Mario Kart World amps up the chaos with more characters & racers than ever

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As a devoted gamer, I’ve been eagerly waiting for a fresh Mario Kart adventure since Mario Kart 8 Deluxe dropped nearly eight years ago. Despite Nintendo consistently rolling out updates, it’s high time we got a worthy successor. The gaming community has been brimming with curiosity about where the franchise might head post MK8D. Now, it seems that the masterminds at Nintendo have an intriguing response to our collective wonderings – they’re cooking up something fantastic called Mario Kart World!

During the demonstration of Mario Kart World on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, we witnessed two distinct modes. Initially, it was a conventional Grand Prix-style racing mode. However, what stood out was the second mode – a wild and frenetic multiplayer race involving 24 participants from around the globe, which can only be described as pure mayhem.

Upon launching Mario Kart World for the first time, players will immediately appreciate the enhanced graphical quality. Unfortunately, Nintendo didn’t disclose specific details such as the game’s resolution or frames per second during the demonstration. However, I can assure you that it appears more polished compared to its predecessor on the Switch.

Although enhanced visuals were appealing, what truly stood out during the demo was immersing oneself in expansive new terrains featuring numerous routes and a plethora of opportunities to strain friendships further by leveraging an increased arsenal of questionably fair power-ups.

There’s a wide array of character choices, including unique versions like Cowboy Mario and Biker Bowser. It promises an exciting experience to witness how creative Nintendo gets with customizing characters, karts, and more. The Cow from Moo Moo Meadows might be tough to top as the most popular new racer, but I’m eager to see what the developers are brewing up with these fresh possibilities.

In Mario Kart World, players can perform wall rides and drive on hovercrafts over water, which introduces unique racing styles distinct from those found in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Moreover, a glider mechanic has been swapped out for an aircraft transformation while airborne, making it feel like the classic game Diddy Kong Racing.

In the game, the power slide offers a distinct sensation, making it simpler to execute tight maneuvers. All the races I participated in at the press event utilized rolling starts, giving players an unusual yet effective experience for achieving a well-timed, boosted launch.

One observation I’ve made after numerous races is the presence of rubber banding, which seems more prominent with the addition of 24 racers in multiplayer Mario Kart. This has certainly increased the overall mayhem! In each race, instead of just four players at the bottom, there are now eight. Compared to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this feels significantly different, and I’m still a bit frustrated about how my recent Knockout Tour race concluded.

Nintendo recently revealed that they’ll be holding a Mario Kart World Direct in the upcoming weeks, giving us a sneak peek into new gameplay modes and other features of their first open-world Mario Kart game. Fans will quickly notice similarities to non-Nintendo racing games such as Forza Horizon and Burnout Paradise. With high expectations following Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this upcoming game has me buzzing with anticipation for more details and gameplay when it releases alongside the Switch 2 on June 5.

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2025-04-03 16:32