Mario Kart World Marks a Bittersweet Chapter For Nintendo Fans

Mario Kart World reviews are flooding in following the kart racing game’s debut on June 5. Sitting at a Metascore rating of 87, which is five points lower than its predecessor, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the game has garnered generally favorable reviews from both critics and audiences. Mario Kart World reviews note that while the Free Roam mode may feel underwhelming, the visuals and track designs remain as enticing as ever.

With unique features like Dash Food, Knockout Tour, and a more complex trick system, it’s easy to see why the latest entry in the Mario franchise has been drawing so much attention. Yet despite serving as the flagship title for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, Mario Kart World is also facing criticism that extends beyond its gameplay. Particularly because, on the game’s release day, Samantha Kelly, the voice actress for Princess Peach and Toad, learned that she had been replaced.

Mario Kart World Stickers Nintendo Achievements

Mario Kart World’s Sticker System Proves Nintendo Can Make Do Without Achievements

Mario Kart World’s sticker system turns accomplishments into style, showing Nintendo never needed a trophy system to make them more meaningful.

Veteran Princess Peach VA Replaced Without Notice

Nintendo Closes a Chapter Nearly Two Decades in the Making

Samantha Kelly has voiced Princess Peach and Toad for 18 years, starting with the aforementioned characters and Toadette in Mario Party 8, which was released in 2007 for the Wii. Since then, she has been credited with several roles in over 70 games within the Mario franchise, with a primary focus on Princess Peach and Toad. It was only on the day of the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch that Kelly learned she would not be reprising any of these roles. Kelly took to Instagram to share a bittersweet message with her fans, noting that, despite wanting to voice Peach and Toad forever, “Nintendo let [her] know yesterday that they decided to recast these roles.”

The backlash to this decision has been loud, with some Nintendo fans questioning how the company let one of its longtime talents believe they would be credited in Mario Kart World up until the release date. Game Rant reached out to Kelly for clarification on whether she had recorded lines for Mario Kart World before being informed that the roles had been recast. At the moment, those details remain unclear. Regardless, it’s understandable that she might have assumed many of her previous lines, especially from more recent games like Super Mario Party Jamboree and Mario & Luigi: Brothership, would be reused.

This Isn’t the First Time the Treatment of Mario Voice Actors Has Caused Controversy

Charles Martinet Says He Dreams as Mario, Sometimes in 2D

Interestingly, a similar situation unfolded in 2023 when Mario’s voice actor of 32 years was replaced in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. It was also made evident in this case that the voice actor, Charles Martinet, had hoped to continue voicing Mario, and that stepping away from the role was not his decision. Unfortunately, while Nintendo informed Martinet in advance and appointed him to a new role as “Mario Ambassador,” it does not appear that Kelly is receiving similar treatment.

Furthermore, fans have also noticed that the creator of Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, is not featured in the credits of Mario Kart World either. While this wasn’t surprising news to everyone, considering he wasn’t credited in spin-off titles like Mario Kart Tour or Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, this is the first mainline game in which Miyamoto has not been mentioned. Notably, his most recent credits are as Senior Supervisor on Mario & Luigi: Brothership and Princess Peach: Showtime, and his last credit on a core Mario Kart game was Mario Kart 8 in 2014. Nonetheless, the absence of even a special mention has not sat well with many fans, especially in the aftermath of Kelly’s long tenure as the voice of Princess Peach and Toad.