With the reveal of the Switch 2, Nintendo also gave us a brief glimpse at a brand-new Mario Kart game; something that many of us were hoping for after the last mainline entry launched over ten years ago.
Yes, the game we’re currently referring to as Mario Kart 9 is still somewhat shrouded in mystery, but the short tease revealed a number of tantalising hints as to what we might expect from the upcoming Switch 2 title.
One notable change that we (and indeed, many of you) caught was the design for Donkey Kong. We knew that Nintendo had sought to recapture the character’s more ‘retro’ look from the days of the NES in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but it seems as though this decision may well be spreading to the world of gaming, too.
It feels especially noticable considering how much the ‘DKC’ Donkey Kong design has been in the spotlight recently with the launch of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on the Switch. In the original Wii version, Retro Studios looked to retain the same visual design that Rare made popular back in the ’90s, but it seems like Nintendo may be ditching it altogether now for a slightly goofier visage with more potential comedic value.
Honestly, though we were a bit taken aback at first, we’re actually quite fond of the new look. Granted, DK’s somewhat static expression in the Mario Kart 9 footage doesn’t do him any favours, but we reckon Nintendo’s developers and partners will do wonders with the character in the coming years (if we actually get a new game, that is!).
But now it’s over to you fine folks. What do you make of Donkey Kong’s design in Mario Kart 9 (hey, that rhymes)? Are you keen on the new look, or would you rather Nintendo had retained his classic, more recognisable design? Let us know by voting in the below poll.
With the reveal of the Switch 2, Nintendo also gave us a brief glimpse at a brand-new Mario Kart game; something that many of us were hoping for after the last mainline entry launched over ten years ago.
Yes, the game we're currently referring to as Mario Kart 9 is still somewhat shrouded in mystery, but the short tease revealed a number of tantalising hints as to what we might expect from the upcoming Switch 2 title.
One notable change that we (and indeed, many of you) caught was the design for Donkey Kong. We knew that Nintendo had sought to recapture the character's more 'retro' look from the days of the NES in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but it seems as though this decision may well be spreading to the world of gaming, too.
It feels especially noticable considering how much the 'DKC' Donkey Kong design has been in the spotlight recently with the launch of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on the Switch. In the original Wii version, Retro Studios looked to retain the same visual design that Rare made popular back in the '90s, but it seems like Nintendo may be ditching it altogether now for a slightly goofier visage with more potential comedic value.
Honestly, though we were a bit taken aback at first, we're actually quite fond of the new look. Granted, DK's somewhat static expression in the Mario Kart 9 footage doesn't do him any favours, but we reckon Nintendo's developers and partners will do wonders with the character in the coming years (if we actually get a new game, that is!).
But now it's over to you fine folks. What do you make of Donkey Kong's design in Mario Kart 9 (hey, that rhymes)? Are you keen on the new look, or would you rather Nintendo had retained his classic, more recognisable design? Let us know by voting in the below poll.
