The World’s hefty price tag. However, these concerns aren’t even close to the top of my list. After the Direct, I was left with one burning question that has overshadowed everything else: where is my beloved Isabelle?

As someone who religiously mains Isabelle in any game in which she’s available, her absence has been a big blow to my personal brand and principles. Considering there’s no current timeline of when the next Animal Crossing will release, I take any crumbs I can get, but it appears I’ll be out of luck when it comes to Mario Kart World. While the fastidious shih tzu is the root of my worry, her absence also raises bigger concerns about the overall future of the newest entry in the racing franchise.

Mario Kart World’s Roster Feels Falsely Inflated

Luigi In A Gondolier Outfit Is Still Luigi

Currently, one of Mario Kart World’s biggest boasting points is its extremely large roster, but the actual number of racers included depends on how you define what constitutes a new entry. If it just means the same person aged down or in a different hat, then yes, it’s an impressive list. ittedly, that’s not exactly fair — the game does include a lot of impressively niche first-time entries, and I confess the cow coming to Mario Kart World is extremely important to me. However, a missing Isabelle has cast a pall over the beautiful bovine’s inclusion.

If anything, the inclusion of costumes makes my disappointment about her omission even worse. Considering me and many other players were elated when she merely changed into her cold-weather outfit in New Horizons, Isabelle in an aristocrat or gondolier outfit would send shockwaves through the community. As much as I was delighted by things like Mariachi Luigi during the time I spent with the game at the Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on event, I was preoccupied with the absence of other characters on the roster — largely Isabelle, but my worry went beyond just her.

Animal Crossing’s Absence Raises Other Concerns

What Hope Is There For Other Non-Mario Characters?

Isabelle isn’t the only non-Mario universe character to be added to the Mario Kart series over the years. The games have seen everyone from Isabelle’s Villager pals to Pac-Man, and it was always a fun way to bring in crowd-pleasers for those whose favorite franchise isn’t Super Mario. As iconic as it is, there are always going to be players for whom a character like Link holds more sentimental significance than Wario or Peach. Sadly, these fans may all be out of luck when it comes to Mario Kart World.

There wasn’t just a lack of Isabelle in the Nintendo Direct — no non-Mario characters seem to be invited to race this time around. If we’re being extremely optimistic, it could be said that there’s still a somewhat significant amount of time between now and the game’s release, meaning it’s possible Nintendo is simply keeping other IP appearances under wraps for now. When I asked Nintendo’s Bill Trinen the whereabouts of characters like Isabelle, he urged me to “stay tuned” because I may “get some good news.” Was this just a question dodge, or is there truly something underway?

Isabelle May Be Locked Behind DLC

Other IP Racers Could Entail A Second Paywall

The Mario Kart series is no stranger to DLC. While there have been some small free content updates over the years, most larger additions, like the Legend of Zelda crossover DLC for the original Mario Kart 8 or the Booster Course for Deluxe, have required an additional fee. It wouldn’t be out of the question that if players want characters like Isabelle or the Inklings in the game, they’ll have to cough up some extra cash on top of the already-large price tag of the base game.

If World will truly only ever be Mario-universe racers, it’s a very disappointing step backward.

Between the camera and online-only GameChat touted for the new console, GameCube games coming to the Expansion Pack, and the EP subscription also granting access to things like Switch 2 upgrades for Breath of the Wild, a subscription to NSO feels more heavily pushed than ever before. Considering course additions for Deluxe also come with NSO, it’s not far-fetched to say that if new IPs do get introduced to World, the same could be true. If that day does come, I’m sure I will begrudgingly spend whatever fee allows me to reunite with Isabelle, but I won’t like it.

Mario Kart World’s Roster Feels Like A Step Backwards

Removing Established Characters Is The Opposite Of Progress

It feels like the same core group of Mario franchise characters are constantly gathering to compete in casual sports. Though sometimes they branch out a bit with Petey Piranha or Boom Boom, it's still always in-universe. That's perfectly fine, but these characters are too charming to not branch out more. I know it’s largely just a novelty, but something about a crossover is so alluring to me. How can one not be delighted by something like Kirby beating up Sephiroth in Smash Bros. or Isabelle celebrating taking out Bowser with a bomb in Mario Kart?

Before the Booster Course era, I’d become burned out on Deluxe and resorted to trying a few Mario Kart clones to fill the void. With some series like Nickelodeon Kart Racers, I’m able to overlook a bit of the game’s shortcomings in other areas solely due to it having a fun roster available. Is the handling as intricate? Maybe not, but CatDog, Stimpy, and SpongeBob are racing each other, so I’m not that fussed about it, at least initially. However, I’d much rather get the same roster-related serotonin from my favorite racing franchise.

If World will truly only ever be Mario-universe racers, it’s a very disappointing step backward. Axing adjacent IPs players have become accustomed to in Mario Kart for nearly a decade is a marked loss; there’s no reason for Mario Kart World not to embrace the crossover concept more in the way the Super Smash Bros. games have. There are plenty of other games relegated solely to the Mushroom Kingdom — Isabelle deserves her spot on the track.