Mario Kart 9's Player Count Change Should Only Be the Tip…

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is right around the corner, and while the console and its shiny new features are bound to be the focus of the event, fans are hoping they'll also get a better look at the games it'll be launching with. There have been no official confirmations just yet, but if the Switch 2's reveal trailer was any indication, it seems like a new Mario Kart is on the way.

Based on just the few seconds of gameplay footage shown during the first Nintendo Switch 2 trailer, it seems like the new Mario Kart could be making a big change in terms of player-count. Eagle-eyed fans spotted 24 places on the track's starting grid in the trailer, and many believe that means 24-player races are coming to Mario Kart 9. But while 24-player races could be a great addition to the franchise formula, Mario Kart 9 shouldn't call it a day there.

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By Justin Skiles

Mario Kart 9 Needs to Go Big or Go Home

Mario Kart 9's Rumored Player-Count Change Might Not Be Enough

24-player races have never been done before in the Mario Kart franchise, and on paper, that feature would suggest that the next entry is going to be bigger than any before it. But bigger doesn't always necessarily mean better, and simply having more players on the track wouldn't inherently change the Mario Kart gameplay formula all that much.

Though Nintendo hasn't confirmed it yet, Mario Kart 9 seems very likely to be a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. If that's the case, then it needs to be a big step-up for the franchise, not just to show how the Mario Kart series is evolving, but how Nintendo's next console is evolving as well. Mario Kart 9 needs to be a showcase of the Switch 2's improved hardware, and it needs to give Nintendo fans a reason to take the leap and upgrade. It seems unlikely that 24-player races will be the thing to achieve that.

Other Groundbreaking Features Mario Kart 9 Could Add

Alongside 24-player races, Mario Kart 9 needs to add a handful of other features that significantly impact the series' gameplay in a positive and genuinely worthwhile way. For instance, Mario Kart 9 could follow on from Mario Kart 7's footsteps and introduce more in-depth kart customization options that go beyond simply swapping out the chassis, wheels, and glider. These deeper kart customization mechanics could add a lot more strategy to Mario Kart's competitive gameplay.

Another potential feature could be some sort of track-altering mechanics. It's already been rumored that Mario Kart 9 will feature larger and more open tracks to accommodate its 24-player lobbies, but players should also be given the opportunity to change the layouts of those tracks. For example, players in the lead could be given the option to manually choose the obstacles on a piece of track up ahead by driving into a switch on the road. This would ensure that no two races are ever the same, which could be a big deal for an already highly replayable series like Mario Kart.

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