Summary
As if the recent reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 wasn’t enough, the developer went ahead and revealed alongside itMario Kart World, which is not only the next entry in theMario Kartseries but also a significant evolution of the franchise’s formula. Since its inception,Mario Karthas centered around kart racing in its most traditional form, though it has grown over time, taking players from the most basic tracks to the most complex and featuring an increasingly large roster of playable characters. Now,Mario Kart Worldis taking the series to uncharted territory with a brand-new formula — for itself anyway.
For the first time in the series,Mario Kartis adopting not just an open-world format but a free-roam exploration structure withMario Kart World, which, at first, might sound strange for a racing game to do. However,Mario Kart Worldactually isn’t the first game to experiment with free-roam exploration mechanics, and while other racing franchises likeThe CrewandForza Horizonhave also implemented such systems, even they weren’t among the earliest to do so. That title belongs to none other than Rare’s one-offDiddy Kong Racingfor the Nintendo 64, makingMario Kart Worlda spiritual successor of sorts to the 1997 classic.
Mario Kart World Feels Like Diddy Kong Racing’s Spiritual Successor
Diddy Kong Racing Was One of the First Racing Games to Feature Free-Roam Exploration
While there have been plenty of open-world and free-roam racing games released over the last three decades,Diddy Kong Racingwas the first to incorporate the “kart with adventure” mechanics that went on to influencegames likeCrash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueledand nowMario Kart World. Way ahead of its time,Diddy Kong Racing’s Adventure Mode had a fully explorable hub world called “Timber’s Island” that allowed players to use a variety of vehicles to explore the island and discover secret caves, hidden tokens, and special keys.
Each themed zone onDiddy Kong Racing’s Timber’s Island had four racetracks plus a boss, where players could participate in races to earn Golden Balloons that unlocked new doors and zones. After finishing the four main tracks in a zone, players would face a boss in a one-on-one, high-speed challenge with shortcuts and hazards, after which they could replay those matches to earn silver coins. Players could also find hidden keys on each track that would unlockbonus mini-games.
While there have been plenty of open-world and free-roam racing games released over the last three decades,Diddy Kong Racingwas the first to incorporate the “kart with adventure” mechanics that went on to influence titles likeCrash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueledand nowMario Kart World.
The ultimate goal, however, was to complete and collect everything, as it would grant players access to Future Fun Land. There, they would face the final boss, Wizpig, in a multiphase race that tested everything they had learned up to that point. All in all, this essentially madeDiddy Kong Racing’s Adventure Mode a full progression system in disguise, seamlessly combining kart racing with exploration, puzzles, and even some light RPG elements. Unfortunately, despite how innovative it was,Diddy Kong Racingnever received a sequel.
Mario Kart World Embraces Diddy Kong Racing’s Open-World Style
That’s what makes the impending arrival ofMario Kart Worldso special, as it already feels like the sequel thatDiddy Kong Racingnever got. InMario Kart World, players can freely explore interconnected tracks, with the ability to seamlessly transition between races without loading screens. While roaming the open world, players can collect hidden secrets and collectibles as well, just as they could inDiddy Kong Racing. It’s not clear what those secrets and collectibles will entail and how they may factor into progression, but what is clear is thatDiddy Kong Racing’s legacy lives on inMario Kart World.
