Aside fromSuper Smash Bros, theMario Kartfranchise is one of Nintendo’s biggest all-star titles, featuring characters from throughout theMariouniverse.Mario Kart 8 Deluxeeven features characters and courses fromThe Legend of Zelda,Animal Crossing, andSplatoon.However, there’s still a huge portion of theMarioroster that hasn’t gotten a chance to race yet.
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TheMarioseries has plenty of characters to choose from for a game like this, especially if one includes spin-off titles. Some of these characters even appear as playable in the mobile gameMario Kart Tour. Hopefully, some of them are bound to hit the streets in a mainlineMario Karttitle in the future.
10Captain Toad
Technically,Toad already appears as a playable character in mostMario Karttitles. However, Captain Toad is his own character, making his first appearance inSuper Mario Galaxy. Captain Toad later got his own spin-off withCaptain Toad’s Treasure Trackerfor Wii U, based on his solo levels fromSuper Mario 3D World.
However, Captain Toad has some competition when it comes to appearing in aMario Karttitle, as popularMariocharacter Toadsworth has also not appeared in a mainline game yet. However, given Captain Toad’s greater attention from Nintendo in recent years, it makes the most sense for him to appear in a future kart-racer.
9Kamek
Kamek is probably one of the most surprising characters to have never appeared in aMario Kartmainline title. The Magikoopa first appeared inYoshi’s Islandfor the SNES and has been an antagonist of theYoshiseries ever since. Kamek was also meant to appear inMario Kart 64but was replaced with Donkey Kong before release.
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Given Kamek’s plentiful appearances inMariospin-off titles likeMario PartyandPaper Mario, it’s only a matter of time before this minion of Bowser joins his fellowMariocharacters in a race. For now, he’s relegated to cameo appearances and a bike called the Magikruiser inMario Kart Wii.
8Nabbit
Nabbit is certainly one of the mostuniqueMariocharacters introducedin recent years. First appearing inNew Super Mario Bros U, Nabbit is a thief who steals items and power-ups from Mario and his allies. Given that his main function in theMariogames is to be chased, it makes sense that he would eventually appear in aMario Karttitle.
Furthermore, Nabbit has made several playable appearances in the franchise already. In theNew Super Mario Bros Ufollow-upNew Super Luigi U, Nabbit replaces Mario as a playable character. Nabbit has also made appearances in spin-off games such asMario Golf: World Tour,Super Smash Bros for Wii U, andMario & Luigi: Paper Jam.
7Plessie
WhenSuper Mario 3D Worldwas released for Wii U,Mariofans almost immediately fell in love with Plessie. This cheery, adorable dinosaur appears in certain water and underground levels to assist Mario and his friends. For stretches of these levels, Mario rides on Plessie’s back, dodging enemies and jumping through hoops.
Given Plessie’s popularity amongMariofans, it stands to reason that the Yoshi-like plesiosaur would make a perfect addition to theMario Kartfranchise. The only issue is that, fromPlessie’s appearance inSuper Mario 3D World, it seems like the creature would have a difficult time fitting in one of the cramped race karts.
6Professor E. Gadd
Luigi’s Mansionwas once a standalone game for GameCube before Nintendo continued the series on the 3DS and Nintendo Switch. The game was also responsible for introducing players to Professor E. Gadd, an elderly scientist who helps Luigi catch ghosts. Since then, E. Gadd has appeared throughout manyMarioseries spin-offs.
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E. Gadd almost had his chance to shine as a playable character inMario Kart DS, before being scrapped and replaced with Dry Bones. Nintendo finally including this character in a mainlineMario Kartgame would bring some much-needed representation for theLuigi’s Mansionseries. However, there’s also another option…
5Luigi’s Mansion Ghosts
TheMarioseries has seen its fair share of ghost enemies. Even theMario Kartfranchise has been haunted before, as King Boo appears as a playable character in several of the series titles. However, the Ghosts from theLuigi’s Mansionseries are distinct enough in design and personality to warrant their own inclusion in a future title.
There have been many ghost designs throughout theLuigi’s Mansionseries, but the most iconic version is probably the designs from the original title. These gold, purple, and blue ghosts are notable for their big yellow eyes and Slimer-like mouths. However,Luigi’s Mansionfans would love to see Polterpup make a kart-racing appearance.
4Pauline
Pauline pre-dated Princess Peach as theMariofranchise’s leading lady. Initially appearing as the damsel-in-distress in the arcade classicDonkey Kong, she went mostly unused outside theMario vs Donkey Kongseries. However,she made a grand re-entrance inSuper Mario Odysseyas the classy mayor of New Donk City.
Since then, Pauline has seen much more attention from Nintendo in spin-offs likeMario Tennis AcesandMario Golf: Super Rush. She even appears as an unlockable character inMario Kart Tourfor mobile devices. Whenever Nintendo decides to makeMario Kart 8 Deluxe’s follow-up, Pauline is a must-have.
3Mona
Aside from the inclusion of Wario himself, theWarioWarefranchise has gone mostly unrepresented in theMario Kartseries. Fortunately, the series has a new installment withWarioWare: Get It Together.This new title is the perfect reminder to fans that theWarioWarefranchise is full of colorful characters awaiting future appearances.
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While there are many potential characters to choose from, the obvious pick would have to be Mona. Mona made her first appearance in the originalWarioWaregame and has been seen sporting many jobs since, from playing in a rock band to cheerleading to delivering pizzas. She could even ride on her iconic scooter!
2Ashley
Ashley is another iconic character who currentlyonly appears in theWarioWareseries. With her devilish sidekick Red, this young witch gets herself into trouble by crafting spells and potions all by herself. Like Kamek, the broomstick-riding sorceress would make a great addition to a potentialMario Kartroster.
Fortunately, Ashley has enough popularity among Nintendo fans to incite hype over her inclusion in aMario Kartgame. She appears as an Assist Trophy in theSuper Smash Brosseries as well, making her recognizable to even casual fans. Also, her inclusion would be a great reason to get her theme song in theMario Kartsoundtrack.
1Geno
For many years,Geno has been one of the most-wanted characters in theSuper Smash Brosseries. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as lucky as other fan-favorites like Ridley or Banjo-Kazooie. However, his status as aMariospin-off character means he could be eligible to participate in a kart race in the near future.
Getting to play as Geno in a futureMario Kartgame may satisfy theSuper Mario RPGfans who have been disappointed by the all-star fighter. His inclusion would not only be a great tribute to a forgotten game in theMariocanon but also a huge fan service to get people excited about the next installment in the kart racing franchise.
