After who knows how many years of waiting, Nintendo has finally unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2 — promising it’ll go on sale later this year. There are still a lot of things we don’t know, like pricing or an exact release date. But Nintendo might have sneakily revealed one of the games we might see at launch — a brand new Mario Kart.
It makes perfect sense that a new Mario Kart game would be on the way. We haven’t had a new entry in the series since the release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. That game was released in 2017 as a Switch 1 launch title, which means we are well overdue as follow-up. Especially when you remember that Mario Kart 8’s first incarnation was released in 2014 for Wii U.
The Switch 2 announcement trailer reveals a familiar shot of Mario and his friends blasting down an unfamiliar track. I don’t recall Yoshi ever owning a diner, even in the background, and the race itself seems to have a whopping 24 racers. Which suggests this is something new. I am hoping that this means we’re about to get Mario Kart 9, rather than another Mario Kart 8 remaster.
I love Mario Kart 8, it’s a fantastically fun game to play even if you suck at the 200cc courses like I do. But considering how many Switch bundles come with a copy of the game, it makes very little sense for Nintendo to re-release it in a slightly different form. It’s time for something brand new, while still offering that classic Mario Kart familiarity.
It’s time for something brand new, while still offering that classic Mario Kart familiarity.
Plus I think I saw a brief shot of the infamous Luigi death glare, which pleases me immensely. Sadly I couldn’t spot any new characters, though that would be a tall order considering the sheer number of options already available in Mario Kart 8.
I’m still very excited about the Nintendo Switch 2, and the fact that we may be getting a brand new Mario Kart game at launch is only amplifying that. Let’s just hope that the rest of the launch line-up is equally as exciting. Personally I still have my fingers crossed for Metroid Prime 4 to finally make an appearance.
Today is just a teaser, though and there’s still a lot we don’t know about the Switch 2 and this new Mario Kart. Tom's Guide has reached out to Nintendo for comment, and will update when we hear back.
At the very least we should hear more about all of that, and the rest of the launch game line-up at Nintendo Direct on April 2.
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