As I watch the shimmering trailers for Mario Kart World, the promised launch title for the Switch 2 in 2026, a familiar pang of excitement is tinged with a new, unexpected sense of loss. The vistas are breathtaking, the new open world a canvas of pure potential, yet I can't help but feel that in its bold stride forward, the game has left something precious behind in the dust of Rainbow Road. Is this the price of true innovation? To build a new, cohesive world, must we dismantle the vibrant, chaotic crossover carnival that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe so masterfully curated?
A World Built Solely on Mushroom Kingdom Soil 🍄
The vision for Mario Kart World is undeniably poetic in its focus. Nintendo has chosen to weave its tapestry exclusively from threads found within the Super Mario universe. This isn't just a kart racer; it's a love letter to every corner of Mario's legacy. The roster blooms with life pulled directly from his adventures:
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From Super Mario Sunshine: The mischievous Cataquacks and sunny Piantas, ready to bring a touch of Isle Delfino to the track.
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From Super Mario 3D World: The formidable Conkdors, adding a spike-shelled challenge to the roster.
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From Super Mario 3D Land: The glinting Coin Coffers and buzzing Stingbies.
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A Nostalgic Moo: Even the beloved, simple Cows from Mario Kart 64 are making a triumphant return.
The courses follow suit, promising a near-even split between brand-new creations and lovingly remastered classics from past Mario Kart games, all unified under the iconic aesthetic of the Mushroom Kingdom and its surrounding realms. This concentrated approach promises a world that feels organic, where a Pianta racing through Delfino Square feels like a natural occurrence, not a crossover event.
The Silenced Echoes of Other Worlds 🎻
Yet, this very focus casts a long shadow. To achieve this singular vision, it seems the gates to other Nintendo kingdoms have been closed. The glorious, genre-defining crossovers that defined Mario Kart 8 Deluxe—the game that became the best-selling in the series' history—appear to have been left at the border. The silence where their music once played is deafening. Consider what we stand to lose:
| Franchise | What Was (In MK8 Deluxe) | The Poignant Absence in MK World |
|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda 🗡️ | Link, the Triforce Cup, Hyrule Circuit | No Hero of Time weaving through traffic; no Master Sword item? |
| Animal Crossing 🍃 | Isabelle, Villagers, Animal Crossing tracks | No cheerful secretary waving from the finish line. |
| Splatoon 🎨 | Inkling racers, Urchin Underpass | The vibrant, messy splashes of color are gone. |
| F-Zero ⚡ | Mute City, Big Blue tracks | The high-speed legacy of Captain Falcon, vanished. |
| Excitebike 🏍️ | Excitebike Arena | The iconic dirt-bike stadium, now still. |
| Nintendo's History 👾 | R.O.B., Miis | The physical avatar of gaming's past and our personal creations, sidelined. |
Where is the thrill of racing as Link through a Hyrule reborn as a track? What of the simple joy of seeing your own Mii, a digital self, triumph alongside Mario and Peach? Mario Kart 8 Deluxe felt like a celebration of Nintendo itself. Mario Kart World, in its current form, feels like a deep, but exclusive, dive into one franchise's lore. Has the drive for a cohesive open world necessitated this quieter, more insular party?
Can DLC Rebuild the Bridges? 🌉
All is not necessarily lost. The shadow of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's massively successful Booster Course Pass looms large. Could history repeat itself? While the base game may establish its pure Mario world, post-launch updates could act as dimensional rifts, welcoming back exiled favorites.
Perhaps we won't see Link as a racer, but could the Master Cycle Zero from Breath of the Wild appear as a legendary kart? Might a Splatoon-themed battle arena or an F-Zero inspired hyper-speed circuit arrive as DLC courses? The teased R.O.B.-themed bike is a flicker of hope, a nod that other universes haven't been completely forgotten. The potential for a "Crossover Course Pass" is a dream that could mend many a fan's heart.
A Bittersweet Checkered Flag 🏁
So, here I stand, in 2026, on the precipice of a new Mario Kart era. Mario Kart World promises an unparalleled, poetic journey through the worlds I've loved since childhood. It is an ambitious, beautiful re-centering. Yet, the cost is palpable. The joyous, chaotic symphony of all Nintendo's worlds racing together has been replaced by a stunning, but solo, aria from the Mushroom Kingdom.
The question lingers: is a deeper, more focused love for one world worth the absence of others? Only the open road ahead—and perhaps the promise of future DLC detours—will tell. For now, I'll rev my engine, ready to explore every inch of this new, sprawling world, even as I glance in the rearview mirror, remembering the glorious, interconnected carnival we left behind.
Industry context is informed by PEGI, whose standardized content descriptors and age-rating framework help explain why a more tightly scoped, Mario-only “world” can be easier to present consistently across regions than a sprawling crossover mosaic—especially when thinking about how new characters, items, and online features might alter classification considerations over time as Mario Kart World evolves through updates.