The next Mario Kart game is looking to be a big release for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. First teased at the announcement of Nintendo’s new console, this new Mario Kart title will serve as the first wholly new game in the franchise since 2014’s Mario Kart 8. Considering that title’s success – especially when it received its Nintendo Switch re-release Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – the next title will surely be a major system seller for Nintendo’s next-generation system.
As the next Mario Kart game has only been teased, gamers are still patiently waiting to hear more about the game’s new features and content. So far, the only noteworthy feature teased is an increase to 24-player races, as opposed to the usual 12-player races. The new game could do itself wonders if it builds on one of Mario Kart 8’s biggest elements: its crossover appearances.
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Mario Kart 9 Should Continue Its Nintendo Crossovers
Animal Crossing Should Have A Presence In Mario Kart 9
The upcoming Mario Kart game should build on Mario Kart 8’s Animal Crossing crossover elements this time around. Mario Kart 8 was the first mainline Mario Kart game to feature noteworthy crossovers with other Nintendo IPs, both in the form of new courses and new playable characters. This game featured elements from franchises like The Legend of Zelda, F-Zero, and Excitebike, while the Deluxe re-release even added characters from Splatoon.
Animal Crossing was not left out of the race, either, as the original Wii U version’s second downloadable content pack included content based on the franchise. This set of DLC included an Animal Crossing-based course and also added playable characters in the form of a Villager and Isabelle. If the ninth Mario Kart game chooses to continue adding crossovers with other Nintendo franchises, there’s plenty of reason to keep adding Animal Crossing content.
New Horizons Gives Mario Kart More Animal Crossing Content To Work With
In the long time gap since Mario Kart 8’s release (and re-release), the Animal Crossing franchise has gotten a new game in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The 2020 Nintendo Switch game was a smash hit for Nintendo, serving as the second-highest-selling game on the platform, only behind Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The release of New Horizons means that the next Mario Kart game has more to work with than before, and its incredible popularity gives Nintendo some extra impetus to expand on its previous crossover elements.
Even if the game doesn’t add content from New Horizons specifically, there’s room to add another playable character or two from the Animal Crossing franchise. While Villager and Isabelle are great picks in and of themselves, the popularity of characters like Tom Nook and K.K. Slider would make them worthy additions to the next Mario Kart game. If Nintendo wants to expand Mario Kart’s content to make room for further Nintendo characters, Animal Crossing seems like one of the first franchises to benefit from a roster expansion.
The release of New Horizons means that the next Mario Kart game has more to work with than before, and its incredible popularity gives Nintendo some extra impetus to expand on its previous crossover elements.
Mario Kart 9 Could Help Cross-Promote The Next Animal Crossing Game
Adding more Animal Crossing content to the next Mario Kart game could also serve as a great cross-promotional opportunity for the next Animal Crossing game on the Switch 2. Given the popularity of New Horizons, it’s reasonable to assume that Nintendo could be hard at work on the next Animal Crossing title right now, perhaps even planning to have it ready to go close to the Switch 2’s launch. Thus, if the two games are released close enough to each other, a Mario Kart crossover could be a great opportunity to get fans excited for the next Animal Crossing game.
Mario Kart 8 shows that Nintendo is willing to expand its rosters and stages to accommodate other Nintendo franchises without explicitly calling the game Nintendo Kart. With the next Mario Kart game on the way, Nintendo has a great opportunity to expand on the crossover elements and give other Nintendo franchises some shine. If that crossover content is to continue on the Switch 2, Animal Crossing should absolutely be one of the biggest franchises to receive increased representation in Nintendo’s iconic kart racer.
- Released
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April 27, 2017
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e
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo