Mario Kart World Review

A new era and a new console: the Nintendo Switch 2 launches with a fresh spin on the iconic kart racer. Is Mario Kart World worthy of the Mario Kart crown?

It’s been over a decade since the last big Mario Kart release, Mario Kart 8, Nintendo’s first steps into a HD experience for the series. Ported to Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe then became the biggest and bestselling entry in the series to date with 48 additional tracks via the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Booster Course Pass.

Nintendo had a challenge brewing up a flagship launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. With over 68 million copies of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold, how could the developer 1-up the karting formula? The clue’s in the title: open world. The Mario Kart team started work on the new entry using original Nintendo Switch hardware but needed more power to fully realise their ambitious concepts. Here’s where the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware slides into play.

From the moment a character drifts onto the start screen, you can immediately start driving at the press of a button. As the world sets into view, there’s a vast sense of scale and space – this truly is the Mushroom Kingdom. It’s brimming with the signature Super Mario Bros charm, packed full of intricate detail, effects and colour.

This is what Nintendo dub, “Free Roam”. It’s essentially a sandbox spread across deserts, cities, and tropical plains, filled with challenges, secrets, and collectibles – all discoverable at your own pace. Crucially, the difference is that you’re not confined to roads when it comes to Free Roam. As the title suggests, feel free to take a detour by driving alongside wildebeest or perhaps convert into a jet ski and use a river as a shortcut! Off-road features kick in automatically, no menus or buttons, as modifications swap in and out seamlessly.

This unbound sense of freedom is what makes Free Roam in Mario Kart World absolutely compelling, coupled with dynamic weather effects and chirpy NPCs wandering about. The game feels far more expressive this time round, with the developers inviting a bigger sense of play. Characters are packed full of their distinct personalities and vehicles bounce with elastic charm. Even crashes – frequent, in this reviewer’s case – are full of personality. This Mario Kart game takes itself far less seriously, in a good way, and makes the whole world feel more alive.

There are activities. Missions are triggered by P-Switch or ad hoc races, and it works well to break up the pace. Some are simple: zip through a handful of gates, whilst others are genuinely challenging, requiring a fair bit of kart trickery to reach the goal! There is a lot of potential to flesh out the Free-Roam mode in the future, too, if Nintendo ever opt for DLC. Additional missions like food delivery quests or a taxi mode would be great to see.

The open world methodology also extends to the track design. Each of the game’s 32 tracks is cleverly designed as part of the environment, with paths and road leading into and out of them. Some fit into the landscape a little more naturally than others, but overall, it shows just how much care was put into building a cohesive set of tracks.

The blended tracks fit into the races too, in what Nintendo call “intermission” laps. These are connected paths between the previous track and the next, which take place as a route within the open world. A final lap takes place on the destination track. It’s a refreshing twist on the traditional 3-lap system, and one that makes Grand Prix feel grander. Intermission laps have had a mixed reception, but it is a smart twist that makes the open world approach make sense.

Being able to see how one track connects to another, and the varying routes really does add to overall track count. It’s something that may not be immediately obvious when loading up Mario Kart World.

The journey is complemented by a vast and deep soundtrack to keep things flowing. Nintendo’s sound selection usually hits all the high notes and Mario Kart World is no exception – classic songs from across the Super Mario Bros roster nod along in the background, with a medley of fresh musical styles on rotation. The constant shuffle during the open world segments as day turns to night make the ride even more alluring! It’s a shame there’s no jukebox or option to adjust background music volume. Something Nintendo could certainly remedy in the future.

Where Mario Kart games always excel of course, is the multiplayer. Local split-screen options are available for those who prefer traditional couch play, as well as online public and private lobbies. Friend rooms do have more customisation, whereas public lobbies rely on voting for the next track. Most track options feature intermission laps, with the odd 3-lap option also popping up at times. There really is a big focus on driving from track to track with friends online.

Those who do prefer the connected routes, can also try the new Knockout Tour. Think Fall Guys meets Mario Kart, with only the top set of players progressing to the next segment. It’s quite something seeing up to 24 competitors dash to make the cut, and it works! Each round of the tour takes around 10-15 minutes, offering a healthy amount of competition for a quick round or two. Or maybe a few more. Okay, a lot more.

Battle mode and community features, including the new Nintendo Switch 2 camera support, round out the online options. It is a shame to see some of the modes from Mario Kart 8 removed, however. 200cc, Renegade Roundup, Bob-omb Blast and Shine Thief are notably absent, but there is potential for re-inclusion later.