TheMario Kartfranchise has stalled somewhat. Its latest releases areMario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Switch port of a 2014 Wii U title;Mario Kart Tour, a divisive mobile gacha game that leans hard into microtransactions; andMario Kart Live: Home Circuit, an augmented reality game utilizing toys in real-world spaces.Mario Kart 9seems unlikely to release in the near future, as8 Deluxeis a sales juggernaut that will be rolling outracetracks via the Booster Course Pass through the end of 2023.
As interesting as experiments likeHome Circuitcan be, keeping to one mainline title across two console generations means there’s less innovation pushing the boundaries of what aMario Kartgame can be.Mario Kart 8’s anti-gravity mechanic led to unique course design, for example, and going back players will find7’s flying and underwater sections revolutionized its presentation as much as the dual racer karts inDouble Dash!!. One fondly remembered entry isMario Kart DS, which had a single-player Mission Mode, DS Download Play for local multiplayer, and firmly established “retro courses.” However, one element that futureMario Kartgames should pull from this handheld release is customizable emblems.
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Custom Karts in Mario Kart
While entries such asMario Kart: Double Dash!!let players choose between different vehicleswith unique stats for each character pairing, 2011’sMario Kart 7was the first to let players customize individual elements of each kart. There were 17 kart bodies, 10 tires, and seven gliders for the aforementioned flying sections to mix-and-match, and doing so subtly tweaked stats like acceleration. That system continues intoMario Kart 8andMario Kart Tour, though the latter requires players to pull parts from its ongoing gacha system.
Mario Kart DSdid not have anything similar to kart customization in 2005. However, while each character had a set vehicle, players could change its aesthetic through an emblem editor. This wasn’t a particularly complicated editor, it merely gave players a 32x32 pixel grid with some basic drawing tools: a filling paint bucket, eyedroppers to sample colors, stamps with pre-set shapes, and so on. Emblems were not only displayed on one’s kart, but also used while searching outgames over Wi-Fi.
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How Custom Emblems Could Inform Future Mario Kart Features
It makes sense why Nintendo has elected not to bring back custom emblems. If a modern system provided more drawing real estate and comprehensive online features, one can easily imagine bad words and hate symbols running rampant without proper moderation. There’s also potential branding issues that Nintendo is considering, as iconic emblems such as Mario’s red “M,” Princess Peach’s crown, or Bowser’s snarling stamp are used inMario Kart,Mario Party, sports games, and more, creating identifiers that custom emblems would erase.
Whether the next game in the series isMario Kart 9or not, now is the perfect time to implement custom aesthetic options like the emblems inDS. Games likeSplatoonhave shown how much time players will pour into drawing if given complete freedom, and that creativity even flourishes throughMiitopia’s2021 Switch port, which had an expansive Mii creatorthat could be emulated. Nintendo’s online game design leaves a lot to be desired, but adding more ways to stand out would undoubtedly appease fans.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxeis available now for Nintendo Switch.
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