MTG Aetherdrift embraces its racing theme with sneaky Mario Kart references

Magic: The Gathering is no stranger to a few hidden references in its cards but Aetherdrift’s Mario Kart callbacks take the cake.

If you’re hoping to experience a new iteration of Mario Kart before the next installment launches on the Nintendo Switch 2, look no further than Magic: The Gathering’s upcoming set. MTG Aetherdrift takes players to the Ghirapur Grand Prix and Wizards of the Coast has gone all in on the racing theme.

Newly revealed cards have shown off the potential for high-octane action and an understandable focus on Vehicles. With a long list of racing-oriented media to draw inspiration from, some crossovers were inevitable.

Initially revealed by the crew at Polygon, two cards from MTG Aetherdrift reference an iconic racing franchise. Spikeshell Harrier and Daring Mechanic should be very familiar to anyone who has pulled up to the starting line of a Mario Kart track.

Wizards of the Coast

MTG Aetherdrift’s Mario Kart references are too much

Spikeshell Harrier might be a little more subtle in its homage but you don’t have to squint particularly hard to see the fearsome blue Spiny Shell. In Mario Kart, the infamous weapon hunts down the player in first place and forces them into a long crash animation that can devastate their lead.

The five-cost Blue Artifact Creature plays a similar role in MTG Aetherdrift. Not only does it halt your opponent’s plans by returning a creature or vehicle to their hand, it also plays into the brand-new Speed mechanic and will slow them down.

There are a number of cards in Aetherdrift that offer bonuses depending on your level of Speed with powerful effects rewarding players who reach Max Speed. Losing any of it would feel just as bad as getting hit with a blue Spiny Shell.

This next card is a lot more on the nose when it comes to its Mario Kart inspirations.

Wizards of the Coast

While it doesn’t have as many flavorful implications as Spikeshell Harrier, you can’t tell us that Daring Mechanic isn’t meant to represent Nintendo’s iconic mascot. Sure he’s decked out in orange instead of red, and he went into a different trade, but that mustache and cap are definitely a Mario cosplay.

Daring Mechanic is a three-cost White Artificer that will buff your Vehicles with a +1/+1 counter but we’re uncertain if we’ve ever seen any references to Mario’s mechanical skill in the games.

You’ll be able to get your hands on both of these cards when MTG Aetherdrift releases on February 14, 2025.