>>535822306
>the main racing mode is pretty boring and not as fun as a mario kart race.
Not quite wrong, but not quite right. Air Ride's... uhh, Air Ride, is pretty lackluster on its own, that's for sure, but the addition of the checklists onto the mix serves for a fresh and complete experience for the little it has to offer. Mario Kart, on the other hand (and I'm using Wii as an example here), offers you a meaty experience right off the gate, but it unfortunately loses its novelty once you've gone through at least 50% of it.
Air Ride encourages you to experiment with every little thing there is, tracks, machines, enemies... Mario Kart encourages you to find your comfort way to play and get things done from there.

I say there's a balance in which one lacks what the other is great at... and if you were combine them both, you'd have a winning formula.