In an interview granted to the Japanese media Nikkei, the producers of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and his recent Additional circuit passes returned to several aspects of the saga and this last episode. They first returned to the latest opus to date Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and its insolent success with its 40 million sales ranking it at the top of the gaming podium Nintendo Switch the most sold. These questions led to a reflection on the general philosophy of the saga and the accessibility inherent in it.
Did you expect the game to be such a historic hit and sell over 40 million copies?
We did not suspect it at all, but with hindsight, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a good match for the Switch. You can play the console anywhere and even split the controller in half, so it’s easy to pick up and play with a sibling or friend nearby. 5 years after the release of the game, this attraction has not faded.
What do you think makes the Mario Kart series popular?
Generally speaking, you don’t try to hamper your opponent in racing games, but in Mario Kart you spend races throwing things at them and trying to slide them on banana peels. These unique tactics are at the heart of Mario Kart’s appeal.
It is both an accessible and deep game. There are people who only play the game on Christmas or New Year, while others work every day to improve their skills. We are always careful to balance the experience for both types of players.
How did you keep accessibility in mind when developing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ?
We wanted the game to be a fun experience for everyone. It can be frustrating to lose, but a lot happens during races to make players smile or want to play another race. The hope for players to experience emotions beyond the race result is at the heart of the game. We designed the game so that unthinkable things like sliding on a banana just before the finish line happen succeed and entertain the players.
The interview naturally came to talk about the recent 8 circuits added to the game via the Additional circuit passes.
On March 18, more downloadable retro tracks were made available to players.
The word “remaster” might sound cheap, but we’re confident it will create new and unique experiences that are different from how the tracks were originally. We had to make all sorts of adjustments, because it wasn’t enough to just leave the tracks as they were. The Game Boy Advance circuit “Flying Gardens” (released in 2001) was originally a flat plain, but we added some verticality to the version Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Players are going to have their own memories on each run, so we’ve been careful not to modify them too much. Intellectual property discussion often happens around the characters, but the races are also something to respect. We want to honor the memory of players while refining the appeal of each course as a license.
Finally the producers were able to deliver some keys as to the future of the saga and the release of a new opus of Mario Kart in the more or less near future.
How to plan the development of the Mario Kart series in the future?
Former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata often mentioned the phrase “5 to 95”. The ultimate goal is something everyone can enjoy. “Steering assistance” and other systems that make it easier for new players to join bring us closer to that goal one step at a time. We’ve often been told by past developers that “Mario Kart is a competitive communication tool” – we’ll always treasure the meaning of that phrase.
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