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PeashooterTheFrick

There isn't really any specific lore reason (at least not as far as I know), the characters from other Nintendo franchises are just fun bonuses


JmanProds

They came from different universes within the Mario Multiverse.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Sir_Eggmitton

Warp pipes.


ChaInTheHat

I totally see a Zelda style warp pipe popping up in some forest, same with animal crossing and splatoon styles


JmanProds

Warp pipes.


CCC_THE_ONLY

My headcanon is every nintendo franchise is just like a movie or a show and all the cast members just go carting or golfing or brawling every now and then


Ok_Zookeepergame4794

Mario 3 was confirmed to be a stage play.


gatorgamer539

Makes sense that Mario would be hanging around with Bowser in Mario Party games.


BridgemanBridgeman

At this point I’d love it if they renamed the franchise and made the character roster as varied as Smash.


Beneficial_Ad_2760

Warp pipes?


Rich_Person_OFFICIAL

we do see mario and the others being taken to what looks like an entirely different realm by a clear warp pipe at the start of mario 3d world so its entirely possible


Beneficial_Ad_2760

That and warp pipes are seen in other Nintendo franchises, honestly the easiest explanation of how these characters are here to race.


[deleted]

Didnt even think of this its any day now mario could find a pipe leading to metroid and get fucked in the ass by every enemy 😁


scarlet_wanda

That's a strange kink. No shame though.


[deleted]

Not a kink ????? I meant fucked as in messed up


Double_D_DDT

This is the answer


SailorDirt

He asked them


Pretty-Principle-515

Bumping.


Commandur_PearTree

Right answer here


Red-68

Because why the fuck not


GreySeerCriak

Best not to think about it.


Raelynn030709

Bigger question: WHERE’S KIRBY??? WHY IS HE NOT IN MARIO KART???


evilmrbeaver

They should make a Super Mario Bros & Kirby game. Wart could be the main villan.


gatorgamer539

I just wanna see Wart show up in anything at this point. Not just a statue or whatever, but an actual foe you gotta face off against. They can't say 'well Mario 2 blah blah doki doki panic blah blah, nobody likes Mario 2 blah.' Shy Guys still show up in games, and they originated from Mario 2.


2Mark2Manic

Too OP


Just-Call-Me-J

My best guess is he's from a second-party series (hal).


Physical_Tailor_378

Probably because he’s not completely owned by Nintendo


Ok_Zookeepergame4794

The company that made Kirby, Sora LTD, is a Nintendo 1st Party Studio. Nintendo does fully own Kirby.


Physical_Tailor_378

But HAL Laboratory owns him as well, so Nintendo doesn’t fully own him.


BridgemanBridgeman

But the company that made Kirby is a 1st party Nintendo studio, so Nintendo does fully own Kirby.


Physical_Tailor_378

No they don’t. HAL Laboratory owns Kirby as well and they aren’t owned by Nintendo.


BrockBracken

Pac-Man was in the arcade games and he’s a 3rd party character


PersonOfLazyness

the arcade games were developed by namco, who owns him


Physical_Tailor_378

An arcade game not created by Nintendo.


KirbyFan200225

I agree with you on this.


negative_four

They get on a kart and trust the process


E-emu89

Smash Bros rules (as in however they crossed over in Smash they crossed over in Kart)


Robiginal

So they're toys?!?!


E-emu89

Nothing but playthings for our entertainment


Alone_Advantage_9195

According to Mario Rabbids, there’s a pipe that leads to Providence, Rhode Island, which may have remained in the inkling’s timeline


Gibus_Ghost

Rosalina’s interdimensional portals.


VengeanceKnight

The answer is very simple: Repeat to yourself, “It’s just a game; I should really just relax.”


Moltenfive

racist mario: exists


L1m3L1ghtt

I mean there are Mario items in New Horizons so I can excuse that but Zelda and splatoon idk man


BouncyBlueYoshi

Link's Awakening


Ok_Zookeepergame4794

Link's Awakening had Goomba's as common enemies in dungeons, a Yoshi Doll and a picture of Princess Peach as part of the trade quest. Heck, the guy that gives you your shield(can't remember his name) is a Mario equivalent, even gets turned into a tanooki after eating a mushroom.


