Mario Kart is one of Nintendo's most popular and legacied franchises. Super Mario Kart was released in 1992 and virtually every generation of Nintendo fan since has had their own Mario Kart to grow up with. Now there are reports that a new Mario Kart game is in development for the Nintendo Switch, and a fierce debate has started on social media. The question is whether the next Kart game should simply be Mario Kart 9, or if it should become Nintendo Kart and embrace all of Nintendo's franchises.

The root of the debate stems from the initial Mario Kart 9 report indicating that the rumored game will have a "new twist." This led to Nintendo fans' imagination running wild, latching onto the popularity of Super Smash Bros.' multi-franchise roster and the fun involved in predicting who Nintendo could add next. The heart of it, however, is the name attached to the imagined game – Nintendo Kart. It's a name that stirs strong feelings, both positive and negative, among the Nintendo fanbase.

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On the positive side of the debate, Nintendo fans love the idea of being able to race with characters from other first-party franchises. Racing with Samus, Link, Zelda, Pikachu, and other fan-favorite protagonists is just too exciting of an idea not to embrace. There's also a bit of Mario Kart fatigue among this side of the argument, with Nintendo fans wanting a diversity of characters that the Mario franchise simply doesn't offer.

The negative side of the debate is no less passionate about the issue. For many fans, Mario Kart has played a vital role in their development as not just a Nintendo fan, but a fan of video games and growing up in general. Such a dramatic shift in Mario Kart's nature would be irreconcilable with these' fans idea of what Mario Kart really is. Plus, as much as these Nintendo fans may love Super Smash Bros., they'd prefer Mario Kart to stay its own thing rather than blur the two brands.

Nintendo Kart and comments surrounding the debate are trending on Twitter and there's a healthy amount of support for both sides of the discussion. For the most part, it's just Nintendo fans excited about a new Nintendo game, hoping that it meets their expectations.

For the time being, there are no official details on Nintendo's plans for the next Mario Kart. A Nintendo Kart concept is entirely just speculation among Nintendo fans. Traditional "new ideas" in the Mario Kart franchise include international maps, two-person karts, and similar small but notable changes. It will likely be some time before Nintendo addresses whether the next Mario Kart is in development, though, so fans are free to speculate as they please for the time being.

A new Mario Kart is rumored to be in development.

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