A dataminer has uncovered something peculiar in the code of Mario Kart World. Spiny, a tiny little turtle-looking fella with a spiky shell, was meant to be a driver in the game.
This information was discovered by Bluesky user Benial, with Spiny’s internal name ‘Togezo’ listed alongside a selection of other characters. As of writing there’s been no model, animation, nor idea of how exactly Spiny would imagine such a feat discovered.
Spiny, for those who don’t know, is a menacing creature not particularly known for its driving prowess. ‘Spiny’ has long been the name for the enemies initially introduced in Super Mario Bros., and has been a staple of the Mario universe since 1985. With that angry look on his face and the spikes lining his shell, one would worry whether it’s a good idea to let them behind the wheel at all.
Hey, why not? Boo is a playable driver, and the veteran ghost character also doesn’t seem like the driving type. So Spiny may have made a great addition to the roster. Why is it my business whether Spiny has trouble driving a car or not; No one elected me to police the Rainbow Roads.
Mario Kart World is a great racing game that seems to have done well, even without Spiny behind the wheel. The game, as a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, was present during the console’s strong sales last year. The game has since received a selection of updates since its release, including a battle mode and team races to its tour mode.