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- The Ultimate Racing Experience
- A Gorgeous Collection of Racing Tracks
- Stalling Its Main Gimmick
- A Top-Notch Mario Kart Experience
Of all the first-party franchises Nintendo could have chosen as the launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, I’m glad Mario Kart made the cut. I’ve always enjoyed this iconic racing series and its blend of playful yet chaotic gameplay. Mario Kart World takes a bolder and more expansive approach to the vehicular antics of Mario and friends, and it nearly claims the top spot. I emphasize ‘nearly’ because, while its game modes are compelling and the visuals beautifully showcase the power of the Nintendo Switch 2, its key gimmick doesn’t quite deliver.
The Ultimate Racing Experience
Mario Kart World undoubtedly features some of the best racing mechanics, tracks, and characters in the series. Some fans might argue that Mario Kart 8 remains the pinnacle, but World easily takes the lead. While a few modes didn’t resonate with me and some aspects felt mixed, the game excels in nearly every dimension.
The most striking feature is the Knockout Tour. Here, players race against 23 others, totaling 24 racers in a frenzied competition where you must secure a safe position to avoid elimination. Falling outside the cutoff means you’re out of the race and have to start over. The thrill comes from the nonstop 24-player chaos—one minute you’re aiming to stay within the top 20, the next you’re hoping for a blue shell to claim first place and victory. This mode is fantastic against the CPU, but the multiplayer experience truly shines, delivering frustrating yet exhilarating moments. It’s easily my favorite in the entire series.
The Grand Prix mode was a mixed experience. It doesn’t follow the traditional formula. The first track behaves as expected—complete laps to finish. However, in subsequent tracks, you start on a highway segment before transitioning into the course and then crossing the finish line. Although this design feels more dynamic, I would have preferred the classic lap-based format on the beautifully crafted new courses.
Battle Mode also felt somewhat underwhelming. Rather than dedicated arenas, battles occur in smaller sections of existing tracks. The gameplay mechanics are fun, and new items introduce surprising ways to burst opponents’ balloons. Still, it isn’t the strongest Battle Mode in the franchise and occasionally feels rushed.
Despite these critiques, Mario Kart World has captivated me more than any previous entry. Even though I’m not enthusiastic about every mode, the Knockout Tour is the best new feature, and I look forward to continued updates as I can easily see myself playing it relentlessly.
A Gorgeous Collection of Racing Tracks
One of Mario Kart World’s standout qualities is its visuals. Impressively, the game can run at 4K resolution with a steady 60 FPS when docked, and shifts to 1080p handheld mode while maintaining that smooth frame rate. This technical achievement perfectly highlights the Nintendo Switch 2’s power, making it the most fluid Mario Kart ever created.
All courses are superbly designed, making it difficult to pick a favorite. Each track is meticulously crafted and even enhances some of the series’ classic layouts. Some game modes offer seamless transitions between different locations, adding to the immersive experience.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect is the sheer quantity of tracks available at launch—30 unique courses, each with its own charm. Complemented by some of the franchise’s most iconic soundtracks, this lineup provides a perfect start for day-one racers.
Some players have criticized the highways for being too wide, but I appreciate the design. With races featuring 24 players, the spaciousness is justified. Plus, having cars zooming by in all directions intensifies the inherent chaos of each race, which I find thrilling.
Stalling Its Main Gimmick
If you thought I overlooked the open-world aspect—which is the game’s focal point—that’s not the case. I’m dedicating this section to discuss how it unfortunately falls short in several ways.
As the title suggests, the open world is the core selling point. You can travel between tracks without loading screens, an impressive technical feat. Yet, the world’s content feels somewhat shallow compared to other open-world racers like Forza Horizon, which encourages extensive exploration.
Starting with unlockables: there is a wide array of characters attainable through other modes, many sporting different outfits. However, unlocking these outfits depends heavily on chance, as you must collect lunch bags scattered throughout the world to obtain food items. It’s unclear which items correspond to which outfits—sometimes you transform into an entirely different character, other times you unlock a costume for your current character. This system seems designed to encourage using as many food items as possible in hopes of acquiring a coveted costume.
The challenges present in Free Roam are entertaining but fall short of being compelling. I rarely felt motivated to complete them beyond accessing other parts of the map. If certain challenges rewarded outfits or characters, they might have driven more engagement, but overall, the open world lacks meaningful incentives.
Moreover, it’s disappointing that Mario Kart World doesn’t fully capitalize on its strongest asset—the seamless open world. Many modes set on the tracks you explore during Free Roam must be accessed via menus outside of Free Roam, disrupting the intended flow. While other Mario Kart titles have improved post-launch, I hope Nintendo enhances Free Roam to feel more rewarding in future updates.
A Top-Notch Mario Kart Experience
Despite some shortcomings and a few underwhelming modes, I’ve logged dozens of hours with Mario Kart World—an accomplishment I can’t say for previous releases. The track design stands as the franchise’s best, and the character roster will keep you rummaging through food bags to complete your collection—or just stick to your favorite, like the Cow, as many fans have lately.
Although it’s unfortunate that the game’s flagship feature doesn’t fully deliver, I remain optimistic it will improve with updates. In the meantime, Knockout Tour is the standout mode, one I’ll continue to play until I finally secure that first-place finish without getting hit by a blue shell.
MARIO KART WORLD (NINTENDO SWITCH 2 REVIEWED)
Rating: 8 – Great!
Mario Kart World is the most visually stunning installment in the series, and its Knockout Tour mode is a fantastic addition. However, the open-world feature feels underdeveloped and lacks incentives to engage players fully.
PROS
- The Knockout Tour is the best mode the series has seen
- Exceptional visuals and smooth performance
- Outstanding selection of tracks, characters, and costumes
CONS
- The open-world component feels underwhelming
- Battle Mode and Grand Prix Mode seem rushed
