Definitely Smash Kart. I want Samus and Bayonetta in Mario Kart. And Snake.
Bayonetta's kart could be made out of her hair, like her summonings.NOOOOOOOOO. I dont want to imagine Bayonetta sitting in a Kart and driving around. Link looks weird enough in Mario Kart 8.
Bayonetta's kart could be made out of her hair, like her summonings.
Think about it. It would work.
I can understand wanting the opportunity to mine a particular series for all its perceived value. But if you're waiting it out for Wart or Captain Syrup (who I had to Google, BTW), my feeling is that you'll be waiting for long after your loved ones are putting you in a nursing home.I personally prefer it to stay Mario-verse only.
Like, until the likes of Wart and Captain Syrup are added as permanent additions, I personally don't see the need for Link or Inkling to bring their friends along. Hell, it wasn't until the mobile game that Kamek and Dixie finally got in, and that, to me, is just sad.
I think looking at it just from a character perspective is the wrong approach. Courses and (as previously mentioned) potential for item variation are where the idea shines. As much as I enjoy Smash stages, they have a similar issue to what you describe with characters in Mario Kart, they do not convey the same level of personality as the characters themselves do in Smash. A kart course, however, allows for a greater exploration of the worlds these characters exist in.I don't think there will be a Nintendo Kart like Smash Bros because driving and fighting are 2 different things. With a fighter, a character's personality can be better manifested and shown off than in a racer where they are stuck in a Kart. In other words, putting Zero Suit Samus in Mario Kart 9 wont make it sell any better. Also because Mario Kart is such a BIG seller, I don't think Nintendo will tinker with it too much.
Well, I think we really forget at times that, in spite of it being full of nods to a number of Nintendo franchises, Smash still GROSSLY favours Mario content, by virtue of its longevity and expansion through the years. Characters? Stages? Hell, even items to a degree? They all grossly tip in favour of the Mario series, with only Pokemon coming close to the crown of "most represented series in Smash" by every measure. (and I'm one of those folks who doesn't complain about it but agrees Fire Emblem is grossly over-represented on the Smash character roster, but fails in representation by pretty well every other measure)There isn’t really a good description here of what “Smash Kart” even entails or means. But I can say while I couldn’t care less about “Mario Characters” and the lore , enjoyed the dlc guest characters of Mario Kart 8 , and think the base Mario Kart 8 roster was atrocious , I’m still vehemently opposed to “smash kart “. For a number of reasons , firstly being I think the fan base and discourse around a Smash Kart would just make a game I usually can derive some pleasure in just not that fun . But also I just enjoy the wild and silly courses that the “mario kart team” makes while being refined to “just” the mario universe , I do not want to see concepts like “toad shopping mall” and “daisy’s cruise ship” and “waluigi has either a giant pinball machine or has shrunken you down “ give way too much to a “smash kart” with just tracks from a bunch of nintendo series . I think what Mario Kart 8 did in terms of introducing “guest characters” with cups that feature tracks from other games but primarily still a majority being “Mario” characters and courses was the right balance for anything like this and what I’d still like to see for the next one , even if they increase or better round out the guests .
Well, item balance has always been a tricky thing in Mario Kart. Hell, it took until 8 to balance out the power of the blue shell with something that could avoid it. I'd hope that they'd keep that in mind for further entries, regardless of how they proceed.I suppose you could do something like that, but I'd be worried about how it could affect the item balance.
Well, as I stated, not married to the name, it's just a common short-hand for the idea. But I think so long as the cover and promo material prominently features Mario in a go-kart, the consumer confusion will be at an absolute minimum.I would say keep as is. They are 2 tentpole brands and 1 is of course cruising past 40m sales. I don't think calling it Smash Kart would boost sales, nor would it blue shell them either, but why throw people off track for another "is this an add on for the Wii?" head-scratching Nintendo moment?
I think some of Mario Kart's perennial sales and great design is because there's only one kart racer per console. Making 2 might be a bad idea from this perspective, splitting development ideas and energy across 2 games that are so immensely similar.I don't see why they wouldn't have two separate series. I am all for "Smash Kart" (and hope they use a different name lol). I think there's plenty of places where a Nintendo All-Star Kart could differentiate from Mario.
