So without further ado, let’s take a closer look at Mario Kart 9 and see what’s going on, shall we?
Room for more..?
To start off, we can see the karts racing past the starting line, but what’s this…? It looks like there are a total of 24 spaces behind the starting line itself (and there are definitely more than the usual 12 racers featured in the footage). Could this mean there’s room for 24 players in each race, or is this merely a cosmetic choice?
Our instincts tell us that we’re looking at a 24-player Mario Kart game, which frankly would be absolutely amazing. Will we get a mode akin to an F-Zero 99, but just with 24 karts? We’d love to see it.
Mario Bros. Circuit
Here’s a pretty straightforward one, but yes, the track we’re seeing in the trailer is the Mario Bros. Circuit. Chances are this will be one of the earlier tracks in the game, with the likes of Rainbow Road and whatnot showing up later.
‘Mario Motors’ is back
As the karts are tearing across the track, we can see sponsor signs for companies such as ‘Luigi Tires’ and ‘Mario Motors’, the latter of which has been seen in multiple entries in the Mario Kart franchise.
The title is also used for the Mario Kart merchandise store in Super Nintendo World, and a Mario Motors game was also supposedly planned for the DS as a spin-off of Mario Kart.
Sticking with Mario Motors for a second, take a closer look at that font for a moment. Recognise it? No? We don’t blame you, because this is a pretty deep cut — and we have Ryan Lambie on Bluesky to thank for this!
The font used on the Mario Motors sign is the same font used on Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally a 1988 Famicom Disk System racing game. A very cute nod that acknowledges Nintendo’s history in the best possible way.
Donkey Kong’s Redesign
Donkey Kong sported a minor redesign in the Super Mario Bros. Movie that was supposedly meant to serve as a throwback to the character’s early days. This redesign looks to have made its way to Mario Kart 9, with DK looking decidedly more ‘goofy’ than what we’re perhaps used to.