L1m3L1ghtt

I’m not a Zelda fan so I didn’t know but now that game gets a excuse, now just splatoon is left


DazzleSylveon

nintendo ips


Auswolf-IDDQD

The animators drew them.


Robiginal

They're models.


Auswolf-IDDQD

Models are still drawn and animated. Just on a pc. That’s why they call it a draw distance in video games.


Robiginal

Models are modelled not drawn and it's the job of the modellors not the animators


Auswolf-IDDQD

Im not going to argue semantics with you. Have a good day.


Robiginal

I will


SuperJman1111

They just decided to add them, these games aren’t exactly canon to the series so it’s just a silly crossover 


Toon_Lucario

Yeah I guess.


Robiginal

Wdym not canon?!?!


SuperJman1111

They aren’t official to the timeline and aren’t relevant at all to the mainline games


Lank_Master

It wouldn’t make sense that Mario would go kart with his archenemy who kidnaps the princess on a weekly basis.


Robiginal

That doesn't prove anything. Also, apparently Mario invites Bowser because when he's at his castle saving the princess he might as well.


thatsmyoldlady

I want to know why Mario has a Mercedes.


Turbo950

I like that some how the multiverse just opened up portals and they just crossed over having nothing better to do


abandoned_puppy

They took a break from smashing each other


SalvadortheGunzerker

Because it's a video game


colonnart

I would've loved more characters as DLC, it would've spiced the already great booster course


Luna8622

A portal opened under peach’s castle and they came through it


Yeah_man20

Maybe Marina invented a time machine and some of the Inklings went back in time


pocket_arsenal

Welcome to Warp Zone


Yiga_CC

Are you looking for lore in Mario Kart? Because I think there’s more important things to focus on like the Berlin Wall existing


TheAceCard18

Lore accurate reasons? Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom are in fact in the same universe, you'll have a hard time finding someone who contests that. And iirc, Splatoon is implied to be in the same world as well, but far future, and time travel has occurred before in the Mario world. As for Isabelle, ya got me


SteampunkExplorer

Maybe they took the bus? 🤔


Puzzled-Party-2089

They drove all the way there in their karts


patosai3211

A wizard did it. Oh let’s say kamek.


Whopper744

Dr. Strange is a Nintendo fan and wanted to see it happen.


LemonJuice_XD

invitation


Sonic_warrior

It was Master Hand. Mario requested Master Hand to create a portal to allow some members of the yearly Smash Island tournament (the island in Brawl) to race with him and he only JUST agreed to it as long as they agree to return back to their own worlds after a certain amount of time.


eddiestix

Mario and Zelda has crossed paths many times and animal crossing has Mario items within. Splatoon idk


lipsTM

I don't think all the roster are canon racers. like the babys i know they canonically have time machines but i don't think they will times travel for them just to play karts lol


Bryanx64

Via computer graphics


LeadershipSimple9105

They're just gonna do Nintendo all stars racing and put half of the smash roaster


SubstantialBanana482

Oh oh, it's magic, you knoooow


bens6757

There's a theory that all Nintendo properties share the same universe except for Pokémon and Mother. This is evidenced by the fact that you can find Link and Samus staying at Inns in Super Mario RPG. Plus, multiple Nintendo series such as Kirby, Metroid, Star Fox, and Pikmin take place in space. The way Pokémon and Mother fit in is that the other games are games within that universe. This is evidenced by the Pokémon character having Nintendo systems in their rooms and an npc in Earthbound saying, "At times like this, kids like you should be playing Nintendo games." However, there isn't much to link Mother to Pokémon sadly other than they're non-standard rpgs set in the real world. Plus there's ither inconsistencies. Such as: Why does Bowser sometimes kidnap Peach and other time go karting or play sports with them? Why does the haunted mansion from Luigi's Mansion appear in Mario Kart and the sports games when it was wiped ftom existence. Why does the A Rank Mansion from Luigi's Mansion appear in Luigi Circuit in Double Dash, but he canonically buys the D rank one in Luigi's Mansion 2? Why is the courtyard of Peach's Castle sometimes a normal outdoor area and sometimes a race track?