You'll forgive me that I'm not terribly concerned with hype preservation. I can't play hype.Keep it Mario Kart. Part of what makes Smash so special is that it's the only time Nintendo crosses over that heavily. Doing it for other series would dilute how hype it is for Smash.
You'll forgive me that I'm not terribly concerned with hype preservation. I can't play hype.
Maybe.I can understand wanting the opportunity to mine a particular series for all its perceived value. But if you're waiting it out for Wart or Captain Syrup (who I had to Google, BTW), my feeling is that you'll be waiting for long after your loved ones are putting you in a nursing home.
Took me a hot second to remember, but I knew who he was. But I'm old enough to have played Wrecking Crew close to launch and read the instruction manual, and I can guarantee most people are going to think he's an OC for the movie. LOLMaybe.
But then again, here comes the Mario Hollywood film bringing back Foreman Spike, of all characters to reach back for. Would it be presumptuous to say you had to do your Googles for someone like him, as well?
Why not?Keep it Mario themed with guests. I like Link, Isabelle, and the Inklings showing up as guest characters. But I think turning it into Smash Kart would make the tracks far less interesting. Courses like Moo Moo Meadows or Electrodrome can’t exist in Smash Kart.
I agree wholeheartedly with this (except maybe the Samus thing). I want to make sure I'm abundantly clear that the character roster is perhaps the lowest consideration and doesn't even need a character from every series. I'm not against it, but it's not necessary.Honestly keep it as it is. Mario Kart with guest characters. I still would love to see Kirby or Olimar, but some characters like Samus and the Fire Emblem cast don't really gel with the Mario Kart aesthetic.
Mercedes was always a weird decision since it’s not even from a video game, it’s a real life car lol. So in that case yes they are already over the line, much more so than any Nintendo character addition.I agree wholeheartedly with this (except maybe the Samus thing). I want to make sure I'm abundantly clear that the character roster is perhaps the lowest consideration and doesn't even need a character from every series. I'm not against it, but it's not necessary.
But if we're talking about the "Mario Kart aesthetic" and the purity thereof, I have 1 image and some follow-up questions:
- How does a Mercedes SUV conform to the Mario Kart aesthetic?
- If it doesn't, then isn't Nintendo already beyond the pale with regards to preserving pre-determined aesthetics and is fully content with re-defining them?
- If it does, then isn't the "Mario Kart aesthetic" a bit of a moving target?
I can agree with this. In reality, it took close to 10 years of making Smash before they began including 3rd-parties (all 2 of them), and nothing mandates it for a Kart game.I like what they did with the inclusions of other series in the Mario Kart 8 DLC. I think definitely keep it 'Nintendo Kart' at most though, no need to go all-out third party with Kart.
I agree, not every franchise needs a racer, but courses? Go for it.As long as they do away with all the babies and pink gold coloured characters I don't really care whether they go for Ashley, Pit, or Pauline. Just give me more variety. Whether that be from the greater Mario universe (including DK and Wario characters) or from other Nintendo franchises all together.
I would love more tracks from different Nintendo franchises. Give me a Metroid track, a Kid Icarus track, and a Xenoblade track. Putting the actual characters of those franchises in karts might look a bit weird but just the tracks would be great.
See, I'm not against original tracks. Like, I look at Moo Moo Meadows, Ice Ice Outpost, Ribbon Road and Cheese Land and see nothing inherently "Mario" about them. And I'm fine with that. I'm more than good with totally original Kart-unique courses that have little to nothing to do with any series. I'm already OK with it in Mario Kart as it is and don't consider that incompatible with any of the presented scenarios.For me Mario Kart isn't about the characters - it's about the courses. We already saw with Mario Kart 8 that the non-Mario tracks were based on established locations, while the Mario universe allows for all sorts of made up locations.
