Mario Kart Worldmight very well be the biggest, most ambitious entry in the series to date, but it’s also missing a lot of things - things that could be added in some of the biggest, most ambitious DLC in the series to match.
At this point, we’re well accustomed to seeing DLC following up aMario Kartlaunch, whether it be the gradual additions onWii Uthat made upMario Kart 8 Deluxe’sSwitch launch, or the further Booster Course Pass that added even more characters and returning tracks during the game’s lifetime on theNintendo Switch.
So, in light of the foundations the open-world Mario Kart World has set, what could DLC look like?
Don’t Give Us Just Tracks And Characters…
The expectation would be for new characters and tracks to be bundled together. Characters like Link, Zelda, Isabelle, Villager, and Inkling Boy/Girl are missing from the roster entirely. Admittedly, they’re not Mario characters, and this is a Mario game, but that hasn’t stopped them from appearing in the past, and their absence from this new title is palpable.
On top of that, we would normally get some tracks bundled together, like returning classics or maps to represent other franchises completely. Hyrule Circuit, Animal Crossing, Excitebike Arena, and Big Blue are all crossover tracks that haven’t yet made an appearance in Mario Kart World. It makes sense, as the maps in Mario Kart World are interconnected, allowing for travel between tracks and freer exploration, so shoving Hyrule Castle somewhere among the otherwise Mario-centric regions would be a little strange. This leads me to my next point.
…Give Us Whole New Worlds
Why stop at characters and tracks when we could see whole new Worlds, as is the namesake of the game?
Mario Kart World is, as we know, the biggest game of the series, and is also theNintendo Switch 2’sflagship launch title. People will be playing this one for a long time, and the player count will only increase as the Switch 2’s lifecycle continues. So, with that popularity could come significant DLC additions, since new tracks would need a place to fit in.
Give us a DLC map of Hyrule that we can teleport to, complete with tracks across Hyrule Castle, Gerudo Valley, Zora’s Domain, Rito Village, and Death Mountain, with exploration between everything, as a whole roster of Zelda characters join the fray, complete with outfits and themed karts.
Replace those P Switches with Koroks to find - that feels pretty obvious, right?
Then give us DLC for Animal Crossing, where we can explore villages, island getaways, seasonal forests,and even go to the city once more. Expand it with hidden secrets to find, new stickers, Isabelle, Tom Nook, Timmy & Tommy, and a selection of our favourite villagers.
To me, introducing new DLC Worlds to the game makes the most sense of where things could go in the future. Mario Kart World is huge, and with a sense of freedom and adventure blended with the racing, the best way for our favourite crossovers to return would be to bring those worlds with them, rather than just the tracks and a few appearances we’ve seen before.
