The recent reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 came with a wealth of new titles to look forward to on Nintendo’s next generation system, including new Mario and Kirby titles. Interestingly though, these games actually share a genre, in that they’re both racing games. Both Mario Kart World and Kirby Air Riders will be releasing this year exclusively on the Switch 2, and whilst we’re very excited about both, we’re scratching our heads a little at their proximity.
Whilst the games share a genre, they’re of course not identical. Mario Kart World is taking a broader, bigger approach than ever before, and even though we don’t know how Kirby Air Riders plays, we can assume it’s more like its predecessor, taking a simpler approach to racing and its controls than Mario Kart. Even so, releasing a guaranteed smash hit racing game with Mario Kart World so close to Kirby Air Riders does have us concerned for Nintendo’s pink puffball. This isn’t just baseless speculation though, we’ve actually been here before.
Nintendo’s taking us back to 2003
Nintendo’s GameCube released in 2001, and it had a big year for games in 2003. You see, both Mario Kart: Double Dash and Kirby Air Ride both released that year in Japan and North America, although the dates are different based on how regional releases used to work. In North America and Japan, Mario Kart: Double Dash released in November, whilst Kirby Air Riders released in July in Japan and October in North America. Even so, they released in the same year, and it doesn’t seem like a coincidence that they’re once again releasing in close proximity to each other.
The concern we have that Kirby may be releasing a little too close to Mario is somewhat justified when looking at the past. Mario Kart: Double Dash sold approximately 7 million copies worldwide, whilst Kirby Air Ride sold closer to 1.35 million globally. They released in the same year, and Mario sold over 400% more copies than Kirby did, which is a shame. Kirby was still a success by managing to cross the million sales mark, but we can’t help but wonder if it’d perform better had it been the standalone Nintendo racing game in a year. We’re once again placing them against each other in the same year, and we think it’s justified to think Mario Kart somewhat eclipses Kirby in this competition.
The absolutely gigantic Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart World is releasing after the gargantuan success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch, the best-selling game on what is soon to be the best-selling video game console of all time. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold over 64 million units, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time. Its been eight years since it launched, and fans have been hungry for a new entry in the franchise for a while now. With Mario Kart World seeking to deliver a bigger, globe-spanning adventure, and console bundles available at launch, we already know that the sales are going to be off the charts.
Putting a Nintendo racing game in the hands of a large percentage of the Switch 2 player base from launch, given the system is releasing with a bundled version that makes the game cheaper than its controversial price tag, might make them feel they have all the racing they need for 2025. It’s not just a case of asking users to choose one or the other, it’s that a bulk of them will already have the Mario Kart game by default, meaning they really need to be sold on Kirby Air Riders as a different enough experience to justify the price – especially if Nintendo’s new variable pricing model leads them to price Kirby Air Riders up to $80 like Mario Kart World is.
The Kirby VS Mario Hype-Off – We’re The Winners
Nintendo does have one thing on their side when it comes to pushing Kirby Air Riders sales however: the hype. Mario Kart World is long-awaited, but Kirby Air Ride has amassed a cult-following since its GameCube release, and that vocal fanbase has spent two decades waiting for something new. Perhaps the extremely long wait, mixed with the potential ‘Switch effect’ that seems to boost sales of old series on new Nintendo hardware, will see Kirby Air Riders soar further than we expect, and we sure hope it does.
It could even end up that this is a good marketing scheme, with Nintendo having two massive racing games compete in a battle of hype. Mario Kart has one of the best-selling games of all time and everyone was desperate for a sequel since the Switch release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, whilst Kirby Air Ride has been dormant for decades and will see huge visual, technical and perhaps gameplay improvements since its original launch in 2003. It might just be a mastermind move from Nintendo, and we hope it is. For us as the gamers, we’re looking forward to it, as it’s two games to look forward to and enjoy for their own merits and our own reasons. Even so, we’re still a little concerned that our favorite pink glutton is playing a game of chicken with Mario that he won’t be able to avoid.
That’s our take at least! With both Mario Kart World and Kirby Air Riders releasing this year, how do you think both titles will perform? Is there one you’re looking forward to more than the other, and is Nintendo smart to release them in the same year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more gaming analysis and Nintendo Switch 2 coverage.
