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The Super Mario Bros. Movie Appears to Have Influenced a Major Mario Kart 9 Character's Redesign

by David Mar 17,2025

Nintendo's recent unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 has sparked excitement, but one character's redesign has captured fans' attention: Donkey Kong. His appearance in the Mario Kart 9 trailer is noticeably different, a departure from his decades-long established look across titles like Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. This new design strongly resembles his updated appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, suggesting Nintendo is integrating the film's stylistic choices into its games.

While the Mario Kart 9 trailer offered only fleeting glimpses of Donkey Kong, the differences are already apparent. A more detailed comparison will be possible after the anticipated April Nintendo Direct, which will likely showcase the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 more extensively. This event is also expected to provide further insight into the new console, including the rumored backwards compatibility, the mysterious new Joy-Con button, and the potential use of the controller as a mouse.

Although announced with a 2025 release window, the Nintendo Switch 2 is unlikely to launch before June, given the numerous hands-on events planned worldwide, with registration opening shortly.