Nintendo’s latest racing game, Mario Kart World, has been nominated for The Game Awards in the Best Sports/Racing Game category. The announcement from Nintendo’s official account was like a bombshell in the gaming community, and already very passionate and heated debates about the game erupted online.
This nomination places Mario Kart World in the same league as other iconic racing games, and players are quite vocal about their opinions. While some are expressing their gratitude through whispers, a large section of the gaming community is challenging the award, turning the tweet replies into nothing short of a console war.
YaBoyAbro, a gaming enthusiast, summed up the sentiment of many with his comment, “Imma be real, I enjoy this game but it shouldn’t get the award by any means compared to sonic lol.” This statement points to the very same rivalry that is put forward by a lot of gamers who see Mario Kart World competing with Sega’s Sonic racing franchise, with some of the players even going so far as to argue that the blue blur’s games have a more deserving appeal.
However, there is a situation where not everyone is being critical. A generous gaming friend, Kenan Von Kaiser, was prepared to go the extra mile when he said the game had won the award, “Not Surprised That The Game Is The Best Racing Game Around I Am Proud Of Ya Nintendo For Making Another Masterpiece Without Relying On 3rd Party Characters To Carry Ya!” The statement touches on one of the advantages that people see in the Mario Kart series—the series’ reliance on its own famous, first-party character roster instead of guest stars from around the world.
The conversation quickly turned to the comparison of attributes and the volume of content. Another response that Kenan Von Kaiser sent to a doubter, “The Game Has 3 Times More Content Than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe What Are You Even Talking About!” The issue of value and content has always been the case in gaming, and players somehow manage to give a game a price tag based on the number of hours they expect it to entertain them.
However, there is another perspective that simplifies the criticism less. A gamer, PikaDynamite, only vented his frustration, “this game is shit,” indicating the completely unfiltered critique that social media often allows. This certainly suggests that for every person who is happy with the game, there is someone who dislikes it intensely.
The conversation took a strange turn, as it usually does with internet discourse. One user, captain obamna, chimed in with, “What about extreme car driving simulator,” which is just… a totally different genre of game altogether. It is such random and off-topic comments that really remind you of the internet, where nothing is too weird and everything gets said.
A user called 80 tried to make the discussion more profound by posting a screenshot and then asserting, “You not getting Shots like these in Sonic Crossworlds Or details, or physics, or dynamic systems or fidelity.” This points to the technical and visual aspects that some gamers believe give Mario Kart World an edge, underlining the graphical quality and in-game mechanics that might be more sophisticated than the competitors.
The whole discussion is a mirror of the gaming culture. There are the cheerleaders, the critics, the ones who make detailed comparisons, and the ones who just express their annoyance by shouting “Cry More!” at anyone who opposes them. It is all messy, chaotic, and passionate and in a way, it is also beautiful. The fact that people still care a lot about kart racers, a genre that has been a major part of couch co-op and online battle for decades, is the legacy of the games.
So what does this mean for The Game Awards? Obviously, the nomination has been a massive plus for Nintendo alone, resulting in a lot of free advertising and discussions. It is clear that the game is being talked about regardless of whether Mario Kart World will take home the trophy or not. Gamers are involved, which is precisely the kind of engagement the award shows and the developers want to see.
The final verdict will depend on the ballots, but the journey to the award is certainly not just a matter of slipping on banana peels and running into fake item boxes—it has been filled with very vocal and passionate opinions from various segments of the gaming community. Such debates are as heated as the final lap on Rainbow Road, and to be honest, that is part of the fun. PlayStation and Xbox fans are also part of these gaming discussions.
