Every Mario Kart entry has tried to evolve the franchise's formula in one way or another. This constant strive for evolution has led to Mario Kart having more than its fair share of gimmicks, from Mario Kart: Double Dash's dual racers, to Mario Kart Wii's introduction of bikes, to Mario Kart 7's gliders and underwater sections, to Mario Kart 8's anti-gravity. And now, all eyes are on the newly announced Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart title, and what gimmick it could potentially introduce to the franchise.

The most common rumors following Switch 2's Mario Kart reveal theorize that the new entry will bring 24-player races to the table, alongside much larger, more open-ended tracks. Some theories even suggest that players might be able to transform tracks on the fly using item pick-ups. If the next Mario Kart does dabble in track editing, then it might want to look to two long-forgotten PlayStation kart racers for inspiration.

Smash Bros Ultimate Mario Kart Crossovers
Nintendo Switch 2's Mario Kart Game Shouldn't Be Afraid to Open One Pandora's Box

Nintendo Switch 2 seems to be launching alongside a new Mario Kart, and to make it the biggest entry to date, it may want to open one Pandora's Box.

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Switch 2's Mario Kart Should Follow in LittleBigPlanet Karting and ModNation Racers' Footsteps

The Next Mario Kart Should Carry Over ModNation Racers and LBP Karting's Character and Kart Customization

The last few Mario Kart entries have dipped their toes in the waters of character and kart customization. The most recent entry in the franchise, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, allows players to choose from an assortment of different colors for a handful of characters, such as Shy Guy and Yoshi, and in the original Wii U version of the game, players could race as their custom Mii.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also allows players to customize three components of their kart, those being its wheels, chassis, and glider. Along with visual changes, these customizable components affect the kart's performance, such as an ATV chassis increasing the kart's weight and traction and reducing its acceleration and handling.

It'd be great to see the next Mario Kart entry take its character and kart customization to the next level, and it could learn a thing or two from ModNation Racers and LittleBigPlanet Karting, two PlayStation kart racers released two years apart by the same developers, United Front Games and San Diego Studio.

Both PlayStation kart racers put a strong emphasis on user-created content, and that all begins with the player customizing their driver and kart. In both ModNation Racers and LittleBigPlanet Karting, players start with a blank Mod or Sackboy. They can then customize their driver with a plethora of skins, clothing, colors, facial features, and more. Each individual component can also be customized and adjusted, such as increasing the size of a driver's eyes or mouth, or changing the color of their clothing.

Players then move on to creating and customizing their kart. Much like character customization, these games let players choose from a vast number of separate components that can each be customized individually, including components for both the exterior and interior of the vehicle.

While a big part of Mario Kart's appeal is that players control beloved Super Mario characters, it'd be great to see some level of character customization in the next entry, and an even greater level of vehicle customization.

ModNation Racers and LBP Karting's Track Editor Should Come to The Next Mario Kart

But the real meat and potatoes of ModNation Racers and LittleBigPlanet Karting was the two games' track editor. Even more expansive than their character and kart customization features, these editors let players create their own racetracks from scratch, striking a good balance of being accessible while also offering enough complexity for players to forge truly unique creations.

Players began by simply driving freely around the sandbox, "painting" the track beneath them along the way. Players could then add scenery, change the track's terrain, and even select a song to be played during the race. While the next Mario Kart should still ship with plenty of Nintendo-made tracks, a track editor is something on many fans' wish lists, and it could mark a big step forward for the franchise.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Tag Page Cover Art

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
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Racing
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Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
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Released
April 27, 2017
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
Unreal Engine 4
Franchise
Mario Kart
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WHERE TO PLAY

PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Burn rubber across Mushroom Kingdom raceways—underwater, in the sky, upside-down in zero-g, and past the finish—for the win! Get revved up for local multiplayer, online in-game tournaments, a revamped battle mode, and more!

Stay fresh in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game by playing as guest characters Inkling Girl and Inkling Boy! You can use their Splatoon inspired karts on their battle mode stage, Urchin Underpass. There are also returning items, like Boo, the item-stealing ghost, and the Feather, used exclusively in battle mode. Veterans rejoice—you can hold two items at once! Prove you’re the world’s best racer and battler in online tournaments, or simply race and battle friends online. With many control options and handheld mode, there’s always a way to play on the Nintendo Switch system!

Platform(s)
Switch
Genre(s)
Racing
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty