Mario Kart 9's Guest Characters Could Get Smash-Style Reveals

gamerant.com:

Leaks about the next Mario Kart game are starting to come hard and fast, making it seem more and more likely that the new installation in Nintendo's beloved racing franchise really is around the corner. Perhaps more importantly, though, leakers seem certain that the game will be a departure from the rest of the franchise in that it won't focus solely on Super Mario's characters. Instead, the new Mario Kart title, which may be called Mario Kart 9 or Mario Kart Crossroads, will focus on uniting a long list of Nintendo franchises in the style of Super Smash Bros. Mario Kart 9 could feature playable characters hailing from Zelda, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, and many more.

Introducing so many guests is certainly a major departure, not simply because of the introduction of guests, but also the sheer volume of guest drivers. Mario Kart usually sees a few playable drivers come and go between games, but a crossover Mario Kart game has many more characters to introduce. In that case, it wouldn't be surprising if Nintendo made a bigger deal out of Mario Kart 9's new drivers than usual. Nintendo fans might start seeing individual trailers revealing the guest characters in Mario Kart 9, much in the style of new character reveals for Super Smash Bros.

RELATED: Mario Kart 9's Rumored Guests Shouldn't Edge Out the Franchise's Mainstays

For years now, Super Smash Bros. has drummed up hype for new playable characters by announcing them very slowly, with Nintendo creating individual trailers to announce each character and give fans a peek at their moveset. With the help of these steady announcements, both for the base game's newcomers and for DLC fighters, Smash stays in the public consciousness. Although Mario Kart 9 might not have