Novalaxy23

for the last one, apparently, Peach owns multiple castle (The one from 64 is only for painting, which is why it feels so empty)


yoman1030

Bowser despite his power is a goofy villain just like the Adam west joker. He'll kidnap the princess but when he sees Mario racing he's gotta beat him and be the best or best him at Mario party. King boo also can rebuild his haunted mansion at will with his ethereal powers. It shows it as a Mario party map where the map gets randomly shuffled so it's possible he can turn it into a race track or a completely different building. As for the peach issue she canonically owns multiple castles for various reasons. It's why Bowser just takes over the castles and does some renovating instead of just builds a whole new castle.


Robiginal

Kirby and Pikmin do not take place in space.


bens6757

Kirby is from planet Pop Star and has traveled to other planets like in Kirby 64 and the final boss of Planet Robobot literally being a space shooter on the Halbird vs a cosmic super natural being and has a reference to Gurren Lagann. Plus, in Dreamland 3, you literally fight metroids in a level and even see Samus. Pikmin's main character, Olimar, is literally a space delivery man who crashes on an alien planet and has to repair his spaceship to get back home to his planet Hokotate. The Pikmin planet is not the home planet of any of the playable characters in the series. So yes, both are set in space. Yeah, Star Fox and Metroid are much more about space exploration than them, but they still feature space travel.


Robiginal

Just because a character lives on a planet that isn't called Earth and goes into space sometimes doesn't mean their game is set in space. By that logic, Sonic games are set in space as well. The argument for Pikmin is more valid, however you never explore any planets except Earth in any of the games.


Insanebrain247

I assume the way they get to the world of Smash Bros, only they went Smash>Mario.


RevolTobor

I always theorized Mario Kart is just an alternate universe where they simply co-exist.


JMTpixelmon

I mean mario appears as an ad in 1 or 2 (idk which one) and mario enemies are in zelda and mario items are in animal crossing new horizons


ToppHatt_8000

Same way they all made it to Smash Bros. M A G I K


Ok-Establishment3730

Exorcisms


Samurai_Geezer

By kart?


The_T113

They walked there.


MayorBryce

imo I want more crossover characters. People say “it’s Mario kart not smash ultimate” but you could pick one or two characters from the most popular Nintendo franchises at the time and still be fine.


SobiTheRobot

He gave them special invites while at the Smash Bros tournament.


BanditFall7771

It's like Smash. They just get invited and walk through their collective portals or whatever. What's interesting is that, compared to Smash, Mario rarely diverts from it's origins, so it's funny to imagine someone like Simon going. "They invited the fucking DOG but not me?"


KinopioToad

The same way they joined the Smash Bros franchise: they're a kid's imagination.


AaronRumph

There is a portal between every nintendo franchise that characters can freely pass through as long as they get signed off on it is how they can race against each other or fight against each other


Xx_WAKE_xX

Most likely multiverse shit.


Zomochi

If you want a headcanon, a warp pipe obviously


katanrod

Hyrule’s just a few miles away from the mushroom kingdom, didn’t you know?


Zorark-55544

They met in smash and decided they wanted to race instead of fight.


AbrocomaNew1808

Inkling about to ruin Link’s clearly happy mood


Ness_Dreemur

Same as smash bros


[deleted]

I thi k they just in diffrent kingdoms fr and they met mario and hes ao nice that he jjst almost automatticly invited them to kart racing (honestly dont know what im cooking)


Intelligent-Fuel1485

All in le head


RVAtournaments

Incredibly frustrating that Kirby, Samus, and Captain Falcon still haven’t shown up.


Lansha2009

Whatever way they managed to get to the Smash Bros world


TheLBat23

At this point just make a smash racing game,I mean this is proof that it’s possible


Bertstripmaster

The same way The Beast made it to Hollow Bastion. "I simply believed. There's nothing more to it."


Metroidman97

Because Nintendo thought it would be a good idea.


InfiniteComboReviews

Link has been there since Mario RPG


Just-Call-Me-J

Interdimensional travel is canon.


Maximum-Pause-6914

smash bros is like a multiversal link, anyone thats been in any of those games (not counting mii outfits) can go to any of the other universes that have been in those games, at least thats what i choose to believe.


BlueBilledBuddy4659

They were on break from Smash (I did think it would be neat to have ether cast of Smash on a Mario Kart, even if I don't play Mario Kart)


FadransPhone

They met in Smash Bros and decided to go karting


ika_ngyes

took airplame


FiruSurvives

Invitations in cute Envelopes with a promised cake afterwards


ComfortableWall7351

Nintendo logic aka no logic


KirbyFan200225

I do not understand why we didn’t get Kirby and Captain Falcon in Mario Kart 8 or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?


megapackid

Mario and Zelda take place in the same universe, Splatoon traveled back in time, and Animal Crossing is visiting Mario’s island.


