Since the original Super Mario Kart released on the SNES in 1992, kart racing games have been a favorite genre among gamers and developers. Mario Kart opened the floodgates for an unbelievable amount of other kart racers. Other gaming mascots, like Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot, and Jak & Daxter, have entered the racing scene. Non-gaming franchises, like the Muppets, Mickey Mouse, and Nickelodeon have been used for kart racers. Even the likes of Garfield and Burger King of all things have had kart racing games released for them. Disney and LEGO both have kart racers on the way. 

The amount of existing franchises that have been turned into kart racers is truly shocking. Some of them are even rather obscure, like Shrek Smash ‘n’ Crash Racing and Mega Man: Battle & Chase. Despite there being seemingly infinite kart racing games with just about every franchise having one, there are still some that have avoided it. Below is a list of franchises that would be great fits for kart racers.

Minecraft

Minecraft is all about building one’s own world using materials found throughout the environment. Games like Minecraft Dungeons and Minecraft: Story Mode have proven that the series can branch out beyond the sandbox building game, so why not branch out into a kart racer? 

Players could create their own karts and tracks as well as gather or earn resources during each race to be used for building. LittleBigPlanet Karting and ModNation Racers are evidence that allowing players to get creative is a winning formula for racing games.

Scott Pilgrim

Both the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie reference and parody classic video games. That’s what made the side-scrolling beat ‘em up Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game a perfect adaptation. If there were to be another additional video game adaptation, a kart racer would be fantastic since it’s another plentiful genre. 

Not only does Scott Pilgrim have a colorful cast of characters with different skills and abilities, but references to other racing games could be scattered throughout the game which would be a lot of fun. Plus, the soundtrack would be absolutely incredible.

Pokémon

Remember that episode of the Pokémon anime when Ash rode a Ponyta in a race against other trainers riding pokémon? That needs to be a video game. Pokémon is the best-selling video game franchise of all time, so it’ll almost definitely be a success. The series is no stranger to spin-off games like Pokémon Snap or Pokémon Stadium, so this should work as well.

Players can create their own trainer similar to how it’s done in the mainline games and use them to ride on pokémon in races. Obviously, there are over 1,000 pokémon, so only the ones that would fit best would be used. Being able to fly over the competition in the clutches of a Corviknight, speeding along on the back of a Mudsdale, and demolishing the competition from atop of a Dragonite would make for an extremely exciting game.

DC Comics

DC Comics have some of the most iconic superheroes in comics. They also have incredibly iconic vehicles. Because of this, a DC Comics kart racer could be a lot of fun and absolutely hilarious. With the likes of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Injustice, there’s no shortage of DC video games, and a racing game should be in their future.

Batman in the Batmobile, Wonder Woman in her invisible jet, Superman in his Kryptonian pod, the Flash in the speediest vehicle in the game, the Joker in some sort of clown car, and the list can go on. It could be a game of silly fun that exists in the beloved comic book universe.

PlayStation All-Stars

PlayStation has made attempts at having their characters crossover in the past like with PlayStation Move Heroes and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, and frankly, it’s time for another attempt. That attempt being a kart racer could be a fantastic idea. They have tons of beloved characters at their disposal, each of which bring their own special abilities to the table. Jak X: Combat Racing, WipeOut, Gran Tursimo, LittleBigPlanet Karting, and others show that PlayStation has what it takes to make a terrific racing game.

With Kratos on a chariot, Sweet Tooth in his ice cream truck, Aloy on a Machine, Sly Cooper in the Cooper Van, and the plethora of vehicles seen throughout Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, and other games, they could make this work really well. Items and weapons from the various universes being thrown in could lead to pure mayhem.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

There was already a Power Rangers kart racer on the SNES, but it was for Zeo, not Mighty Morphin, and it wasn’t very good. With clever use of the Zords as the vehicles, with various monsters and villains thrown in with some new karts of their own, this one would be a blast.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a beloved series with plenty of diehard fans who would be willing to check the game out. The intense Power Rangers action making its way onto the racecourse would lead to unique ways to translate the series. 

Borderlands

The Borderlands video game series is filled with humor that could lead to wackiness on the racecourse. It’s also known for guns, lots and lots of guns. Think of how wild a Borderlands racing game could get with billions of weapon possibilities at your disposal. There would be enough explosions to make Mr. Torgue happy.

The Borderlands games are no stranger to driveable vehicles, so that part is easy. Now they just need to make more of them and “catch a riiiiiidde!” With the enormous cast of fan-favorite characters, this one could have one heck of a roster.

Ready Player One

Both the movie and book versions of Ready Player One showcase people living in that world as being obsessed with pop culture. This leads them to making characters, locations, items, and even vehicles from their favorite movies, video games, and TV series a reality in the Oasis. This means that the Delorean from Back to the Future, the Batmobile, the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters, the Mystery Machine, the A-Team Van, K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, and iconic vehicles from just about any other known franchise could potentially be drivable. 

While not in the novel, the movie does feature an insanely thrilling racing scene. Vehicles from fan-favorite IPs, as well as original vehicles, are used. They smash and crash their way through the course and even need to navigate around King Kong. This scene alone justifies a Ready Player One racing game. It would also serve as a sizable crossover in the form of a kart racer.

Transformers

How has a Transformers racing game not happened yet? It’s a series in which robots transform into vehicles. It’s also a franchise that has tons of fans and is hugely profitable. It only makes sense for there to be a Transformers racing game.

Perhaps during each race the characters can be switched between vehicle mode and robot mode depending if the player wants to focus on speed or taking out opponents. Whether you’re a Transformers fan or a gamer looking for an action-packed racing experience, this one would be perfect.

Golden Girls

If anyone ever says they don’t want a wacky, fast-paced Golden Girls kart racing game, they’re a liar. Going head to head as Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, or Sophia, among other characters who have appeared throughout the classic series would be weirdly fun. They’d shout witty quips at each other during each match which could allow for endless humor. Folks would at least check this one out due to curiosity.

Each map could have players driving around Miami and even through their house. A Golden Girls racing game would obviously be primarily made and played for humor, but that’s never a bad thing.