While Nintendo fans are always looking forward to the next Direct, there’s a particular need for some announcements right now. Not only does the company need to provide some information about its confirmed 2022 games, but it also needs to address a series of recent leaks concerning a new installment in theMario Kartfranchise.Mario Kartfans have spent years waiting for a new entry in the franchise, so these rumors are welcome, but it’s up to Nintendo to confirm if there’s a game in the works.
Perhaps more importantly, Nintendo has to address rumors thatMario Kart 9will defy major aspects of the franchise formula. Leaks suggest the Switch’s nextMario Kartgame will focus on crossing over with other franchises rather thanspotlightingSuper Mariocharacters. That would be a major change, but it might not be so unbelievable. In recent years, Nintendo has seemed more willing to experiment with its IPs by overhauling or replacing conventions altogether. With that attitude in mind, it seems pretty likely thatMario Kart 9will try to be as fresh as possible for the sake ofMario Kart’s future.
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Nintendo’s Experimental Turn
Mario Kart 9’s leaked changes are interesting, but they’re a little hard to believe. Apparently,the game could be calledMario Kart Crossroads,and it’ll feature characters from franchises includingStar Fox, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Splatoon, F-ZERO,and more. PreviousMario Kartgames have had guest characters and courses based on other IPs, but a game heavily focused on bringing in other franchises sounds like a major change of pace with repercussions beyond the playable character select screen. A crossoverMario Kartgame might integrate other Nintendo IPs through new items, courses, and mini-games, resulting in a totally different experience.
Such systemic change toMario Kartwould be dramatic, but dramatic change might actually be the status quo for Nintendo nowadays.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis a famous departure fromZeldatradition, introducing a wide arsenal of weapons, new styles of dungeons, open-world exploration, and more. This year’sKirby and the Forgotten LandandPokemon Legends: Arceusare also highly experimental entries in their franchises, putting a greater emphasis on 3D worlds and freedom to explore.Mario Kartcould be the next franchise in line for a rework.
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Mario Kart’s Chance to Grow
Not all of Nintendo’s experiments in recent years have been perfect, but they’ve earned praise for their big ideas.Breath of the Wildwas lauded for its open world and other fresh mechanics, while the newly releasedPokemon Legends: Arceusoffers lots of good ideas likean overhaul of Pokedex completion requirements. As ideas like these pay off, Nintendo is incentivized to try new things.Mario Kart 9’s leaked concept sounds dramatic in a vacuum, but when taken in the context of Nintendo’s other works, it seems like a logical step forward.
It should be interesting to see how much of the leakedMario Kartcontent is real. More rumors indicate thatthe next Nintendo Direct will featureMario Kart,and that it should come out by the end of February, so hopefully Nintendo fans don’t have to wait much longer to seeMario Kart 9’s true form. Nintendo is known for its love of tradition and nostalgia, but recently it has also showed a great willingness to let its biggest IPs change for the better. That means there could be some truth inMario Kart’s leaks after all.
