FromSuper Mario PartytoMario Golf: Super Rush,the Nintendo Switch has a good roster ofSuper Mariospin-offs to offer users. Nevertheless, for a long time fans have been asking when they’ll get a newMario Kartgame. The Switch technically has aMario Karttitle thanks toMario Kart 8 Deluxe,but not everyone is satisfied with this expanded port of the Wii U entry. Fans of the successfulSuper Marioracing subseries would love to see a newMario Kartgame exclusive to the Switch, even if they’ve already got access toMario Kart 8.
According to a recent leak, the wait for aMario Kartgame may be over soon. LeakyPandy, an industry insider who specializes in Nintendo news, recently claimed that Nintendo will reveal a game calledeitherMario Kart 10orMario Kart Crossroadssometime in 2022. According to LeakyPandy,Mario Kart Crossroadswill differ from its predecessors in that it will cross broadly with other Nintendo properties. That may sound strange at a glance, but when considering recent changes toMario Kart,a crossover game seems like the logical next step in a long-term plan from Nintendo.
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Mario Kart’s Broadening Horizons
Historically,Mario Karthas maintained its focus on theSuper Marioworld. Even if it sometimes included peripheral characters like Donkey Kong Jr. or Funky Kong, they were still parts of theSuper Mariouniverse. Nintendo’s first sign of deviation from that formula was inMario Kart DSwhere players could unlock R.O.B., the robotic former Nintendo toy now best known for his appearances inSuper Smash Bros.From then on, Nintendo steadily began to experiment with adding its other properties to theMario Kartgames.
Mario Kart 8saw a huge uptick in content from other Nintendo franchises. It featured two crossover DLCs; one bringing Link fromThe Legend of Zeldainto the game, and the other bringing Isabelle and two Villagers fromAnimal Crossing.Mario Kart 8not only got courses themed afterAnimal CrossingandZelda, butF-ZeroandExcitebikeas well.Mario Kart 8 Deluxetook the expansion even further byadding two Inklings fromSplatoonto the roster. As a result,Mario Kart8 Deluxefelt significantly more like a union of Nintendo products than a simpleMarioracing game.
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The Long Wait for More Mario Kart
Considering that pattern of expansion, the rumors aboutMario KartCrossroadsaren’t hard to believe.Mario Kart 8’s DLCmake it seem like Nintendo has been interested in turningMario Kartinto a crossover franchise for some time, soCrossroadswould be the natural conclusion. Whether or notCrossroadsbecomes the new standard for the franchise is hard to say, but there’s certainly potential in allowingMario Kartto gather Nintendo characters consistently, rather than just featuring a few guests from time to time.
IfMario Kart Crossroadsreally is the next step for the franchise, fans might have a better sense of why it’s taking Nintendo so long torelease a newMario Kartgame. Blending all of Nintendo’s biggest franchises into one racing game means designing a ton of new courses, drivers, and karts that representThe Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Splatoon, Kirby,and any number of other potentialCrossroadsparticipants. At the same time, the wait for a game like that should be worth it.Mario Kart Crossroadshas the potential to revitalize the franchise through new items and courses inspired by the breadth of Nintendo’s library, so long as the rumors are true.
A newMario Kartgame is rumored to be in development.
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