I am a huge fan ofMario Kart, so you may imagine my delight when I sawMario Kart Worldpop up during the Switch 2 Direct. While my feelings about the Direct are no secret - I was not a fan, for those unaware - I did genuinely love seeingMario Kart, and it is an easy purchase to make, despite the ludicrous $80 price tag. However, as much as I did enjoy theMK Worldreveal, there was something about it that didn’t sit quite right with me and has since squashed much of my hype for it.
It does look like Mario Kart World has a lot of great qualities, from its impressive roster to itsnew and familiar tracks, all of which are gorgeously detailed. Yet, while they all shined bright in the trailer, the game’s central gimmick, its open-world, proved to be a sticking point for me. This is largely because, thanks to the many hours I’ve sunk intoMario Kart 8 Deluxe, I’ve grown accustomed to what the series should be. While I’m very open to innovation,an open world, in my opinion, is not the direction the series should be taking.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Is The Perfect Mario Kart Game
It Has The Perfect Balance Of New And Old Tracks
There’s a good reason that I’ve put well over 500 hours intoMario Kart 8 Deluxe. It is easily the bestMario Kartgame of all time, and that was the case long before it got itsmuch-anticipated transformative DLC. It perfectly balances its central gimmick with a series of well-designed courses that never get old. This is propped up by an extensive roster of racers - which was further fleshed out through the aforementioned DLC - and an impressive level of car customization that makes a noticeable difference to how you play.
I’ve Changed My Mind, Mario Kart World Cutting One Iconic Feature Is A Great Choice
Players can no longer customize karts in the next Mario Kart game, but since kart modification was redundant, removing this feature is the best move.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxeis so good that evenNintendo thinks it’s the bestMario Kart. It is a compelling game, and continues to be eight-years later - discounting the many years it was available on Wii U, albeit in a truncated form.The game’s longevity comes from its well-honed mechanics and plethora of content, all of which innovated upon the series' foundations and ultimately perfected the formula. So, one can imagine how Nintendo was finding it somewhat challenging to trump arguably one of the best Switch games of all time - it is certainly thebest-selling Switch gameof all time.
Mario Kart World’s Open World Is Redundant
It Adds Nothing To The Experience
Of course, Nintendo’s answer to the impossible question was to slap anopen world intoMario Kart. It’s something that fans have theorized could have come eventually, especially as Nintendo’s other major franchises - namelyThe Legend of ZeldaandPokémon- have both gone in this direction. However,while it worked for bothZeldaandPokémon, two series devoted to their sense of adventure and discovery, it absolutely does not work for Mario Kart. That’s because, asMario Kart 8 Deluxeproves, this is a series designed to be played in a linear fashion.
The joy ofMario Kartcomes from its sense of linear progression. It does this in a literal sense, with players clearing each race and cup in sequential order, followed by increasingly challenging CCs, as well as in a more abstract way by having players slowly rise through the ranks as they compete with family, friends, or even the AI. These two means coalesce through the Grand Prix mode, which gives players a limited number of races to compete in interspersed with very brief breaks through which to recompose oneself.
The Switch 2 Direct Was Incredibly Disappointing For One Major Reason
The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct should have been a slam-dunk, but Nintendo absolutely fumbled it all thanks to one crucial mistake it made.
Introducing an open world is entirely antithetical to that entire formula, as it elongates the time between races, something that both detracts from that sense of linear progression and kills any sense of competition. Of course, the original method of playingMario Kartis still available, but the inclusion of an open world - one that Nintendo has yet to fully explain the point of beyond merely being home to coins and the occasional collectible - nevertheless took away resources from the creation of a more content-richMario Kartexperience.
Mario Kart World Should Have Copied Super Smash Ultimate
It Could Have Been The Ultimate Experience
Rather than an open-worldMario Kartgame,Nintendo should have aimed for an experience akin to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It very much felt likeMario Kart 8 Deluxe’sDLC was pushing for that type of experience, as it doubled the game’s number of tracks and added even more characters. However, with a new entry, Nintendo could have improved the visuals, added additional characters, maps, and enhanced the overall experience, much like it did withSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. It certainly would have helped justifyMK World’sridiculous $80 cost.
With over 100 tracks - the 96 fromMario Kart 8 Deluxein addition to any new ones - dozens of unique characters, and potentially even a new mechanic, such as the rail grinding seen inMK World, it could have been the perfectMario Kartgame.
Mario Kart Ultimate, as it surely would have been called, could have brought in more racers from across Nintendo’s vast library of games, as well as third-party characters. We could have gotten tracks fromFire Emblem,Xenoblade Chronicles,Kirby, and many more, in addition tonew Switch 2 exclusiveswe’re yet to hear about. With over 100 tracks - the 96 fromMario Kart 8 Deluxein addition to any new ones - dozens of unique characters, and potentially even a new mechanic, such as the rail grinding seen inMK World, it could have been the perfectMario Kartgame.
Mario Kart World Will Still Appeal To Lots Of People
Racing Around An Open World With Friends Is Still Fun
However, as much as I do believe thatMario Kart Worldgoes against the very tenants established by the very firstMario Kartgame and perfected byMario Kart 8 Deluxe,it still looks like a very fun experience. Once the Nintendo Direct finished, I found myself getting angry, something I rarely do. This anger came from a place of frustration, one brought about by a recent spate of feeling like I have to be negative about everything. So, I reevaluated what I was angry about and concluded that this open-world gimmick would have been perfect over a decade ago.
I can very easily imagine driving aroundMario Kart World’shuge open world as a child with my siblings, trying to uncover secrets or finding cool locations and roleplaying there. It’s basically all we did as kids inTony Hawk’s American Wasteland. I can’t do that now, as I don’t see them often, and I don’t have kids of my own to share that experience with.Driving around alone, or even with friends at my age, inMario Kart Worldwon’t elicit that same level of childlike wonder and joy, but would, I suspect, feel somewhat silly and aimless.
Mario Kart World Isn’t The Switch 2 Exclusive I’m Most Excited For
Mario Kart World looks fun, but it’s not what I’m most excited for on the Nintendo Switch 2. Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment has my heart.
When I realized that, I began to appreciate the manysmall improvementsMK Worldmakesand how much joy that experience will bring to others. Sure, I’d have preferred a content-rich ultimateMario Kartexperience, but that’s because there’s little I can get fromWorld’sopen world. However, for kids, those with kids, or those who can still roleplay with their friends, it could be a lot of fun. I’m gladMario Kart Worldis open world for those who want it, even if, after playing 500 hours ofMario Kart 8 Deluxe, I personally feel it is unnecessary.
