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These Characters Need to Be Added to Mario Kart World

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June 22, 2025

On June 22, 2025

Mario Kart World gets bonus points for having such a large, inclusive roster of beloved Mario universe characters. It was unexpected, and enjoyed viral meme status for good reason, having the ability to drive as cow.

Waluigi, Lakitu and Rosalina Characters in Mario Kart World

10 Best Characters in Mario Kart World, Ranked

Some characters are quick off the line, some turn better than others, and a few are tough enough to bump their way to the front without even blinking.

While the list of characters is already large and awesome, fans cannot help but demand other beloved characters from Nintendo’s own catalog of lovable mascots be included. Below are some additions that feel not only necessary, but inevitable.

10

Samus

Nothing Like a Serious Person in a Wacky World

Link’s inclusion in Mario Kart 8 was great not only because he was a well-loved character, but it was also funny to have a semi-serious character to get banana’d in the face by Baby Mario. However, Link pales in comparison with the level of seriousness lone wolf bounty hunter, Samus Aran, brings to the table.

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Why would Samus be kart racing with Shy Guy? This is the fun of introducing Samus to this zany franchise, and before someone says that it wouldn’t happen, it did for Super Smash Bros. so it is possible. The popularity of this character alone would bring even more people to Mario Kart World, and the image of Samus having to tuck her long legs into a small kart is too funny to pass up.

9

Cranky Kong

Racing Can Make Any Gamer Feel Like this Kong

If a player has been Mario Karting since 1992, then this addition is perfect for embodying how they feel. Characters in this game love to celebrate other racers’ defeats, and no Kong is more prepared to angrily shout and celebrate than Cranky Kong.

Canonically, Cranky Kong was the first Donkey Kong, and all that princess-napping and barrel throwing caught up with the monkey. Cranky has since been relegated to an older, grumpy mentor for the DK we all know, and watching CK do flips and tricks while grinding all over Mario Kart World would be hilarious and a great addition to the game.

8

Plessie

Gen Z’s Yoshi

Plessie 3D Mario World waiting for Mario

With Yoshi becoming their own full-fledged hero, Plessie from various Mario games has taken Yoshi’s role as the cute, dinosaur-based steed for the Mario Bros. Plessie is very large, but that didn’t stop King Boo or Bowser from driving a Kart around tossing green shells at everyone.

Plessie is a cute part of the Mario universe that is slowly gaining popularity, and Plessie’s inclusion in many of Mario’s adventures makes it an odd omission from Mario Kart World so far.

7

Tom Nook

You Know His Favorite Item Would Be Coins

Tom Nook getting coffee animal crossing new horizons

Tom Nook is a beloved character from the Animal Crossing series that might be the best landlord you’ll ever meet. Sure, his loans may make him out to be a villain, but they are interest-free, and he’s really just trying to help your broke butt out.

Add further insult to injury by driving around with this entrepreneurial raccoon stealing other people’s items and trophies. While Tom is not the type to celebrate excessively while passing other players, his famous expressions from Animal Crossing: New Horizons would make for some fun animations as players race around different tracks.

6

King K. Rool

Drive Around as a True Villain

King K. Rool Smash Bros reveal trailer posing

King K. Rool was just made for a competitive kart racing game. The character is a showboater, has plenty of different disguises, and is bursting with evil savoir-faire. Already wearing a crown, this king could somehow have the 1st place crown on top of his already nearly permanent one adorned to his head.

When performing flips and other tricks, racers are constantly showing off how proud they are they completed them, and these poses would fit right into the king’s well-known attitude.

5

Captain Olimar

The Pikmin Protector Takes a Much-Needed Vacay

Olimar and his loyal plant-based companions would be a very fun addition to Mario Kart’s already impressive roster of characters. There is also a lot of potential for fun animations that could come with Olimar and some Pikmin friends, as while he is not much the type for dancing, Pikmin certainly are.

Pikmin could ride in the kart with him and even hold the items Olimar collects over the course of a race. When Olimar does tricks, the Pikmin could link up and make shapes too for some hilarious poses, while crashing could make several Pikmin fall out. A no-brainer addition to Mario Kart World.

4

E. Gadd

Where is this Kooky Doctor?

One of the most surprising snubs to be included is the Mario universe’s wacky inventor, Professor E. Gadd. While Cranky Kong is over everything, E. Gadd still has a zest for life despite his age, and would enjoy carting around with the other characters.

E. Gadd has not been around as long as some of the other characters that were added to Mario Kart World, but since Luigi’s Mansion has been assisting Mario and Luigi with his integral inventions and making himself a fan favorite. To see the older scientist performing tricks and grinding on the many rails of Mario Kart World seems almost inevitable, so long as they release DLC with new characters.

3

King Bob-omb

So Many Kings, But Only One King of the Road

This king actually has been playable in a previous Mario Kart title, Mario Kart Tour. However, the pompous explosive feels like he should have been considered before many of the other enemies that are playable in Mario Kart World, not to feed his ego any more than needed.

Having such a large character in a kart is part of the fun with this addition, as the rotund king would look pretty funny in a small, mario-sized vehicle. Much like the feeling of driving around as King K. Rool, driving around as this braggart would give an air of royalty to players while blasting them with shells of various colors.

2

Whomp

If You Can’t Be the Road, Control the Road

The reason cow and other characters are such a funny addition to Mario Kart World is that there is no logical reason they would be racing everyone else. Whomp is a perfect example of a well-known Mario enemy that has no reason to be driving a kart, but so fun to play as.

Players could finally role-play as one of Mario’s classic foes, blocking his path in a kart rather than on a platform Mario must jump over. Whomp’s lack of intelligence also makes them a fun character to play, just like the joy of watching DK’s less intelligent face consider why he lost another race.

1

Captain Falcon

It’s Time to Trade in the Blue Falcon for a Cat Cruiser

Captain Falcon Smash Bros Ultimate air forward

The greatest move Nintendo could make is to add Captain Falcon to Mario Kart World. He would fit right in, he already has the resume, and to have a human character checking into a Penguin is just to funny to pass up.

Captain Falcon loves to show his moves, and would relish celebrating a successful flip or grind or nailing the entire race with a lightning bolt. Nintendo would be crazy not to add such a well-known, hilarious character to the game. It would be a marketing slam dunk, or rather a marketing Falcon Punch.