Nintendo has big plans for Mario Kart 9. For starters, it was the only game shown as part of the Switch 2 reveal trailer, meaning we can expect it to serve as a launch title for the new console later this month. year. While we only saw a few seconds of footage emblazoned on the new screen during the cutscene, it was enough to learn that MK9 will have a different aesthetic than anything we've seen before in the series, a higher player count, and a broader player base . , a more ambitious world for players to explore that might just hint at an unexpected evolution.
Donkey Kong looks different. There are gas canisters on the side of the karts which might hint at a new gameplay mechanic, and Yoshi has a hamburger-shaped diner. It's going to be very interesting and part of me hopes that Nintendo will do their best to create a Mario Kart experience like never before. In fact, I hope it's open world.
Mario Kart 9 needs an open world campaign mode
At first glance, this suggestion might seem ridiculous. Aside from the occasional battle mode or experimental releases from previous titles, Mario Kart has always remained true to its beloved blend of Grand Prix tournaments and local multiplayer that help make the wonderful combination of driving and drifting stand out even more. Playing with this format is dangerous and risks diluting a formula that has remained intact for decades, with the exception of some gimmicks such as zero gravity or the inclusion of two characters in a single kart.
I also have questions about the roster. Whether the 24-player races are actually true, we'll see Very of characters, old and new, joining the ranks.
But I think it's time for a change and for Nintendo to push the Mario Kart experience into places it should never have occupied. I want the series to become a complete Forza Horizon by offering you an open world to explore filled with missions to complete, races to win, trophies to earn, and characters to meet, both new and familiar.
Mario Kart already lets you customize karts and choose from a large list of characters, so what's stopping us from choosing one and embarking on our journey through the Mushroom Kingdom? Or Motorway Kingdom, as I've creatively conjured up in my head. Even putting Forza Horizon aside, there are other titles like Lego 2K Drive that have brought open world karting to great success.
And it can learn from Forza Horizon and Lego 2K Drive
Few people played or cared about Lego 2K Drive, but I admired the way it brought the mechanics of the kart racing series and the humorous charm of building bricks through multiple different biomes that all told their own stories with a list of unique characters. New gameplay ideas were showcased with each new world you explored.
There's nothing stopping Mario Kart 9 from letting us loose in vast regions or even taking a level-based approach with tracks and zones, rewarding us for progress. There's so much potential here if Nintendo is willing to take some risks, and considering that over the past decade we've had two relatively safe releases of Mario Kart 8 and nothing else, I think it's time to push the boat (or the kart ) out.
How diverse this open world will be will depend on how much Mario Kart 9 intends to incorporate other Nintendo properties into the experience. We can expect many of the usual suspects, like Mario,
Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Daisy and many more, but there's also the possibility of Zelda, Animal Crossing and Splatoon drivers if the latest game is any indication.
Nintendo isn't afraid to let Mario Kart go the way of Super Smash Bros. if it means creating a more fun and diverse game at the end of it all. I hope this is the case, as it will make my dream concept of an open world full of Nintendo freebies and oodles of things to do a lot more fun.
It's time for a change, and what better way to usher in a new generation of consoles than to dare to push Mario Kart to levels once thought unimaginable.

Nintendo Switch2
Nintendo Switch 2 is the successor to the Nintendo Switch, scheduled for release in 2025. Confirmed as backwards compatible, it will play both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. A full reveal is scheduled for April 2, 2025.