Mario Kart i

For the DSi. Released on October 2, 2009 in Japan and October 9, 2009 worldwide.

Characters
M = Medium Vehicle

S = Small Vehicle

L = Large Vehicle

If Shy Guy doesn’t count as a newcomer (with colors of him being playable in MKDS’ Multiplayer mode), then this is the only Mario Kart game after Super Circuit without any newcomers.

Starters

 * Mario (M)
 * Luigi (M)
 * Peach (M)
 * Yoshi (M)
 * Toad (S)
 * Koopa Troopa (S)
 * Donkey Kong (L)
 * Bowser (L)

Unlockable

 * Wario (L)
 * Waluigi (L)
 * Rosalina (L)
 * Daisy (M)
 * Toadette (S)
 * Dry Bones (S)
 * Shy Guy (S)
 * Birdo (M)
 * Mii (M)

Returning

 * Mushroom
 * Triple Mushroom
 * Banana
 * Triple Banana
 * Green Shell
 * Triple Green Shell
 * Red Shell
 * Triple Red Shell
 * Spiny Shell
 * Fake Item Box
 * Blooper
 * Boo
 * Star
 * Bullet Bill
 * Lightning
 * Thundercloud

New

 * Fire Flower - Player throws fireballs at opponents
 * Oil Drum - Throwing it will have it make a puddle of oil in which anyone could slip on

Nitro Tracks
(information about these courses will most likely come soon)

Mushroom Cup

 * Peach Circuit
 * 8-Bit Road
 * Booland
 * Aqua Aqua Aquarium

Flower Cup

 * Pipe World
 * Angry Sun Canyon
 * Yoshi’s Island (first non-looping course)
 * Mario Circuit

Star Cup

 * Koopa Atoll
 * Thundercloud Alley
 * Piranha Park
 * Starry Drive (second non-looping course; only one that ends in a different place from where it starts)

Gold Dash Cup (represented by Golden Mushroom)

 * Wario Circuit
 * DK Rainforest
 * Alpine Parkway
 * Scrambled Supermarket

Special Cup

 * Waluigi Casino
 * Banzai Battlegrounds (final non-looping course)
 * Bowser’s Castle
 * Rainbow Road

Shell Cup

 * DS Figure 8 Circuit
 * SNES Ghost Valley 1
 * GBA Riverside Park
 * Wii Luigi Circuit

Banana Cup

 * SNES Choco Island 1
 * GBA Boo Lake
 * DS Shroom Ridge
 * Wii DK Summit

Leaf Cup

 * SNES Koopa Beach 1
 * N64 Wario Stadium (converted to section track)
 * GBA Yoshi Desert
 * GCN Mushroom City

Spiny Cup (represented by Spiny (Blue) Shell)

 * Wii Toad's Factory
 * DS Mario Circuit
 * GBA Snow Land
 * SNES Ghost Valley 3

Lightning Cup

 * SNES Bowser Castle 2
 * GBA Bowser Castle 4
 * GCN Bowser's Castle
 * DS Bowser's Castle

Retro Tracks

 * The walls in SNES Ghost Valley 1 and SNES Ghost Valley 3 are now solid
 * Luigi Circuit removes the trick ramp due to their being no tricks in the game
 * DK Summit removes the trick ramps due to their being no tricks in the game
 * Mushroom City has less cars due to hardware limitations
 * Toad's Factory replaces the ramp off the factory with a cannon-like ramp (albeit not making the noises of characters and vehicles being launched from said ramps, similar to the N64 DK’s Jungle Parkway ramp in Mario Kart Wii)
 * As stated above, Wario Stadium is now a section track.

Trivia

 * It’s soundfont sounds somewhat like a fusion between those of DS Beta (which in itself, resembles that of Double Dash), DS Final, and Wii.
 * This game introduces the concept of sectioned tracks, with Lakitu having signs reading “Section 2” and “Final Section” instead of “Lap 2” and “Final Lap” respectively.
 * Spectators that aren’t in sets of bleachers are 2D Sprites that function similarly to the Piantas in MKDS’ Delfino Square, except now, the variety is more diverse, including more Pianta colors (some of which are Female instead of Male), Toads, Shy Guys, Hammer Bros, Yoshis (which only appear in the Yoshi’s Island track), and Miis.
 * The texture for spectators in bleachers is somewhat of a pixelated version of the various different crowds seen in bleachers in Mario Kart Wii. (including those of various Mario Species and Miis)
 * If this game were to actually exist, Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe would probably have to have their names be changed to Mario Kart 3DS, Mario Kart U, and Mario Kart U Deluxe respectively. (all three games would have the Lucky 7, in which its’ number would then have nothing to do with the game it debuted in)