After what feels like an eternity of waiting, the Nintendo Switch 2 has officially been revealed. Clocking in at just over two minutes, the Nintendo Switch 2's reveal trailer did a decent job of showcasing some of the new features that distinguish the console from its predecessor. And in between shots of the shiny new console, its sleek dock, and its innovative magnetic Joy-Cons, Nintendo subtely teased the next Mario Kart entry.
Appearing on screen for less than 20 seconds in total, there's not too much fans can glean from Mario Kart 9's sudden, surprising reveal. Some new character designs can be glimpsed, and the trailer seemed to be teasing a more open-ended track layout. But some eagle-eyed fans think they might have spotted what could be a franchise-first feature coming in the sequel, and it could mean big things for the roster if proven true.
Nintendo hasn't offficially confirmed that this is the next Mario Kart entry, or that its official name will be Mario Kart 9.
Every Nintendo Switch 2 Change and New Feature Confirmed So Far
The Nintendo Switch 2 has undergone some major changes compared to the original, and some of these can be seen in its reveal trailer.
Mario Kart 9's Rumored Lobby Size Could Be Huge for Its Roster
Mario Kart 9 Is Rumored to Have 24-Player Races
Right at the beginning of the Mario Kart section of the Nintendo Switch 2 first look trailer (at around the 1:40 mark), fans can spot the familiar sight of some beloved Nintendo characters readying themselves at the starting line of a racetrack. But what's new here is that there are far more vehicle positions on the track than fans are used to seeing.
A total of 24 individual vehicle bays can be spotted in this opening shot, appearing as four rows of six diagonally-placed bays. While there aren't 24 racers on the track, and their karts don't seem to be lined up perfectly with the grids, some fans have theorized that this could mean that Mario Kart 9 will feature 24-player races. This would be a major step-up from Mario Kart 8, which featured a total of 12 racers, only 8 of which could be controlled by human players.
Towards the end of the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal trailer, a total of 14 karts can be seen racing at the same time. Mario, Bowser, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Princess Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, and Toad can all be seen clearly in the foreground of the frame, while Waluigi, Baby Luigi, and a few non-discernable racers can be seen in the background, lending credence to the 24-player theory.
24-Player Races Could Imply The Existence of a Big Day-One Roster for Mario Kart 9
If Mario Kart 9 does indeed feature 24-player races, then there's a chance that at least 24 different characters are on the roster at launch. While it's pure speculation at this point, it would make sense for Mario Kart 9 to include a large roster on day-one, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe setting some absurdly high expectations.
Upon its 2014 launch, Mario Kart 8 shipped with 29 characters, not including the customizable Mii racer. Future DLCs added a few more along with color variations of Yoshi and Shy Guy, eventually leading to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe shipping with 40 characters. And with the addition of the Booster Course Pass DLC, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's roster now sits at an impressive 48 individual characters.
It would be quite disappointing for Mario Kart 9 to launch with a significantly lower number of characters than fans are now used to. Of course, there's also a strong possibility that this footage isn't fully representative of the final product, which could render this whole discussion moot.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- April 27, 2017
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Mario Kart
WHERE TO PLAY
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
