Mario Kart 8 Deluxehas been one of the most consistently popular games throughout the Nintendo Switch’s lifecycle alongsideBreath of the WildandSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nintendo’s high-speed kart racer got a big boost last year in the form of theMario Kart 8 DeluxeBooster Course Pass, gradually offering players more racetracks from across the franchise’s history. In the most recent wave of DLC, players also got its first new DLC racer in the form of Birdo, with the suggestion of more characters to come.
This new racer was a pleasant surprise for many, as Nintendo never gave any indication that new characters would be included when the Booster Course Pass was first announced. Many fans have wantedMario Kartto take aSuper Smash Bros.-like approach to its rosterconsideringMario Kart 8 Deluxealready includes characters such asZelda’s Link andAnimal Crossing’s Isabelle. While there are various directions Nintendo could venture forMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s DLC racers, it would make a big splash by evoking Mario’s Olympic history through some familiar faces from theSonic the Hedgehogseries.
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Why Sonic and Friends Make Sense For Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s DLC Racers
For about 15 years, Mario and Sonic have cultivated a relationship of friendly competition. After literally competing with one another during Nintendo and Sega’s console wars, Sonic and friends have gone on to appear in Nintendo games ranging from theSuper Smash Bros.seriestoMario & Sonic at The Olympic Games. The latter franchise has seenSonicstaples like Dr. Eggman and Knuckles the Echidna duke it out with Daisy and Waluigi for Olympic medals, creating a strong precedence for that competitive spirit to carry intoMario Kart 8 Deluxe.
TheSonicfranchise is also no stranger to racing games, as titles likeTeam Sonic Racinghave shown the blue blur doesn’t need his signature red shoes to be the fastest thing alive. There’sno shortage of personality in theSonicfranchise, which could translate to exciting tricks and interactions with other racers. Of any outside franchise,Sonicis the most closely linked toMario, and including the speedy hedgehog or his friends would be a fitting culmination of the long history both properties share.
Sonic Characters Who Should Be in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass
TheMario Kart 8 DeluxeBooster Course Pass has limited roster spots remaining, so not manySoniccharacters would likely get the call - if at all. Sonic himself would be a given, but if there was only room for one moreSoniccharacter, it could be a more difficult decision. A character like Dr. Eggman would serve as a nice foil to Sonic in the roster, and giveMario Kart 8 Deluxea new racer in the heavy weight-class. On the other hand, someone like Tails, Shadow, orAmy, would serve as ample representation ofSonic’s rich history.
All eyes are on theremaining roster spots inMario Kart 8 Deluxe, but they’re probably going to remain a mystery for some time. Nintendo releases the Booster Course Pass waves around three months at a time, meaning the next one likely won’t be announced until late May or early June. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to ignore the potential of bringingSonic the Hedgehoginto Mario’s racing world. After so many years battling on Olympic stages, letting the two franchises convene on the racetrack could make theMario Kart 8 DeluxeBooster Course Pass an essential purchase for many fans.
