That explains some things.

Thanks for explaining why you thought that...

...Why do you think that? Both of their online interfaces were fine, they both had smooth online (for me), and they both had online extras. (Like the battle theme.)

I like how Double Dash really took the franchise to another level. Allowing for more playable characters and the ability to switch drivers to score extra items. I hope Nintendo recaptures this idea!

I think it would be cool if we could customize how our carts react in different enviornments so instead of having to build your cart with sponge wheels and making your cart travel slower on land so you can be better underwater, I think you should be able to turn into a boat or a submarine with different parts like instead of having wheels, choose a different propeller and instead of just being able to travel  underwater, how about give an option for a boat to be able to on the water. For land, travel in a cart, a bike, a car ect. and for air, an airplane, a handglider, or just your cart with wings or the old handglinger. So in an escene yeah, make it like Sonic transformed a bit, but still leave the core speed of the game that is Mario Kart there. For gamepad useage? I'd expect a map(obviously), off TV play and obviously 5 player split screen. I hope this game feels a bit more loose though, even though I love 7 to death. I think Wii felt a little most loose when driving and drifting.

Actually, my childhood SMK and MK64 experiences were social, but  even in multiplayer the AI is nasty. 

Miyamoto has stated in the last year or two that Mario Kart as it exists in it's current form is where it will stay, as it is highly successful and doesn't require much meddling in the game-play mechanics.

Mario Kart 8 will be a natural, predictable extension of Mario Kart 7. Gorgeous HD visuals thanks to the Wii U capabilities, Off-TV Play, robust online multiplayer, tons of racers and courses, and some tinkering/improving/iterating with the hang-gliding and underwater elements. Don't expect anything beyond that, or you will be disappointed.

Mario Kart is so popular because it knows what it is and it keeps things simple. Playing it safe is the best thing they can do to achieve high sales and the much-needed cross-over appeal to casual players just like Mario Kart Wii.

Well for now yes, but we don't know how that might change in the future.

I mean just look at pokemon.

Except for the inevitable jump into being fully 3D due to the hardware capabilities, as well as a zoomed-in camera, Pokemon X/Y looks to be much the same as all previous entries in the series.  Or are you referring to something else?