Mario Kart Worldhas been the Nintendo Switch 2’s headlining game ever since the console was first revealed, and now a dedicated Nintendo Direct has offered a closer look at the next installment of the iconic kart racing series. The game’s open world is its defining feature – a first for the series – but discussion has largely revolved aroundMario Kart World’s high pricetag.
Excitement is still palpable, though, and Nintendo has delivered 15 minutes of information onMario Kart Worldin today’s Direct. It was broadcast and is still available on theNintendo of AmericaYouTube channel, and solely revolves around the launch title; there was not any information on other games, nor new info on the Nintendo Switch 2 itself. Check out our list of the biggest reveals below.
Biggest Reveals From The Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct
Mario’s Triumphant Kart Racing Return
Nintendo remained mum ahead of the Direct, but new information on the game has steadily trickled in since theNintendo Switch 2 Direct on April 2and the subsequent Nintendo Treehouse livestreams, including many ofMario Kart World’s confirmed courses, characters, and karts. The Direct took a deep but quick dive, though, so here’s all the major information Nintendo provided onWorld:
Eight new courses were shown off and named: Mario Bros. Circuit, Crown City, Salty Salty SPeedway, Starview Peak, Boo Cinema, Toad’s Factory, Peach Beach, and Wario Shipyard.
Races can be initiated at any time duringMario Kart World’s persistent day/night cycle.
Three new racers were specifically highlighted and named: Goomba, Spike, and Cow (of Moo Moo Meadows fame). Here isevery confirmedMario Kart Worldracer.
Grand Prix and Knockout Tour areMario Kart World’s two primary game modes, each supporting the brand-new 24-player races.
Mario Kart World’s Rainbow Roadwas teased as a reward for winning every Grand Prix. Rainbow Road has been the final track unlocked in everyMario Karttitle.
New items were named and shown in clips: Coin Shell, Ice Flower, Hammer, Mega Mushroom, Feather, and Kamek, whose magic has a variety of random effects.
Accessibility options and alternate control schemes were revealed, like automatic steering and tilt controls.
Picking up Dash Food in the open world will unlock new outfitsinspired by the meal; outfits can be chosen from the character select screen.
A new trick called Charge Jump is performed by holding the drift button while driving straight – it provides a boost and can be used to avoid obstacles.
A Rewind feature has been implemented to let you instantly retry sections of a race or get another attempt at reaching a shortcut, but Rewind does not affect your opponents while in a race.
Multiple secondary game modes were confirmed to be returning inMario Kart World, including Time Trials, VS Race, Teams races, Balloon Battle, and Coin Runners.
Puzzles and missions can be found throughout the open world during Free Roam, and are activated by hitting P Switches. Shown examples include collecting blue coins while grinding on a set of wires, or completing an offroad time trial by driving through checkpoints.
Free Roam includes many collectibles, like hidden Peach Medallions and “? Panels” that can be activated by driving into them.
Local co-op options include four-player split-screen and eight-player wireless play, both of which support the full 24-player races, with empty slots filled with bots.
It’s possible to join your friends in a Free Roam session, which also acts as a sort of private lobby from which you can access a variety of game modes together.
Our Take: Mario Kart World Direct Wasn’t Groundbreaking, But It’s Exciting Nonetheless
Mario Kart Practically Sells Itself
TheMario Kart WorldNintendo Direct had a handful of minor reveals, like course names and some of the new items, butit was otherwise largely a rehash of information already revealedin the Switch 2 Direct and the Nintendo Treehouse streams. This isn’t surprising; despite the novelty ofWorld’s Free Roam,Mario Kartis largely a known quantity, and anyone keen on new info has likely watched the Switch 2 Direct already. It’s still a little disappointing thatMario Kart Worldis one of only two newSwitch 2 launch day exclusives(the other beingNintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour), but it’s hard not to get excited about a newMario Kart.
It’s obvious why so much attention is being given toWorld:Mario Kart 8 Deluxehas been a tremendous success for Nintendo as the Switch’s bestseller, andWorldis practically guaranteed to continue the series' reign. Still, there’s a lot of pressure on one game to carry a new console’s launch window almost alone –Donkey Kong Bananzawon’t arrive until over a month later – and especially with its high asking price, many might wait to pick upMario Kart Worldand a Switch 2 until there are more games to play.
Source:Nintendo of America/YouTube
Mario Kart World
Developed and published by Nintendo, Mario Kart World is the long-awaited sequel to Mario Kart 8. A sprawling, interconnected world features 24 racers navigate dynamic terrains and shifting weather. The Knockout Tour mode intensifies competition with eliminations at checkpoints, while Free Roam offers a leisurely exploration filled with secrets.
