The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal unveiled a new Mario Kart game, though what's seemingly grabbed fans the most in the days since is what we're actually calling the dang thing as Ninty is keeping that hush for now.
Given that we got Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS and Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, you'd think Mario Kart 9 comes next. That's mainly because we don't have a game with the same name, though fans have taken to the name as easy shorthand in the absence of confirmation – much like plenty did with the Switch 2 and, say, The Witcher 4 before Nintendo and CDPR respectively confirmed that, yes, those are the names we're going with.
But with Mario Kart, it's complicated. We don't have Mario Kart 9, but we do have Mario Kart Tour for mobile phones that came after MK8. You could say that doesn't count, as it's not called Mario Kart 9, but that doesn't totally hold up. Mario Kart 7 was the first actual numbered entry in the series, with plenty of games beforehand opting to go with the name of their respective consoles – Mario Kart 2, confirmed? – or something else like Super Circuit or Double Dash.
Why the next mario kart game wont be called "Mario kart 9" (or 10) from r/Mario
"STOP calling Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart "Mario Kart 9" because Tour IS Mario Kart 9!" from r/mariokart
To every people calling the next game "Mario Kart 9" YOU ARE WRONG from r/mariokart
Could this confirm the name "Mario Kart 9"? from r/mariokart
Mario Kart 10 – or X, if you're more Final Fantasy inclined – then? Maybe, but we wouldn't want to forget about the mixed reality 'em up Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. There's also the Mario Kart Arcade GP sub-series, but that's broadly accepted as its own thing.
So, are we closer to agreeing on what we're naming the thing? Not really, but I'll stick to Mario Kart 9 for now. It's just easier, man.
Mario Kart 9 should step it up a gear by celebrating more of Nintendo's biggest franchises.
