Nintendo, on January 16, finally revealed the Nintendo Switch 2 after months and months of rumors and leaks, confirming the new console is releasing in 2025 and that a new Nintendo Direct is coming on April 4, 2025 dedicated to the new console, and new games for it. Speaking of new games, the console reveal trailer features two new games, one of which appears to be Mario Kart 9, or at least the next mainline Mario Kart game.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Unfortunately, the glimpse at Mario Kart 9 is quick and not accompanied by any salient details. There is not even a game title, let alone a release date or game details. That said, this will presumably be all shared during the aforementioned April 4, 2025 Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.
What is shown are some characters, such as Mario, Luigi, Toad, Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, Rosalina, Daisy, Wario and other stalwarts. Included is Donkey Kong, but he looks a little different. To this end, he looks more like the movie version of the character rather than the version Mario Kart fans are used to. Beyond this, one new map is shown off, but that is it.
Why Nintendo has declined to prove more details on the new Mario Kart game, we don’t know, but this seemingly confirms rumors that it is going to be a Nintendo Switch 2 launch game, otherwise it would almost certainly not be shown off alongside the reveal of the console. When this release is though, we don’t know. It will obviously be after April 2, because that’s when the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is. When after April 2 though, is anyone’s best guess.
If Mario Kart 9 — or whatever it ends up being called — ends up being the major Nintendo Switch 2 launch game, this seemingly rules out any chance of a new 3D Mario or anything else major, such as a new Zelda game, being available at the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 as Nintendo prefers to slow roll its major first-party releases across the opening year of the console rather than dump all at once.
For more Nintendo Switch 2 coverage — including all of the latest news on Mario Kart, all of the latest rumors and leaks for Mario Kart, and all of the latest speculation surrounding the series — click here.
