Although we are now used to all video game characters, at one time or another, getting into a kart and starting to compete by throwing all kinds of items at each other, in 1992 it was a strange, novel, and very, very fun concept. In fact, at first, Super Mario Kart wasn’t even a game from the Mario franchise: in the first prototype, it had generic racers, until they curiously tried putting the plumber in one of the little cars and decided, as could only be expected, that it was infinitely more fun that way. And, of course, they were not wrong… to a slightly exaggerated point.
Luigi number one!
It was such a success that, since then, it has had a sequel on every Nintendo console (with the exception of Virtual Boy, and they were so close!) and four for arcade, including one in virtual reality for which you had to pay 40 dollars per game and that only left Japan for an event in London. These machines, by the way, were not created by Nintendo, but by Namco, and have never seen the light outside of arcades. By the way, if you ever go to Japan, trust your instincts and enter the arcades, because hours of fun and amazement await you without leaving those four walls. A little free advice.
The saga is so recognizable and successful that not only have illegal companies been set up to dress up and race through Tokyo (a tourist trap and a ridiculous thing like few others, by the way), but even Nintendo launched a mobile game based on the franchise, Mario Kart Tour, which provided new content from 2019 to 2023, with several tracks that we don’t know if we will ever see recreated again… and which caused several controversies in the community due to loot boxes, which allowed kids with access to their parents’ credit cards to spend a fortune. Anyway, what can I tell you about video games in the middle of 2025.
You may be thinking that all of this is very nice, but that in reality, Switch hasn’t had its own Mario Kart. This is true on paper: Mario Kart 8 was a recycled version from WiiU with new tracks, and everything seems to indicate that Mario Kart 9 will go straight to Switch 2. Yes. But we always forget that there was an exclusive Mario Kart for Switch, one of those wacky ideas from Nintendo that they usually launch and forget, like Labo or Ring Fit Adventure… but even bigger and crazier.
Grand Prix Salonero
Context: October 2020. The pandemic was at its peak, public gatherings were scarce, and meeting up to play video games felt like something we did centuries ago. In this context, Nintendo announced a Mario Kart that you could play at home. Literally. There was no other way to do it, because this time it would include a real racing car to move around the makeshift tracks you set up throughout your 30 square meter home. This madness was called Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit and you might not be surprised if I tell you it was a small big failure.
This was Velan Studios’ first attempt to grab attention, and it worked well enough to later create other titles like Knockout City and Hot Wheels: Rift Rally, and on paper, it sounds very original. What’s the problem? No matter how much you let your imagination run wild, it’s still a hassle to clear the living room, make sure the cats don’t break the camera kart, and set up a track every time you want to try it… After five laps, you’re left with one of two possibilities: try again or rebuild your track once more.
In total, two versions were released: one with Mario’s car and another with Luigi’s, which also featured four doors that served as checkpoints, arrows, and, of course, a charger. The price? Just over 100 euros. It’s not that the idea is bad, of course, but it’s too much for what it offers: the ability to make a few videos for TikTok and keep the kids entertained for a morning.
The game sold 1,730,000 units worldwide, which may seem like a lot, but it is important to note that the previous one, Mario Kart 8, sold 8.5 million on WiiU… and 67 million on Switch! An absolute madness that Mario Kart Live Home Circuit could not reach, remaining, after the initial surprise, completely forgotten in the pantheon of Nintendo. And, it seems, they did not dare to experiment like that again in Mario Kart 9. Taking a risk once is fine, but there’s no reason to do it all the time.