Even though Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass has mitigated the need for an entirely new game for now, Mario Kart 9 seems inevitable. Mario Kart is one of Nintendo's most successful franchises, and it can't stick with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe forever, so eventually, it'll move on to a new game. That's why recent leaks about a new Mario Kart game are so tantalizing. Hearing similar information from multiple sources makes it seem likely that Mario Kart 9 is really in the works, but what it'll actually look like is uncertain. Ideally, Nintendo will bring some compelling new mechanics to the table.
When it's crafting Mario Kart 9's new mechanics, however, it doesn't need to reinvent the franchise completely. A new twist on an old mechanic might be enough to make the game feel fresh. For instance, Mario Kart Tour might be able to offer the next game a strong mechanic with room for growth. In Mario Kart Tour, each character has a Special Skill, which is an exclusive type of item that they can find on the racetrack. By combining Special Skills with its rumored emphasis on Nintendo crossovers, Mario Kart 9 could offer players a lot of mechanical depth.
Special Skills in Mario Kart 9
A lot of rumors say that Mario Kart 9 will feature Nintendo characters from outside the Super Mario universe. Naturally that opens the game up to a lot of exciting new racetrack and playable character possibilities, but Special Skills could really shine this way too. If Mario Kart 9 borrows Special Skills, then each character could have an entirely distinct ability based on the game they come from. For instance, Olimar's signature item might be a Pikmin that cling to riders and hamper their driving, a Splatoon Inkling could pick up a Splattershot that lets them spray ink on their opponents, and so on. If Nintendo's most famous characters can each inspire unique movesets in Super Smash Bros., then they can surely inspire Mario Kart items too.
Mario Kart Tour notably features kart and glider skills too; each vehicle has a special characteristic that can give the player an advantage under the right circumstances. Mario Kart 9 could adapt these skills too, all while continuing to take inspiration from other franchises. A Splatoon vehicle might provide resistance to the effects of oil slicks and Bloopers, a Star Fox vehicle could perform a barrel roll during boosts that knocks away items, and so on. The bolder Nintendo gets when pulling Special Skills out of its various franchises, the better.
Mario Kart 9 Needs Innovation
Mario Kart 9 will need creative mechanics like these in order to feel distinct. The last few Mario Kart games have all gone out of their way to innovate, from Mario Kart 7's hang gliders to Mario Kart 8's antigravity racetracks. If Mario Kart 9 doesn't push the envelope with its mechanics, then it'll risk feeling like a step backwards for the franchise. Still, Mario Kart 9 doesn't have to reboot the franchise in order to feel fresh. Putting a new twist on Special Skills would go a long way in giving Mario Kart 9 its own identity.
Leaks surrounding Mario Kart 9 certainly give off the impression that Nintendo wants to try new things. Recent Mario Kart crossovers make a drastically different cast of characters seem plausible, and changes to Item Boxes would only be Mario Kart's most recent item revision. Those experiments make the return of Special Skills seem plausible. The Booster Course Pass may mean that Mario Kart 9 is far away, but that'll just give Nintendo spare time to try out new ideas and figure out what'll serve Mario Kart 9 best. Hopefully Special Skills are among the mechanics that it's considering; they certainly have a lot of potential.
Mario Kart 9 is rumored to be in development.