If they went down the "Smash" route I feel this would not only mean all the non-Mario tracks would be limited to actual game locations (because. while we'd all happily accept 'Waluigi's Rubbish Tip' as a track, no one would be accepting of 'Samus' Rubbish Tip' over something actually from Metroid), but also the Mario tracks would have to be based on actual Mario games (and yes, I'm aware this is actually true for Super Mario Kart, but that was the first game).
I feel Mario Kart 8 and its DLC struck the best balance - it's Mario Kart plus a few cameos. If anything having a few cameos makes said cameos feel more special.
Actually, one thing I liked was the tracks not tied to the DLC characters like Excite Bike and F-Zero. If Mario Kart is to continue with cameo tracks, focusing on Nintendo's other past racing properties would be neat road to go down, especially as Smash Bros hasn't really explored those.
This right here is the true appeal of “Smash” Kart, not Kirby in a kart.I think looking at it just from a character perspective is the wrong approach. Courses and (as previously mentioned) potential for item variation are where the idea shines. As much as I enjoy Smash stages, they have a similar issue to what you describe with characters in Mario Kart, they do not convey the same level of personality as the characters themselves do in Smash. A kart course, however, allows for a greater exploration of the worlds these characters exist in.
Make a course for Advance Wars where you can watch the Orange Star Army overtake Blue Moon and finishing with them taking the enemy base. Or, in a similar theme, a Corneria course that has Andross' siege of the planet viewed from the ground, instead of it just vaguely scrolling along (and barely visible) in the background behind the Great Fox.
Make an Inkopolis course where, from continued territory control, the course progressively turns a little slick in spots with ink spray.
Do a Zebes course where the final lap involves the planetary self-destruct, with the course changing to include debris.
I don't think there's any arguing against what you're saying, that character inclusion alone is NOT the draw of this idea. But thinking about it only in those terms also discounts other elements.
A Nintendo crossover kart game where the tracks aren't based on Nintendo properties just doesn't sound like the scenario people want when they suggest a Nintendo crossover kart game. If you're happy with that then we might as well stick with it being Mario Kart with a few guests.See, I'm not against original tracks. Like, I look at Moo Moo Meadows, Ice Ice Outpost, Ribbon Road and Cheese Land and see nothing inherently "Mario" about them. And I'm fine with that. I'm more than good with totally original Kart-unique courses that have little to nothing to do with any series. I'm already OK with it in Mario Kart as it is and don't consider that incompatible with any of the presented scenarios.
I mean... it's a good thing that it doesn't have to "mimic that model". Smash is its own beast, I'm not saying any different. But designing a game with that in mind from the outset and expanding on it in different ways doesn't require this giant sprawling auteur masterpiece. Honestly, I find Smash to be a little bloated because of that (but I'll save the rest of my thoughts there for another thread).We have to keep in mind that Super Smash Bros. is an auteur game. It is like it is because it’s the brainchild and the life work of Sakurai. It’s not simply a Nintendo formula to apply to other series.
Even that aside, Mario Kart is a household name and one of the highest selling franchises in the world on its own right. That specific part will not change because no company in its right mind will through away a multimillion dollar brand with over a dozen games and merchandise.
As far as the formula goes, I mean we already saw with MK8 the introduction of characters out of the Marioverse. I think we’ll see more of that but something a lot more contained that Smash Bros. Because it’s really hard to mimic that model.
I think that’s the least of the “problems” of Mario Kart. This has been the longest time for a Mario Kart fan without new games and tracks (especially if we don’t count the mobile game) and that’s truly terrible. It’s the best of times (sales), it’s the worst of times (turnout of actual content). I miss wanting to play Mario Kart.
I don't get where this "it has to be a crossover with nothing uniquely original in it or it may as well stay the same" mindset comes from. It feels reductive. I think I and others are fully capable of wanting and appreciating both, but this response paints a notion that we don't appreciate Mario Kart already for what it is, which just ain't the case. Whatever Kart Nintendo makes next, I'm going to be interested, I'm super likely to buy it.A Nintendo crossover kart game where the tracks aren't based on Nintendo properties just doesn't sound like the scenario people want when they suggest a Nintendo crossover kart game. If you're happy with that then we might as well stick with it being Mario Kart with a few guests.