With the highly anticipated new Mario Kart game on the horizon, fans are already rallying for changes, specifically, the removal of one controversial item, the Blooper. Nintendo has yet to confirm the official title for the game, leaving many wondering whether it will be called Mario Kart 9, Mario Kart X, or something else entirely.
Alongside the January 16 Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, Nintendo teased the next installment in the Mario Kart series. Unfortunately, the reveal was more of a brief teaser than a full-fledged announcement, offering only a few seconds of footage. While little was shown, fans quickly took note of a controversial redesign of Donkey Kong and a change to the number of racers. Despite knowing almost nothing about the game’s mechanics or features, expectations are already forming, and one of the biggest demands from fans is the removal of a frustrating, widely criticized item.
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The discussion was kickstarted on Reddit when user Crafty-Junket3609 took to the Mario Kart subreddit to ask which items should be removed from the next game. Unsurprisingly, the Blooper, Coins, and Piranha Plant emerged as the most unwanted power-ups. The Blooper ink attack, often regarded as one of the most useless items, obstructs vision but has little impact on experienced players. Reddit user EddieJay5 summed up the frustration, writing, “I’m sick of the f–king Blooper.” Some players have even jokingly suggested that Blooper would be better suited as a playable character rather than an item. While collecting Coins provides a minor speed boost, many players, especially those in first place, find them frustrating to receive instead of a more useful defensive item. Meanwhile, the Piranha Plant, despite being fun to use, is seen by many as too situational, making it one of the least effective items in competitive play.
What Mario Kart 9 Needs to Keep from Previous Games
Mario Kart fans have been waiting nearly eight years for a brand-new installment in the beloved kart-racing franchise. While 2017’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was an enhanced port of 2014’s Mario Kart 8, many are hoping that the new game on the Switch 2 will introduce fresh mechanics while also preserving what made Mario Kart 8 Deluxe so successful. One of the defining features of Mario Kart 8 was its antigravity mechanic, which allowed racers to drive on walls and upside-down on specific sections of the track. Initially viewed as a superficial gimmick, antigravity ended up being a game-changer, making courses feel dynamic and thrilling, almost like a high-speed roller coaster. Many fans believe this mechanic should return in the next game, especially if Nintendo plans to expand on it with new track designs and mechanics.
With Nintendo remaining tight-lipped about the upcoming Mario Kart title, it’s unclear whether any fan feedback will influence item selection in the final game. However, the discussion surrounding which power-ups should stay and which should go is already in full swing. As speculation continues to grow, one thing is certain: fans have high expectations for the next Mario Kart, and Nintendo will need to deliver a fresh, balanced experience to satisfy its dedicated player base.
