mario Kart World, there appears to be a regression of two steps compared to its predecessor, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Initially unveiled alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 as a launch title for the console, more details about Mario Kart World have emerged, such as its new outfits, items, and open-world setting. While these fresh features may make Mario Kart World the most groundbreaking Mario Kart game to date, it seems that these advancements might have been achieved at a price.

Despite being a revamped Switch version of the original Wii U game, “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” has surpassed all other games in the series as the best-seller and has been expanded with downloadable content through its Booster Course Pass. As we await the release of “Mario Kart World” on Switch, it seems that this new title is missing a substantial amount of content compared to “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.” While it’s possible that there are reasons for “Mario Kart World” to omit content from its predecessor, the trend could potentially be concerning for franchises outside the “Super Mario” series.

Mario Kart World Appears To Be A Super Mario-Exclusive Game

According to trailers and gameplay demonstrations for the upcoming Mario Kart title, it seems that this latest edition of Mario Kart will focus solely on content from the Super Mario universe. To back this up, not only does the game bring back familiar characters from its roster, but also introduces a wider variety of new racers, including some like:

  • Super Mario Sunshine‘s Cataquacks and Piantas
  • Super Mario 3D World‘s Conkdors
  • Super Mario 3D Land‘s Coin Coffers and Stingbies
  • Mario Kart 64‘s Cows

In addition to its collection of playable characters, Mario Kart World will offer a variety of tracks hailing from the Super Mario series and related titles. Approximately half of these tracks are brand new, while the other half have been featured in previous versions of Mario Kart.

The special concentration of characters and tracks in Mario Kart World mainly stems from its new open-world gameplay style. Previous games were more adaptable when it comes to the geography within the Super Mario universe, but the open-world format of Mario Kart World might have led Nintendo to incorporate content solely from other Super Mario games. This decision may enhance the game’s open world by making it feel more authentic and cohesive, but it does mean that some popular characters, courses, and features from previous games had to be omitted.

Mario Kart World Scraps Zelda, Animal Crossing, And More After MK 8 Deluxe

It seems that Mario Kart World is primarily centered around content from Super Mario, implying that characters and courses from other Nintendo series like those seen in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe might no longer be included. While it’s possible that new outfits, karts, and other elements could be added to compensate for the potential changes, this shift could lead to certain Nintendo franchises and features being omitted.

  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Animal Crossing
  • Splatoon
  • F-Zero
  • Excitebike
  • Nintendo’s R.O.B. and Miis

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to see that the upcoming edition of Mario Kart appears to be revisiting the momentum set by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, particularly in terms of incorporating characters and tracks from various other Nintendo games into the mix. The hinted R.O.B.-themed bike in Mario Kart World is just one example of this exciting trend!

Mario Kart World Could Potentially Make Amends With DLC

In the new version of Mario Kart World, it’s likely that most content will be drawn from various Super Mario series games. However, this doesn’t necessarily rule out characters, tracks, and karts from other Nintendo franchises. Although Mario Kart World has stopped including content from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there’s a possibility that it could receive downloadable content similar to the Booster Course Pass when it launches with Switch 2. If familiar faces like Link, Isabelle, and R.O.B. can’t race again, they might still appear in the game as additional references, such as the Master Cycle Zero from Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Splatoon’s Splat Buggy.

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2025-04-26 02:35