The set it apart from the previous Mario Kart games: hints at a 24-player mode, new vehicles, and, more obviously, an all-new art style.
Nowhere is that art style more noticeable than in Donkey Kong's new design, which was highlighted by X (formerly Twitter) DiscussingFilm in a post juxtaposing the classic and original designs. In the trailer, he's seen with a wider, flatter face, a larger dark space around his eyes, and almost comically large arms that extend well beyond the borders of his beleaguered kart. Players like @yoshipudding almost immediately emerged with a theory: that Donkey Kong's new design was based on the film version of the character, as he appeared in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Donkey Kong Is Redesigned For The New Mario Kart Game
Among Other Important Details
Donkey Kong's redesign was the most noticeable, but upon closer inspection, some fans noticed that other character models appeared to have been altered, too. For example, Mario appears to have been reproportioned to more closely resemble his model in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, as indicated by @Space_Plumber. Other Mario Wonder characters, like Peach and Luigi, may have also undergone a similar transformation - it's difficult to see in the short trailer.
Also up for discussion was the track itself. Some, like @KirPinkFury noticed that the road, extending into the distance well beyond the camera's perspective, seemed to suggest a more "open-world" kind of Mario Kart game. They also suggested the road in front of Yoshi's burger stand looked a little like a pit stop, which is indeed possible, but as an alternative suggestion: it may also be a drive-through.
Either way, it looks like Mario Kart 9 (or whatever it'll be called) will be an entirely different kind of game from what fans are used to. Whether that's for the better will only become clearer once Nintendo reveals more details.
DK's Design May Be To Line Up Better With The Movie Version
A DK Revival, Or Something Else?
It's clear that Donkey Kong has been redesigned for the new Mario Kart game, and that his new render looks quite a bit more like his movie design than his old one did. However, it seems unlikely that this is part of a widespread effort to make the wider Mario cast look more like they did in the movie, to create some kind of aesthetic synergy. The Mario brothers', Bowser's, and Peach's designs in the trailer make that clear enough.
Perhaps this new redesign is part of an effort to revive his mostly-defunct spinoff series. With the recent release of Donkey Kong Country for the Switch, and an all-new look for the ape himself, Nintendo might have big plans for DK in the very near future.
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However, another possibility that most fans have yet to consider: what if Mario Kart 9 will give its racers various "skins", not unlike the alternate costumes in the Smash Bros. series? That has the potential to be a fun addition (as long as they're free): players could choose, say, a more retro version of Donkey Kong, his long-standing current render based on his appearance in Donkey Kong Country, or a movie-inspired version. Other characters could also have alternate skins - think Toon Link, Paper Mario, or a wider variety of Animal Crossing villagers.
Still, we arguably know less about the new Mario Kart game than we do about the Switch 2 at this point. With the next Nintendo Direct scheduled for October, it could be quite a while before we learn why exactly Donkey Kong looks so different in this first appearance. Hopefully, that Direct will include lots of new info about the Mario Kart game.
Sources: DiscussingFilm/X, @yoshipudding/X, Nintendo of America/YouTube, @Space_Plumber/X, @KirPinkFury/X
