Mario Kart 9 might be the perfect launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2 if it can live up to the expectations that players have for it. After the stellar DLC for Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart 9 needs to double down on its crossover content, and the Zelda series offers the perfect opportunity.
Mario Kart has become a staple of Nintendo consoles, with most new hardware from the company receiving its own new version of the fan-favorite series. The Nintendo Switch, however, is one exception to this rule, instead only getting a port of Mario Kart 8 with additional content. Perhaps this is what has players so excited about Mario Kart 9, which is confirmed as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. Another thing that has Nintendo fans talking, though, is the prospect of more crossover content in Mario Kart 9, similar to what was delivered in Mario Kart 8’s DLC. By including content from franchises like Animal Crossing, F-Zero, and Splatoon, Nintendo may have opened a Pandora’s box, as fans are now hoping for even more crossovers in the next game. If this is the route that the company plans on taking, The Legend of Zelda’s Tears of the Kingdom might be the perfect source of new content.
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Tears of the Kingdom Should be Front and Center in Mario Kart 9
While the Zelda series has always been one of Nintendo’s most popular, it’s safe to say that Breath of the Wild, and, by extension, Tears of the Kingdom, skyrocketed the franchise to the greatest heights yet. As two of the highest-selling games on the Switch, no game has earned a spot in Mario Kart 9’s crossovers like they have. Tears of the Kingdom even provided the perfect basis for karting add-ons. Using the Ultrahand to create vehicles is one of the most popular and important side activities in the game. The Zonai wheels, batteries, fans, and other devices could create a stunning go-kart for Link or Zelda in Mario Kart 9.
Tears of the Kingdom also took the landscape of Hyrule to new heights, and new depths, as well, ensuring that a Zelda-themed track could have some excellent scenery. Inspiration for racetracks could come from anywhere, but Tears of the Kingdom’s Hyrule has some particular standouts. One side quest sees Link plan a race for Lurelin Village, and one from Breath of the Wild sees him racing sand seals in the Gerudo Desert. But by far the most interesting location in Tears of the Kingdom is the depths. With so many quests in the depths of Hyrule, a racetrack would fit right in among the corrupted landscape.
Mario Kart Crossovers Should be Here to Stay
If Tears of the Kingdom isn’t inspiration enough, other Nintendo franchises are deserving of inclusion as well. Nintendo could use Mario Kart 9 to celebrate the Switch’s legacy, including crossovers of the best-selling games of the last generation as well as hyping players up for their next installments. Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Metroid Prime 4, and Splatoon 3 could all inspire excellent karts, tracks, and battlefields for Mario and friends to visit.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe included:
- Link, Animal Crossing Villagers, Isabelle, and Inklings as playable racers
- Hyrule Circuit, Excitebike Arena, Mute City and Big Blue from F-Zero, and Animal Crossing as racetracks
- Splatoon’s Urchin Underpass as a battle arena
- Karts for most of the included properties
It seems that the Mario Kart series might become a celebration of Nintendo in the same vein as the Super Smash Bros. games. With new characters likely on the way in Mario Kart 9, it’s even possible that Nintendo franchises that haven’t been in Mario Kart before could make an appearance. The likes of Kirby, Star Fox, and Metroid could find new appreciation on the racetrack just like they have on the battlefield. Although no crossovers have been confirmed for Mario Kart 9, fans are hopeful that the upcoming game will deliver on the promise of its potential.
- Released
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April 27, 2017
- ESRB
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e
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo