Nintendo created a single-driver version of Mario Kart: Double Dash in case two-driver mechanic didn’t work out
Shmupulations recently released a translated 2003 Nintendo Dream interview with the lead developers of Mario Kart: Double Dash. Producers Tadashi Sugiyama and Shinya Takahashi, as well as chief director, Kiyoshi Mizuki, all discuss the development of Double Dash as well as their concern over the two-driver mechanic.
Sugiyama suggested that the staff wasn’t very confident in the feature, as to not harm what made Mario Kart unique. The team was even simultaneously developing a single-driver version in the early stages, in case two drivers didn’t go over well. After they gained confidence, they discuss that most of the games’ development time was placed into tinkering with the two-driver mechanic.
Here’s what they said, as shared by Shmupulations:
Takahashi: Since Mario Kart has always been more of a party game, our point-of-departure for the development was thinking about what new multiplayer gameplay mechanics we could add, and specifically what new mechanics we could add if the karts had two drivers.
I see.
Takahashi: Another issue for us was how to innovate while not destroying what makes Mario Kart unique. That was a monumental challenge. (laughs)
Sugiyama: Yeah, Mario Kart has turned into a flagship title for Nintendo, and each console has to have its own Mario Kart game. Well, of course it’s going to sell big, it’s Mario Kart!—that pressure is huge.
And there’s the pressure from players as well. It’s Mario Kart, we expect it to be fun. (laughs)
Sugiyama: Yeah, so you’ve got all these expectations, and you’ve got to add something new. The “two drivers” concept, therefore, was something we came to at the end of a veryyy long process of brainstorming. We were a little worried about it though, so at first we were developing a single-driver version too, in parallel with the two-driver development.
Takahashi: Our emergency escape hatch. (laughs)
Everyone: (laughs)
Sugiyama: But in the end, owing I think to the majority of our staff who really wanted to do something new, we consolidated the development into just the two-driver concept.
You say “two drivers” so casually, but it sounds like a very challenging idea to implement…?
Mizuki: Indeed. Nearly all of last year was devoted to working out the two-driver mechanics.
Lots of experimentation?
Mizuki: Yeah. We tried all sorts of stuff.
Can you give an example?
Mizuki: Hmmm… how much am I allowed to divulge here?
Takahashi: Ah, that’s a bit sensitive. (laughs)
I mean, the game is about to be released, so no harm in talking about it now, right?! (laughs)
Takahashi: Our very first idea was to have sidecars.
Ah, I see! Like little cars attached on the side.
Sugiyama: Normally when one thinks of two people in a car, you think of a driver and passenger seat side-by-side. But for Mario Kart, that would end up making the karts too wide. Can you imagine 8 massive karts lined up like that? (laughs)
Takahashi: We messed around with the positioning a lot, and ultimately settled on having them ride behind you.
Sugiyama: Unfortunately that led to another problem. “I can’t see the driver in front!” Our solution to that was to let you swap the drivers at any time.
In other Mario Kart news, we’re getting a brand new entry in the series with Mario Kart Tour for Nintendo Switch 2. We’ve compiled a list of all confirmed characters here.
