The Nintendo Switch 2 reveal trailer was flooded with new details, including a blink-and-you-’ll-miss-it reveal of a mysterious item for the new Mario Kart 9.
After months of rumors, leaks, and speculation, Nintendo finally announced the Switch 2 on January 16, 2025. The upcoming console is confirmed to be backwards compatible, comes with upgraded joy-cons, and much more.
Alongside showing off the design of the Switch 2, the reveal footage also revealed that a brand new Mario Kart game is on the way. While the official name has not yet been announced, fans are already calling it Mario Kart 9, this new title set to be the first entry in the franchise since 2014.
Despite looking very similar to previous entries, one brief moment from the Switch 2 reveal trailer teased that a new item will be included in Mario Kart 9, one that can be seen very clearly.
New Mario Kart item teased in Nintendo Switch 2 reveal trailer
At the 1:55 minute mark of the footage, a never-before-seen item appears to the right of the screen under Yoshi’s Diner, a new Mario Bros. Circuit course.
Given it only appears in the frame for a brief moment and in the distance, it’s too soon to confirm exactly what it is. However, it’s clearly something new or at the very least, a fresh redesign of an old Mario Kart tool.
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The object in question is bright and colorful and is very clearly not an Item Box based on its shape. While some have speculated it could just be the return of the Fake Item Box, its placement within the map does negate this theory.
Typically, Fake Item Boxes can only be placed by other players and when driven through, slow the impacted player down. This mysterious power-up is already on the track as the racers arrive towards it, meaning it’s likely something else entirely.
Furthermore, Mario Kart often includes power-ups on courses that are slightly off the main track, the risk and reward of these items either result in success or failure. Placed right next to the gas pump of Yoshi’s Diner, it would also make sense for this new item to be a boost of some sort and a way to get a leg up against your fellow racers.
With a Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Showcase confirmed for April 2, 2025, we expect to see and hear much more about Mario Kart 9 at this event and in the lead-up to the console’s release.
