Mario Kart World vs. Burnout: Paradise Crashes!

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In a potential shift for the Mario Kart series, the upcoming title, Mario Kart World, may adopt a mechanism similar to that seen in Burnout Paradise. With its innovative open-world design being a first for the series and an array of new, unlockable character outfits and vehicle designs on offer, it seems Mario Kart World could be venturing into uncharted territory. The latest trailers, gameplay streams, and Nintendo Direct presentations suggest that this Switch 2 launch title is poised to be the most ambitious Mario Kart game yet. However, with a larger roster of characters, vehicles, and more for players to unlock, it’s possible that Mario Kart World could alter the method by which these features are acquired, moving away from traditional methods such as winning races or collecting coins.

As a fan of open-world racing games like Burnout Paradise, I believe Mario Kart World could benefit from incorporating an element similar to the “Shut Down” mechanic in Burnout. Instead of relying solely on winning races or collecting coins to unlock new karts, players could engage in high-speed chases and take down rival racers across the open world of Mario Kart World. This would not only make the gameplay more dynamic but also encourage exploration, as each defeated racer could potentially unlock unique vehicles for the player. Additionally, the introduction of Dash Food to unlock outfits in Mario Kart World could further incentivize players to traverse its expansive world and uncover hidden treasures.

Burnout Paradise’s Shut Down Mechanic Is Perfect For Mario Kart World

From its early games, the feature of unlocking new vehicles wasn’t central in Mario Kart. However, as series progressed from Mario Kart: Double Dash and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a variety of unlockable vehicles and parts have been introduced. The method for unlocking these new vehicles has changed across games, ranging from coin collection in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to completing cups in specific game modes or at certain speeds, as seen in Mario Kart: Double Dash or Mario Kart Wii. With Mario Kart World already redefining the Mario Kart formula, its approach to unlocking vehicles could also be modified.

In the upcoming version of Mario Kart, called Mario Kart World, there’s a possibility that new vehicles might be earned by collecting Peach Medallions or P-Switches, similar to rewards in Free Roam mode. However, Nintendo hasn’t specified whether these vehicles will be immediately accessible or if they need to be unlocked first. Instead of relying on the established objectives in Free Roam or the traditional unlock methods within Mario Kart, Mario Kart World could take advantage of its open-world setting and let players unlock vehicles by defeating opponents during Free Roam play. This approach mirrors how the game Burnout Paradise allows players to crash or “Shut Down” roaming cars to unlock them; in a similar vein, Mario Kart World might incorporate vehicle unlocking as part of its open-world gameplay experience.

Mario Kart World’s Open World Offers An Alternative To Unlocking Vehicles

Instead of only awarding new vehicles by collecting coins or winning races, Mario Kart World could introduce a more interactive method such as Free Roam game modes. Here, players can stumble upon and unlock vehicles by defeating them within the game. The latest Direct showcase hinted that CPU racers will be scattered across Mario Kart World, possibly even appearing on its world map, implying that players have the freedom to seek out specific characters. Similar to Burnout Paradise’s Shut Down feature, gamers might use in-game items to take down characters and unlock some of the iconic vehicles rumored to be included in Mario Kart World.

  • Dolphin’s Dolphin Dasher
  • Stingby’s Bumble V
  • Chargin’ Chuck’s Chargin’ Truck
  • Para-Biddybud’s Biddybuggy

Incorporating an unlock system akin to that of Burnout Paradise into the new version of Mario Kart World, where certain characters’ outfits are introduced but vehicle customization options are removed (as seen in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe), could bring a better balance between its new features and gameplay. Although not every vehicle needs to be unlocked using the Shut Down mechanism from Mario Kart World, providing this incentive would encourage players to delve into Free Roam mode and compete against CPU racers to unlock distinctive vehicles.

Mario Kart World could take this potential system a step further by concealing secret or unique vehicles for players to discover and conquer, such as the R.O.B.-themed bike.

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2025-04-24 05:07