Mario Kart Worldreviews 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 Worldreviewsnote 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 theMariofranchise has been drawing so much attention. Yet despite serving as the flagship title for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch,Mario Kart Worldis 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.
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 inMario 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 theday of the Nintendo Switch 2’s launchthat 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 inMario Kart Worldup until the release date. Game Rant reached out to Kelly for clarification on whether she had recorded lines forMario Kart Worldbefore 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 morerecent games likeSuper Mario Party JamboreeandMario & Luigi: Brothership, would be reused.
This Isn’t the First Time the Treatment of Mario Voice Actors Has Caused Controversy
Interestingly, a similar situation unfolded in 2023 whenMario’s voice actor of 32 years was replacedinSuper 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 thecredits ofMario Kart Worldeither. While this wasn’t surprising news to everyone, considering he wasn’t credited in spin-off titles likeMario Kart TourorMario 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 onMario & Luigi: BrothershipandPrincess Peach: Showtime, and his last credit on a coreMario Kartgame wasMario Kart 8in 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.
