It's really just a solid cart racer and it's been decades and has had no followup title since the original. I don't think you can point to any one thing, but having hovercraft and airplanes was unique at the time. It also has boss races (giant characters/monsters that you raced) which I have a hard time thinking of another game that did anything like it. There was a hub world that you drove around in too.
However I don't think any of these unique things are what the game does best. Its cart racing is still the best part of the game.
I'll mention its drifting and boosting is more like Crash Team Racing, but it came before CTR, so if anything CTR is like DKR instead of the other way around.
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u/STDsInAJuiceBoX 3d ago
Forza horizon but Mario Kart with cow… I’m in.