Despite a Downgrade, Kamek in Mario Kart World is More Important Than Ever

Kamek might not be behind the wheel anymore in Mario Kart World, but he still has a remarkably important role to play. The most talented of Magikoopas has only played a small role in Mario Kart‘s history so far with his two playable appearances. In Mario Kart World, his place in the game seemed to get even smaller. However, taking a look at Kamek’s history with the series can put his latest appearance in a new light when viewed from another angle. Kamek still has a very important role to play even without a kart of his own to drive.

The many new characters in Mario Kart World have given the game the series’ largest roster thus far. Part of this was likely necessary due to the game now featuring a field of 24 characters for each race, doubling the previous maximum of 12. In addition to the deluge of new racers, the roster is stretched even further by the presence of alternate costumes. Taking a cue from Mario Kart Tour, many characters have alternate costumes that occupy character slots of their own. The end result is a selection of drivers that no console Mario Kart could have dreamed of before.

Mario Kart World Safe Bets Game Changers

Mario Kart World Shows That ‘Safe Bets’ Can Still Be Game-Changers

Mario Kart World might look predictable at first, but its quiet innovations reveal how a “safe” launch title can still reshape an entire franchise.

Kamek is Mario Kart World’s Most Important NPC

Kamek Didn’t Come Back to Race in Mario Kart World

Despite so many new drivers, there’s one past character who missed Mario Kart World‘s roster. Kamek made his playable debut in Mario Kart Tour, then joined Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a part of the Booster Course Pass. However, in Mario Kart World, Kamek is instead an item that has the power to transform racers and place obstacles on the track. With Kamek having just made his proper debut, it’s rather disappointing to see him get dropped from the roster in the very next game. At least he’s still present in Mario Kart World, but being an item isn’t the same as being a playable driver.

Kamek Unlocks New Drivers in Mario Kart World

Kamek actually plays an important part in the game. When using Kamek in Mario Kart World, he will fly forward and transform other drivers into a certain kind of character, that is present in the area. For example, a beach being observed by Piantas will result in racers being turned into Piantas. If Kamek turns a player into a character that they haven’t unlocked yet, then that character will be unlocked as a playable driver. A large portion of the roster can only be unlocked through this method. Thanks to this mechanic, Kamek’s role in Mario Kart World is invaluable to players.

Kamek Himself Had to Wait a Long Time to Become Playable

Kamek’s ability actually ties into his history with the Mario Kart series. According to pre-release footage of Mario Kart 64, Kamek was originally slated to be on the roster. Instead, he was left out and didn’t become playable until over 20 years later. It should be noted that most of the characters that Kamek unlocks, like Conkdor, Cataquack, and Dolphin, are rather unlikely choices. This gives off the impression that after Kamek got his chance to race, he decided to spread the opportunity to other characters who haven’t had the chance yet. This casts Kamek’s presence in Mario Kart World in a new light.

The only character unlocked via Kamek that was playable in a previous Mario Kart is Chargin’ Chuck, from Mario Kart Tour.

It is a shame that Kamek didn’t get to return to the track in Mario Kart World. However, his help in building Mario Kart World‘s roster is indispensable. It’s through him that players will unlock most of the game’s more unique drivers. After all, Kamek was Bowser’s mentor, and with this new role, he might as well be a mentor in racing to these characters as well. While Kamek might not be playable anymore, he still has one of the most important jobs in Mario Kart World.