Summary
WithMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s Booster Course Pass now fully available, many fans are turning their attention to the future of the series and a potentialMario Kart 9. Given the overwhelming success ofMario Kart 8 Deluxeon the Switch, it seems likely that Nintendo is gearing up to have a sequel ready when the successor to the Switch launches. While it might seem like a massive undertaking for aMario Kart 9to top all the content packed intoMario Kart 8 Deluxe, the game could set a new standard for the franchise by incorporating a core element from one forgotten Nintendo franchise.
TheBooster Course Passadded a ton of content to refreshMario Kart 8 Deluxe, including 48 new tracks and eight new playable characters. Between the 96 total tracks, 48 total characters, and the creative zero-gravity mechanic,Mario Kart 9has its work cut out in trying to improve upon what many fans would consider the definitiveMario Kartexperience. In order to topMario Kart 8 Deluxe,Mario Kart 9could pull out all the stops and include a new mode based on theF-Zerofranchise to create the ultimate Nintendo racing experience on the company’s next console.
Mario Kart 9 Should Take a Page Out of F-Zero’s Book
One of the Nintendo series most highly requested to get a new entry isF-Zero, the high-octane racing franchise that has gained notoriety from the inclusion of Captain Falcon in theSuper Smash Bros. series.F-Zerofans have been very vocal about wanting to see a revival of the franchise, and this desire was only amplified by the inclusion ofF-Zerotracks inMario Kart 8 Deluxeand therelease ofF-Zero 99. Although it seems unlikely that a new mainlineF-Zerogame will be released anytime soon, Nintendo could appeal to fans of the franchise by including more of its core elements in a futureMario Kartgame.
F-Zerowas historically the more hardcore racing game compared toMario Kart’s casual kart-racing gameplay, butMario Karthas developed a hardcore fanbase over the years in the absence of newF-Zerotitles. As such,Mario Kart 9could end up being the best of both worlds by including features of theF-Zeroseries alongside the classic casual gameplay fans expect. There is already a precedent forF-Zerocontent inMario Kart, and Nintendo could further solidify the connection between these two series by doubling down onclassicF-Zerofeatures inMario Kart 9.
Mario Kart 9 Can Build Upon the F-Zero References in MK8
Some of the toughest challenges inMario Kart 8 Deluxecome from its 200cc mode, requiring players to navigate courses at the highest speeds available in the game. However, these speeds still don’t compare to those of theF-Zerofranchise, potentially setting upMario Kart 9to include a mode that goes beyond 200cc and plays more likeF-Zero. While these types of high-speed races would be a great challenge for seasoned players, they would likely need to be distinguished from the rest ofMario Kart 9given how differentF-Zero’s races feel compared to the standardMario Kartones.
For this type of mode to work,Mario Kart 9would need to design entirely separate tracks specifically for it, potentially building on theF-Zerotracks like Big Blue and Mute Cityalready inMario Kart 8 Deluxe. With the type of speeds players reach inF-Zerogames, most of its tracks are designed to be easily navigated at those speeds, avoiding the inclusion of hazards like the cows in Moo Moo Meadows or the Thwomps in Thwomp Ruins. PerhapsMario Kart 9could have a variant of each standard track designed to be played in thisF-Zero-style mode that removes some of the track hazards and streamlines them to work with the drastic speed increase of this mode.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
WHERE TO PLAY
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a racing game in the world-renowned racing game series. The game was released in 2017 for Nintendo Switch and was at the time the first Mario game on the platform. It is an improved version of the Wii U game Mario Kart 8. It comes with added characters and changes in Battle Mode.Burn rubber across Mushroom Kingdom raceways—underwater, in the sky, upside-down in zero-g, and past the finish—for the win! Get revved up for local multiplayer, online in-game tournaments, a revamped battle mode, and more!Stay fresh in the Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe game by playing as guest characters Inkling Girl and Inkling Boy! you’re able to use their Splatoon inspired karts on their battle mode stage, Urchin Underpass.There are also returning items, like Boo, the item-stealing ghost, and the Feather, used exclusively in battle mode. Veterans rejoice—you can hold two items at once! Prove you’re the world’s best racer and battler in online tournaments, or simply race and battle friends online. With many control options and handheld mode, there’s always a way to play on the Nintendo Switch™ system!
