Summary
The expectations forMario Kart 9continue to be raised higher as it becomes more clear how big the series can get. After the leaps and bounds that the last few installments have made,Mario Kart 9will have a lot to live up to when it finally gets released. While fans will obviously be seeking the same classic gameplay that the series has thrived on, simply being a solid racer may not be enough anymore.Mario Kartis such a behemoth of a series that a new installment needs to be a big event for Nintendo.
Mario Kartis a landmark for Nintendo, as shown byMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s impressive sales. It started with a simple idea of having Mario and friends race inSuper Mario Kart, and the series has done nothing but expand since then. From taking the jump to 3D inMario Kart 64to finding a place on mobile devices withMario Kart Tour, it seems that the series is always one of the first in Nintendo’s library to find a new innovation. At this point, it may be second only to the mainSuper Marioplatformers in terms of games expected to be on every Nintendo console.
RELATED:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Every Wave 5 Track, Ranked
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Has Greatly Raised Expectations For the Sequel
The Booster Course pass has been a game changer for the series. After thelast expansion forMario Kart 8 Deluxeis released, the game will have 96 courses and 48 characters, making it the biggest console game in the series by far. Granted, most of that content came out after the game’s initial release, but that doesn’t diminish the sheer size of the game. That combined with its large fanbase and online scene, and theMario Kartname is riding high at the moment. At the same time, it creates a monolithic shadow forMario Kart 9to fight its way out of.
WhileMario Kart 8 Deluxeis the biggest feather in the series' cap, it’s far from the only one. Thewidely-downloadedMario Kart Tourhas been running concurrently withMario Kart 8 Deluxe, and features a lot of exclusive content of its own.Mario Kart Tourhas tracks, characters, and items that have yet to appear outside of the mobile spinoff. However, with some tracks and even Kamek crossing over to console thanks to the Mobile Course Pass,Tour’s exclusives are fair game for future installments. That could includeMario Kart 9, as the series always needs new features and retro tracks.
The big worry forMario Kart 9is failing to deliver in comparison to its predecessors. Sequels are expected to be bigger and better than what came before, andMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Passmade it a difficult game to follow. to compete,Mario Kart 9is going to need an impressive slate of features of its own. That could mean some entirely new mechanics, bringing back some underrated favorites, or even bringing in more non-MarioNintendo characters, now that Link and the Inklings have proven that as a viable option for the series going forward.
It feels likeMario Karthas hit a peak, which is a double-edged sword when one realizes thatMario Kart 9now has a massive hurdle that it needs to clear upon release.Mario Kart 9will need to experimentin order to keep up with its predecessors, because after the last game was so huge, it will automatically be compared to it no matter what. Even from the start, it will need to do something revolutionary to avoid disappointing by comparison. At this point in the series,Mario Kart 9doesn’t have to be good; it needs to be amazing.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxeis available now for Nintendo Switch.
MORE:The Final Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Pack Should Include One Mechanic From a Previous Installment
