Monetization seems like another thing MK8D has over CTR:NF from the looks of it. From what I can tell MK8D only has simple DLC packs that add more tracks and characters where CTR:NF had a whole battle pass arrangement with the usual loads and loads of ugly skins and cosmetics. When I first unlocked all the DLC and Pit Stop content I went at all the ugly character recolors and distracting, animated skins that were suddenly populating my races. Oh cool, it's a green Neo Cortex whose tires leave behind rainbows

(not antinatalist, but do hate mk8d babies)

I don't care for them either. Mario and Luigi don't even have the same art style as their adult counterparts, looking like they're from some European comic book. I actually think the character selection is a bit lame overall in Mario Kart 8D. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge Nintendo head but so much of it is wasted on random generic Mario mooks who don't have much personality. Nintendo has so many franchises but the only ones represented here outside of Mario are Donkey Kong, Animal Crossing, F-Zero and Zelda. Where the fuck is Pokemon??? That's like an entire game's worth of track concepts right there.

There's a pc kart racer in development that looks promising called Oh Baby Kart. It doesn't look as bad as most PC kartracers, at least from early screens.

I probably wouldn't care about a kart racer without an established license even if it was good, sadly. It feels weirdly integral to the entire appeal of the genre