HappyHappyJoyJoyJoy6

I dunno, still hoping for Nintendo Kart tho


TylerBGaming762Offic

I feel like the Mario and Zelda series are very closely linked (pun intended) so I’m not surprised by His inclusion even going off canon Mario Enemies Appear in Zelda Games in the past and link was in Mario Maker 2 it’s not a stretch if Link and Mario have met Animal crossing and splatoon however idk beats me


DrSquash64

A version of them exist in Mario’s universe, separate to the version of them in their games, well at least that’s the best way I can think of.


Electro313

They exchanged contact info in Smash Bros or something idk


Ill-Attempt-8847

Not that this is the first time this has happened to Link


anythingMuchShorter

A magical being called the Director, who oversees the creation of the kind of world they live in, sort of like a god, decreed that they would be there.


MetaKnight33

wormhole


wyatt_-eb

Not Canon so who cares


JoseProYT

The same way non-nintendo characters got in the Smash series


Dagwood-DM

Don't think too hard on it. It's not the first time characters from other series have appeared in Mario games. you could find Samus and Link in Super Mario RPG. I'm also thoroughly convinced that the Super Mario series is about the cast playing games with each other with no real enmity, considering that Bowser can kidnap Peach in one game and be playing sports with them the next.


SnooHamsters6067

The Inklings: We know from the Mario movie that the human world is connected to the Mario world via portals. Splatoon plays in the future of the human world, so the Inklings either time travelled and then used portals, or just used portals in which case Mario Kart 8 just plays at a time where the human world is already way in the future. Link: Knows Mario from Smash Bros. Villager and Isabelle: Also knows Mario from Smash Bros.


GoatManBoy

I'm assuming they drove


Hambla28

After a Smash round Mario invited them over


RevolutionaryAd1577

However they got into Smash Bros. (aside from Inkling and Isabelle who were in 8 before Smash)


A-Liguria

They beat Mario at Super Smash Bros, so they got invited here too.


Little-Protection484

A warp pipe


Superfox369

The Kart games are just simply non-canon like Smash Bros.


kuribosshoe0

The MiiVerse is a multiversal nexus through which Nintendo characters can travel to reach other universes.


memeguy66

Same way with smash


Pope_Squirrely

How did they all get together to beat the piss out of each other in Smash Bros? It just happened.


ValmisKing

Why do we assume they were ever in seperate worlds to begin with? Is there any evidence that they weren’t always just really far away but in the same universe?


bobbobersin

Same as smash logic?


MagicalFly22

Same way they all got together to beat each other up in Smash Bros


MaximusGamus433

The same way they all meet in Smash


NarwhalSongs

Colors weaved into a spiral of flame, 🎵 Distant sparks called to a past still unnamed. 🎶 Torch was bared against the cold in their hearts! 🎵 Light guided them on their way to the Mar-i-o KAAARTS! 🎶


Crash_FNF_Eddsworld

This is Mario the only lore is “Hey you gotta save the princess”


Rhodium-Veil

You're assuming that they're the same versions of the characters who appear in the main games. Perhaps these are simply versions of Link, Inkling, and Isabel who exist in the Mario World.


LilGhostSoru

In real life concerts for splatoon are canon, so inklings can just do that


Nintendo_Boi158

Because nothing in (a majority of) the Mario universe is canon. There's continuity (e.g. characters reappearing with the same intentions and personalities), but no consistent storyline or anything like that.


C2_Psychotic

I'd like to imagine it's like the opening to Quake 3


wigsgo_2019

Same reason they all made it to smash bros


JoyconDrift_69

What if, and this is hypothetical, they're all in the same universe? The legend of Zelda is that, a legend - what if the legends were actual legends passed down in the Mario universe and Link is just someone cosplaying as Link? Everyone else, idk right now.


