Mario Kart World’s Roster Could Be the Biggest the Franchise Has Ever Had

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In an exciting development for Nintendo, Mario Kart World stands out as a significant achievement due to two reasons: firstly, it marks the return of a new primary installment after more than ten years; secondly, it may boast the most extensive character lineup that the franchise has ever offered.

The latest Nintendo Switch 2 broadcast and Treehouse Live stream unveiled the forthcoming racing game to enthusiasts, and it certainly lived up to expectations.

Twitter user @BearUNLV pointed out an intriguing detail on the character selection screen: a total of 84 slots, divided into seven sections, each containing twelve unique characters.

84 options are available now, which is almost twice as many as we had in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, taking into account all the additional content.

Due to some tabs not being displayed, fans speculate that the actual count could be around 73 or 76. However, even if it’s at the lower estimate, it represents a substantial increase compared to previous submissions.

Let’s break it down for comparison:

  • Mario Kart Wii had 24 characters.
  • Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS trimmed it down to 17.
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (including the Booster Course DLC) reached 42 characters.

In Mario Kart World, the roster of characters could possibly more than double since Nintendo is planning to include both well-known figures such as Mario, Peach, and Bowser, along with less familiar faces like Pauline and King Boo.

In this version of the game, some traditional adversaries can now be controlled, such as Goomba, Chargin’ Chuck, and Fish Bone. Additionally, there is discussion about character variants like Luigi in a gondola and Peach in yukata attire. Whether these are simply costume changes or distinct characters will depend on the game’s mechanics.

Additionally, IGN posted a summary containing approximately 60 characters thus far, encompassing alternative costumes as well. This rendition of the roster exhibits only five tabs rather than the usual seven, sparking curiosity about the structure of the complete character selection screen.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve been pondering about the possibility of the new costumes in the game being connected with instantaneous changes in my character’s appearance due to the acquisition of in-game items, such as food pickups. However, Nintendo has yet to confirm this theory.

In 24-player matches, it’s crucial to have such a diverse range to avoid the typical issue where popular characters dominate the races. This ensures a more balanced and enjoyable experience for all players.

If you have over 80 characters racing alongside, the choice of a few individuals picking Luigi won’t seem monotonous because there are so many other options to watch.

Following a ten-year hiatus, Nintendo seems to have realized that offering more rather than less could be the key to their next Mario Kart release.

If the roster realizes its full capability, Mario Kart World might just become the most daring manifestation of the formula we’ve seen so far.

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2025-04-04 09:42