Nintendo's iconic racing franchise has been zooming into the hearts of gamers and pop culture as a whole since its debut in the early '90s on the Super Nintendo. From more hardcore online tournaments to casual entertainment at parties, Mario Kart is among Nintendo's most popular IPs, with each new release in the series becoming synonymous with the system it launched for. Yet, as the years go on, Nintendo's latest console awaits a brand new Mario Kart title to call its own.
The Wii U unfortunately underperformed sales wise, so many games have found a second life on the Nintendo Switch, as seen with Mario Kart 8: Deluxe. However, since that was already a pre-existing game simply ported to a newer system, many fans grow eager for the Switch to receive its own proper entry with Mario Kart 9 (which is not confirmed at this time). While obvious enhancements and additions to graphics, game modes and the race tracks themselves are to be expected, the inclusion of a full featured story mode in a potential Mario Kart 9 would be a welcome addition to the series for a variety of reasons.
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While some players may initially scoff at the concept of a dedicated story mode for a genre of game typically associated with simple fun and multiplayer experiences, it would not be as uncommon as expected. Many other mascots in the world of gaming have tackled the racing genre, with a single-player focused adventure mode to boot. Fellow Nintendo hero Diddy Kong rushed onto the Nintendo 64 with Rare's Diddy Kong Racing, which is still considered among the best N64 racing games by many fans of the system. The game did feature the expected racing modes, but the story was more robust than expected, with a colorful cast of characters, fully explorable levels in between races and a hefty amount challenge.
Even in these more multiplayer focused titles, single player modes serve the purpose of both investing a player into the game's world as well as assisting to teach the mechanics and rules at a natural, interesting pace. The Mario Kart series in the past has always featured an arcade mode, which is the closest thing to pass for this kind of feature, but it is not quite on the same level. Recent releases from Nintendo themselves understand this concept, with Mario Tennis Aces and the upcoming Mario Golf: Super Rush featuring a single-player campaign. If these titles can received that treatment, then surely one of Nintendo's most popular series can include a mode like this as well.
The importance of a single player mode in racing games is more important than just beefing up the content available, but also creates an engaging opportunity for gamers playing alone to scratch that racing itch. Although developed with multiplayer in mind, there may be times when a player may not have friends around, or wi-fi connection readily available (especially considering the portable nature of the Nintendo Switch). Single player gaming is alive and well, so its important to supply a game mode that is entertaining in its own right, that does not rely on having to always play with others.
This is of course not to demean the mechanics themselves in the Mario Kart series, as it is incredibly satisfying and ranks among the best racing games of all time. While it is always fun to rush through tracks in quick matches, a story mode would provide racing with a purpose. The player could become invested in the single player narrative, no matter how simple or goofy it may be, with new motivation to dash to the finish line. Furthermore, an adventure mode could be the means to unlock new characters, karts and tracks, adding even more incentive for players to enjoy the game with or without the inclusion of others.
To return to comparing Mario Kart to other Nintendo contemporaries, while Super Smash Bros Ultimate is primarily a social gaming experience as well, the announcement trailer for 'World of Light' , its own dedicated adventure mode, sent fans into a frenzy of anticipation. While the previous release on the Wii U didn't include such a mode and arguably felt like more of the same, 'World of Light' harkened back to 'The Subspace Emissary' mode in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, something which proved to be a fan favorite amongst the community.
Whether Nintendo makes the creative decision to include an adventure mode in Mario Kart 9 or not, interest in the series is not slowing down any time soon. Fans were hotly anticipating any kind of updates for Mario Kart during the recent February Nintendo Direct, but ultimately nothing was revealed. Considering its undying popularity and sales numbers, the next game is sure to race onto the scene eventually, and when it does, hopefully Nintendo has big things in store for players.
Mario Kart 9 is not confirmed to be in development.