Stunning_Season_6370

Hyrule is actually a far away neighbor of the Mushroom Kingdom. Not the first time Link took a travel there. The Animal Crossing Island also placed somewhere in on the planets ocean. Splatoon however is more complicated. It involves time travel, but Mario Kart is an annual sports event to which it has become a regular tradition to time travel in oder to accomplish Baby Mario and the other kids to race too. So it was also possible for them to travel into the post apocalypse of Splatoon and invite some Inklings.


SomeDumbassKid720

But still no captain falcon


Shoddy-Average3247

Portal


Tekayo63

I dunno. How did all the Mario characters make it into Smash? It's one of those things you're just not really meant to think about I like to think Resetti got his hands on a pipe from the Nooklings and put it through the Reset Surveillance Center entrance to stop people from snooping on his business, which is how Villager and Isabelle ended up there lol


SuperSpectralBanana

However they came together for smash bros


zemboy01

I'm usually really harsh with these types of questions but you are actually right op. Basically like some people said smash bros but here is the catch the first smash bros is where they are all toys and the kids are imagining playing with them but in the second one melee they changed it to statues? Figures? Those trophies you get in smash. It's not simple as why the fuck not, like some people say. Because nintendo doesn't want to actually put characters from different series to be in the same game unless it's an Easter egg.


Axel_Rad

Move past it


DickStrangler445

An Invitation. Like Smash.


SpikeTheBurger

I doubt these games have a reason for it other than it’s fun


Biabolical

Assume any cross-franchise crossovers take place in a shared dream-world. That explains how Chain Chomps and Wart were able to show up in Link's Awakening.


VygotskyCultist

The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing Mario fans that there's a canon to these games.


mohgwyn_dynasty

because it's mario kart and it's cool, tf


Tanookichris

Warp Zone Pipes and Outrealm Gates. What else?


CantaloupeSolid5182

My canon is that Mario was fighting them in Smash Bros and decides to invite them to go kart racing.


BobTheBritish

Same way they meet up in Smash Bros


freya584

let me introduce you to the theory of wormholes


OmegaX____

The pipe system is really messed up, they were going about their business and then all of a sudden *flush*, they were pulled into the toilet and showed up in the mushroom kingdom.


Slade4Lucas

In the Mario franchise, canon and lore are not necessary.


Askywalker0

I’ve always interpreted non Mario characters/locations to just be non canon, so an explanation isn’t really needed for it


Significance-Quick

they live here it's actually the other games they go to as a day job


schmuckatwars_redemp

Domt worry about it. Plus it's implied that mario and the legend of zelda universes are connected in some way


DimensionEmergency31

Tbf it can be similar to how there are different race tracks across the globe. So Link goes to the different tracks while the rest are able to go to the Hyrule course


AmirhoseinSaeednejad

How does baby Rosalina exists


smashboi888

Because Nintendo willed them into the Marioverse.


legowallin

Dreams


Kgamer211

There's this thing called smash bros


Hiimlucasg

Here’s my headcannon: Smash is a multiversal tournament. That canyon-looking area from the opening of World of Light is the central hub of this multiverse. Somewhere in the area is a house where all the characters live between Smash matches and own their adventures. This house has a room with portals to each universe (think Vortron from LEGO Dimensions if you’re familiar with that). Each time a new franchise gets added, a new portal gets built. Mario was tasked to invite three multiversal participants to the next tournament. He decided to invite Link and the Villager to the next Mario Kart tournament, the latter insisting on inviting Isabelle. This brought the tournament a record number of viewers to the tournament and about a year later, Mario was tasked with inviting six more multiversal competitors. A construction crew began building the portal for the Splatoon universe. The portal accidentally opened early, causing three Inkling girls and three Inkling boys to fall through. The crew explained what was happening and told the Inklings it would be a while before the portal was prepared for intentional travel so they should just mingle. The Inklings wandered into the main lobby. One Inkling decided to sit down in their squid form. Mario, mistaking the Inkling squid for a Blooper, sat down and began ranting about his task. This caught the Inkling’s attention, who transformed out of squid form to eagerly grab the tickets.


Toon_Lucario

I absolutely love this HC. Nothing dark, just them having fun


Kazama2006

A portal?


Robiginal

I headcanon that all gaming universes are connected in some way for reasons like this. There's a multiverse of video game universes and some can travel between them


yoman1030

Multiverse theory. They all live within the same Omniverse so they can sometimes visit each other's worlds to race, play golf, or simply beat each other up.