Mario Kart World Review – A Worthy Marquee Launch Game

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Nintendo appeared somewhat tardy in tailoring Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a simple Switch adaptation of a Wii U game, to its ever-growing popularity, outperforming all predictions by standing as the best-selling game on one of their most prosperous platforms. As the flagship title for the launch of the Switch 2, Mario Kart World is anticipated to be among the games most synonymous with the system throughout its entire lifespan. The task at hand was developing a new game that was worthy enough to uphold such expectations. By incorporating skillful mechanical adjustments, appealing visuals, and a design philosophy centered around delightful surprises, this game is expected to endure.

In Mario Kart World, the most distinctive aspect is its expansive, interconnected map, which plays a significant role in shaping the game’s name, image, and mechanics. For the first time in the franchise’s history, races aren’t isolated tracks; instead, they are integrated into one large, continuous map. Familiar landmarks like Bowser’s Castle or Moo Moo Meadows are physically linked to each other via highways and byways. The Grand Prix cups, which typically serve as the narrative campaign in a Mario Kart game, are simply routes traversing this world, just as a real street race might block off a specific path.

In that context, the races in the latest Mario Kart are more diverse than ever. Since its last release, Nintendo has allowed its characters and worlds to be used in theme park rides, giving the tracks a thrilling roller coaster-like feel. Just like a well-designed ride, each track presents unexpected twists and challenges that keep things visually engaging and fun to play. For example, you might race through a savannah filled with cute, rotund animals such as zebras, or find yourself suddenly confronted by Tokotoko enemies from Super Mario Land in a desert area. The tracks may even send you soaring through the air or have you navigate treacherous waters. This is a delight for longtime Nintendo fans, as the abundance of references to their games goes much further than it has before.

In Mario Kart World, the character selection is exclusively focused on characters from the Mushroom Kingdom. While previous versions like Mario Kart 8 featured characters such as Link and Isabella, this one keeps things within the kingdom and introduces a wide variety of new characters. This includes familiar faces like Mario, Bowser, and Toad along with some unexpected choices such as Swoop the bat, Para-Biddybud the insect, and the frog-like Coin Coffer. Additionally, Cow, who has already gained popularity through game promotions, adds an extra layer of excitement with her charming presence.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but marvel at the diverse costume options for the iconic Mario characters in Mario Kart World. For instance, when I play as Toad, I might find myself sporting a snazzy racing helmet inspired by his mushroom cap, or suddenly transform into a train engineer. The unpredictable twists on the tracks and the extensive roster are already mind-blowing, but the sheer abundance of costumes adds another layer to the game’s unexpected charm.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve found that the process of unlocking characters and costumes in Mario Kart World feels like a bit of an intricate puzzle, and it seems intentional that the game doesn’t provide a clear roadmap for how this works. Sometimes, you might find the same costume multiple times through Dash Snacks, only to discover a new character or costume unlocked when someone uses a Magikoopa item. While I can understand how completionists might find this frustrating as they strive to complete their roster with all associated costumes, I’m choosing to embrace the game on its own terms. It appears that the developers are designing it for long-term play, doling out unlocks seemingly at random and gradually, which I’m content to go along with.

The less engaging collectibles in this game are stickers, which you receive by completing various in-game challenges. These serve as the customization options for Mario Kart World, but they fall short compared to the mix-and-match kart creation of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, especially since you can only equip one at a time.

I find it slightly frustrating that most of the enlarged team doesn’t have unique costume options. This gives the character creatures a less important feel, and I tend to avoid using them when I know there are more costumes to acquire if I choose characters from the main crew. However, this unlock system does motivate me to experiment with characters I don’t usually play as, such as Wario or Bowser, because I want to collect all their stylish outfits. Despite my preference for lighter characters, I find myself spending more time playing as these heavier ones now.

The appeal of Mario Kart World stands out significantly due to its breathtaking appearance and role as an impressive demonstration of Switch 2’s enhanced power. Nintendo has always been exceptional in visual design, with games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe retaining a vibrant, playful aesthetic that doesn’t appear old-fashioned even today. However, Mario Kart World showcases Nintendo’s artistic prowess combined with the added muscle of the new hardware, resulting in an astonishing spectacle. It’s like stepping into a lively cartoon world, filled with delightful details such as character facial expressions that only reveal themselves when you explore Photo Mode.

In a connected world, lessons blur into one another, which I often find entertaining yet occasionally disconcerting. During a Grand Prix, for instance, it can happen that a stage starts with an entirely unique visual aesthetic compared to where it ends. This transition is interesting to observe, but at times, I yearn for when each course had its own distinct visual style and identity, separate from anything else.

