Ahead of the Switch 2, fans excited about Mario Kart 9 are already prophesying the havoc of 24 players in the series' most chaotic map: "I'd just put down the controller"
Can you imagine a 24-player Baby Park?
The long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 reveal finally dropped, and it confirms everything from a screen that's at least 30% bigger to a new 24-player Mario Kart 9 - and unsurprisingly, fans are running wild with what the latter could mean for the game.
Although Nintendo has yet to confirm whether the new Switch 2 teaser truly does showcase Mario Kart 9, it's almost certainly the case - after all, Donkey Kong looks to have received a Mario movie-themed glow-up and Princess Peach is seen sporting a different outfit than she was in Mario Kart 8. Something stands out above all other elements spotted by eagle-eyed stans of the series, however, and that's the potential of 24 players per race.
IMAGINE 24 PLAYER BABY PARK https://t.co/UItfpAul5L pic.twitter.com/WPKi8Jwnf7January 16, 2025
There are 24 separate starting spots featured in the short Switch 2 trailer, indicating that a whopping 24 players maximum might be able to race at once. This sounds like utter chaos on any map, but fans are already discussing how bizarre it could be on maps like Baby Park - the infamously fast and furious little map that debuted back in 2003. "IMAGINE 24 PLAYER BABY PARK," exclaims one such person in a recent online post.
"I'd just put down the controller," jokes a commenter. Others discuss how incredible blue or red shells will be to use with 24 players. Elsewhere, another fan's post speculates similarly about the possibility of 24-player Baby Park. "There's no way they'd make a 24-player Mario Kart and NOT bring back Baby Park right?" One eager responder pleads for the chaotic map's return: "PLEASE, IT WOULD BE SOOOO FUNNY!"
There's no way they'd make a 24-player Mario Kart and NOT bring back Baby Park right? https://t.co/vPct38sHXG pic.twitter.com/fGJIFsmr9gJanuary 16, 2025
As a longtime enjoyer of Mario Kart shenanigans myself, I can't even begin to imagine what a 24-player Baby Park would look like. I'm personally mentally preparing myself for the probability that a 24-man Rainbow Road is in the works, too, however - as it is now, I can't even finish the normal map with just eight total. There's no telling what Nintendo has in store for us until an official Mario Kart 9 trailer drops, though.
Here's a roundup of all the recent Nintendo Switch 2 news to have at hand.
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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.
The Switch 2 surprise I'm most excited about is Mario Kart 9's Yoshi-shaped roadside diner named Yoshi's, which appears to tribute a 32-year old classic SNES puzzler
Mario Kart 9 appears to take the Switch 2 back in time, swapping out Princess Peach’s sleek racing suit for the outfit she wore when she debuted in the kart racing series