Mario Kart World has been a long time coming for fans of the long-standing series. The last fresh mainline release was back in 2014, when Mario Kart 8 was launched for Nintendo Wii U. Since then, there has been a remade version called Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and expansion content with new racers and courses. However, Mario Kart World will be an entirely fresh entry, and it has rightfully gathered a lot of hype with the fanbase.
Mario Kart World Excites Fanbase
Much has been made about the Nintendo Switch 2 launch catalog, with many concerned about the prominence of remake and remaster entries. Several new games are coming to the Switch 2, though, and the one that has seemed to create the most buzz has been Mario Kart World. The game has been anticipated for ages, and as the trailers and clips have dropped, the excitement has only continued to solidify.
Mario Kart World is bringing quite a few revolutionary changes to this iconic franchise through the newest entry. There are some exciting new tracks and old-school classics that balance whole different levels of engagement. New features, including the largest cast of characters, the largest pool of racers at one time, and the new open-world racing theme, have each opened eyes and built the hype. The classic family fun chaos has only been enhanced and improved upon, and the new entry should make the wait well worth it.
Mario Kart World May Feature Game-Changing Item
Aside from all the previous changes, the new Mario Kart also appears to be dropping a new item into the game. At a recent Nintendo Treehouse presentation, Mario Kart World got some additional gameplay features to show fans more of what to expect in the game. During that feature, players were treated to a new item, the feather, that appears to be a complete game changer.
The effect of the feather is that it can block an incoming blue shell. For afficianatos of the series, they know that the blue shell can take a top leader down a peg very quickly, as it hones in on first place, and is typically given to a racer near the back of the pack. The feather is not an automatic shield, as the player needs to time the use just right to protect themselves; in fact, the staff member playing the demonstration did not time it correctly and got hit by the shell anyway.
Even without being a guarantee, though, the feather has game-changing implications. The idea behind the blue shell is that it levels the playing field. No one is safe, and even the best racers can fall out of the top spot with an ill-timed hit. This gives all racers hope that they can catch up and compete. Adding the feather is a benefit for the top racers; they can have some peace of mind that their lead is safe. However, for anyone else trying to catch up, their job just got harder, and top racers do not usually mess up often, leaving little room for error from anyone else.
As such, the feather has the potential to impact gameplay completely. Casual racers may feel the game just got more difficult, while competitive racers likely feel that their skill is being rewarded and there is less random chance to knock them out through nothing they can control. Truthfully, both sides would be correct. What remains to be seen is whether the addition is good for the series or bad.
Final Thoughts
For any long-standing series to be successful, it needs to look for ways to change, evolve, and bring something different with each entry. Mario Kart World has taken this to heart, drastically altering some of the core mechanics that have been seen throughout the series, largely for the better. While the new item feather may appear to be very minor compared to the changes of other elements, it may be the piece that most greatly alters the core foundation of the game: the race. Fans will see whether this change is worth it.