The final stage of the Grand Prix competition, known as Rainbow Road, is the unique instance among courses that exists independently from the world. What sets it apart is its distinctiveness compared to other tracks. Throughout the history of Mario Kart, there have been numerous versions of Rainbow Road, but this one might just become my all-time favorite. It’s an awe-inspiring spectaclea visual feast that highlights the game’s sights and sounds up until that point, and a lengthy, diverse race that stands alone as a marathon in its own right.

Of course, Mario Kart wouldn’t be Mario Kart without introducing fresh abilities for you to grasp. The series has been known for offering a user-friendly starting point while still challenging advanced players. Even beginners can dive into Mario Kart World, but skilled racers will have more opportunities than ever to shine. New items like the Feather and Hammer are available alongside familiar ones. MKW introduces a slight adjustment by automatically trailing certain items such as Green Shells behind you instead of letting you do so at your discretion. This change benefits newcomers by reducing the number of things they need to focus on, while also increasing the chance of losing an item when targeted by a Blue Shell or Lightning Bolt.

The key ability to learn, however, is the Charge Jump. This technique offers veterans a fresh tactic for use on straight paths, mimicking the charge they’d do with a power-slide during turns. Unlike ramps or Feathers, it’s smaller, but still large enough to evade an attack or leap over an obstacle if timed correctly. It synergizes beautifully with the new stunting system, enabling you to grind on rails and bounce off walls, which also provides a speed boost. The off-road segments occasionally lead into water, where the vehicle automatically transforms into an aquatic one, handling like in Wave Race with its choppy wave mechanics.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but express my excitement about Nintendo’s innovative approach in this latest installment. They’ve masterfully combined a fresh set of mechanics with an unparalleled level of refinement and applied it to a diverse range of gameplay options that exceed anything the series has ever offered before.

Just like before, you can engage in Grand Prix, VS, and time trials. But what sets this apart is the significantly enhanced Battle Mode, which no longer feels like a secondary feature. The battle arenas are familiar locations from the map, but this time they’ve been transformed into closed loops to ensure intense encounters. This aggressive playstyle adds an extra layer of thrill, and even small maneuvers like a swift 180-degree turn can make all the difference in high-stakes gameplay.

The standout feature among the latest updates is the Knockout Tour. Since it’s one uninterrupted world, you can design extended paths across it, forming the foundation for the Knockout Tour. This new gameplay mode maximizes the use of the increased 24-player count by gradually eliminating players at each checkpoint, leading to nerve-wracking instances as you persistently compete to advance to the next round. It’s a perfect balance – it’s not as fleeting as a quick VS race, but it doesn’t require the same dedication as a Grand Prix.

The Knockout Tour stands out as an exceptional demonstration of the escalated number of players in online multiplayer. Although I felt that the 24-player element was a bit shallow during single-player, where the final group of racers tended to lag significantly behind and didn’t impact the game much, participating in a full crowd of players over the internet is an entirely distinct experience. It transforms the traditional kart racer into a boisterously chaotic party game. Despite the track dimensions and item distribution appearing to be adjusted for the larger player count, you’ll frequently collide with other players, which seems intentional.

waiting for a complete match in online games can take quite some time due to the increased number of players. The game’s free roam feature is useful during this wait, but the waiting times can be unpredictable – sometimes it’s quick and efficient, while other times I find myself wandering around for several minutes looking for a full lobby. It appears that finding a standard race takes longer than a Knockout Tour, though your experience may differ. Once paired with other players for a race, however, the group remains together for voting on the next race, which is convenient as you don’t have to search all over again.

As a fan, I’ve been really enjoying the freedom of roaming in this game, and it’s great that I can do it anytime from the main menu, not just while waiting in the lobby. While Nintendo seems to have primarily designed this feature for socializing and exploring with friends, I find the open world feels a bit sparse. However, there are some exclusive activities within free roam mode that add a fun twist, such as briefly commandeering an 18-wheeler or completing quick P-Switch challenges. These tasks, like reaching high vantage points or navigating around falling boulders, provide brief distractions, but the rewards for completing them—even more stickers—ultimately feel rather modest.

Mario Kart World is an expansive, humorous follow-up that builds upon and enhances the elements that made Mario Kart 8 Deluxe such a lasting hit. It offers an exhilarating and satisfying kart racing adventure that’s both accessible for beginners yet complex enough to delight seasoned racers. The game’s visuals are stunning, making it a standout title for the Switch 2. It’s unlikely this game won’t replicate the long-term success of its predecessor, as it ranks among the best in the series and is a fitting flagship game for the debut of a new Nintendo console.

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2025-06-10 00:10