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

Nintendo's recent unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 has sparked excitement, but one character's redesign has captured particular attention: Donkey Kong. His appearance in the Mario Kart 9 trailer differs significantly from his previous iterations.

For years, Donkey Kong's design remained consistent across various titles, including Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, the hugely successful "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" introduced a revamped look, and Nintendo seems to be integrating this updated design into its games.

The Mario Kart 9 trailer offered only fleeting glimpses of Donkey Kong, making a detailed comparison challenging. Nevertheless, the differences in his design are already apparent. A more thorough comparison will likely emerge during the April Nintendo Direct for the Nintendo Switch 2. This event will provide a deeper look at the game, including a more detailed examination of Donkey Kong's new appearance.

The Switch 2 reveal trailer itself focused primarily on the console's aesthetics, hinting at backward compatibility, new Joy-Con buttons, and confirming a previously speculated controller-as-mouse functionality. While a 2025 release window was announced, a June launch seems more probable due to upcoming worldwide hands-on events.