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Five details you may have missed in the Switch 2’s Mario Kart reveal

It looks like the new Mario Kart will support 24-player races on Switch 2, doubling Mario Kart 8.

Five details you may have missed in the Switch 2s Mario Kart reveal

Shop sim racing equipment

It’s finally official. After weeks of rumours and leaks, Nintendo has officially unveiled the Switch 2.

While we’ll likely have to wait until a Nintendo Direct airing on 2nd April to find out the release date and pricing, we also got a brief glimpse of what looks like a new Mario Kart game in the announcement trailer. It’s presumably Mario Kart 9, but the title is unconfirmed at this stage.

This will be the first new Mario Kart game in over a decade, with Switch launch title Mario Kart 8 Deluxe being an enhanced version of the Wii U’s Mario Kart 8, which launched way back in 2014.

Given that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the Switch’s best-selling title by a huge margin, with over 64 million units sold, it’s not surprising to see the console’s successor get a new Mario Kart game. Don’t be surprised if it’s a Switch 2 launch title either.

Assuming it arrives in 2025, it will also reignite Mario and Sonic’s rivalry, with the new Mario Kart going head-to-head with Sega’s Sonic Racing CrossWorlds. It’s an exciting time to be a kart racing fan. 

While Nintendo hasn’t shared any information about the Switch 2’s new Mario Kart game and we’ve only seen a few seconds of footage, there are a plethora of hidden details in the trailer.

New track: Mario. Bros Circuit

At first glance, the familiar footage could be mistaken for another Mario Kart 8 remaster – especially as the visuals don’t appear to be a huge step up. But on closer inspection, we’re clearly looking at a brand-new circuit. A banner above the start line confirms it’s called Mario. Bros Circuit.  

Mario Kart Switch 2 Mario Bros. Circuit

Visually, the circuit appears to be US-inspired, with a long desert highway complete with traffic driving in both directions providing obstacles to avoid. Its wide layout and simple corners suggest it’s designed for beginners, so it will likely be an early track in the starting cup.

There’s even a diner shaped like Yoshi’s face. Compared to Mario Kart 8’s muted colours, the art style also looks more vibrant.

The closing wide shot suggests that Mario. Bros Circuit will have a bigger scale than any Mario Kart track before, with huge canyon rocks overlooking the horizon. Off-road routes are also scattered around to the main road, hinting at branching routes, shortcuts or possibly an open world. Alternatively, routes may change after each lap, switching between tarmac and desert.

24 characters in races

Mario Kart is renowned for its madcap races, but the Switch 2 entry looks set to be even more chaotic. Thanks to the Switch 2’s extra horsepower (though the hardware specifications have yet to be confirmed), it looks like the new Mario Kart will have significantly more opponents on-screen during races.

Towards the end of the trailer, we counted 18 characters battling it out on the track. However, another shot shows 24 grid spaces, suggesting that the next Mario Kart will feature up to 24 characters on track at once – double the number of on-screen racers in Mario Kart 8.

Hopefully, this also means support for 24 players in online races for maximum chaos.

Redesigned characters

In terms of the character roster, there aren’t any surprises yet, with returning favourites like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong and the evil Bowser shown in the trailer. Other characters who appear in the trailer include Wario, Rosalina, Toadette and baby versions of Mario, Luigi, Peach and Daisy. While no new characters are shown, a few look redesigned.

For example, Donkey Kong sports a new look seemingly inspired by the version seen in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. That version of the mischievous ape is based on the original Donkey Kong game artwork instead of the character design from Donkey Kong Country onwards.

Mario also has a similar style to his appearance in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Generally, the characters have more expressive facial animations like in Mario Wonder as they react to the race action.

With races potentially accommodating up to 24 characters at once, the new Mario Kart will likely have an expanded character roster. Perhaps Nintendo will pull more characters from fan-favourite franchises such as Zelda, Animal Crossing and Metroid Prime in the vein of Super Smash Bros.

New vehicle types

From the trailer, it looks like Switch 2’s Mario Kart game will introduce new vehicle types as Rosalina is shown driving what looks like a snowmobile with front tracks and rear purple triangular wheels. Customisation will presumably return, allowing you to swap vehicle bodies and wheels.

Meanwhile, Mario’s standard red kart has been subtly redesigned, sporting a white racing stripe at the front. Several vehicles in the trailer appear to be modified for off-roading: Luigi is driving a green convertible with front-mounted rally-style fog lights and Bowser is riding a quad bike with chunky wheels.    

Pitstops?

For years, rumours have claimed that the next Mario Kart will feature a “new twist.” Previous games have introduced gimmicks such as gliders, anti-gravity sections and underwater racing. What the new Mario Kart’s rumoured twist is remains to be seen, but the trailer may offer a clue.

As the camera pans over the new Mario Bros. Circuit, there’s a narrow lane with multiple huts next to the starting line. Could this be a pitlane?

Mario Kart Switch 2 pit stop

If so, this would be a first for the series, with pitstops adding an element of strategy to repair damage sustained from power-up attacks or top-up boosts.  

Intriguingly, Mario’s vehicle sports a prominent container on both sides with a mushroom symbol. Could this be a fuel tank for pitstops? Or simply storage for powerups? Zooming in, the text appears to say “1-Up Fuel,” so it’s probably the former. Either way, this could hint at a brand-new mechanic that shakes up the gameplay.

We’ll hopefully find out more about the new era of Mario Kart soon in the Nintendo Direct on 2nd April.   

Are you excited about the Switch 2’s new Mario Kart game? Let us know in the comments below.