Mario Kart World Direct Highlights Revealed

The recently concluded Mario Kart World Direct unveiled exciting details about the upcoming kart-racing game from the Mario Kart series. Dive in to explore the game's expansive free-roam world and its myriad of features.

Mario Kart World Direct Reveals

An Interconnected World

Nintendo's Mario Kart World Direct on April 17 provided an in-depth look at the game's features. Players can navigate Mario Kart World, exploring both familiar and new regions of the series.

According to Nintendo, "In Mario Kart World, the game’s courses are interspersed across the world with roads leading from one to the next – so players can experience navigating roads in between courses!"

Experience Mario's world like never before, with scenic views and iconic landmarks scattered throughout. Players can also find hidden items and complete missions to enhance their driving skills outside traditional races.

The game introduces a mix of new and classic courses, including Mario Bros. Circuit, Crown City, Salty Salty Speedway, Starview Peak, Boo Cinema, Toad's Factory, Peach Beach, and Wario Shipyard. These classic courses have been reimagined to seamlessly integrate into the expansive Mario Kart World experience.

Grand Prix and Knockout Tour

Mario Kart World offers two main racing types: Grand Prix and Knockout Tour, both accommodating up to 24 racers, marking the largest field in the series’ history. Racers must navigate various obstacles such as cars that launch Bullet Bills and attacks from Hammer Bros.

In the Grand Prix, players compete in four consecutive races to win cups like the Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, Star Cup, and more. Unlike previous games, players must travel to the next race location to continue the Grand Prix. Upon completing all cups, a mysterious "colorful course" appears, speculated to be Rainbow Road.

The newly introduced Knockout Tour takes players on a journey across the world in a survival-style race. Participants must place well enough to advance to the next race or face elimination from the rally.

Items, Characters, and More

Mario Kart World introduces a variety of new and returning items for races, including the Coin Shell, which can knock opponents aside and leave a trail of coins, the Ice Flower, which freezes racers on contact, and the Big Mushroom, which enlarges players to squash other racers.

The game features classic Mushroom Kingdom characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser, alongside new additions like Goomba, Spike, and Cow. Players can uncover alternate costumes for these characters hidden throughout the world.

Playing With Friends

Mario Kart World offers various multiplayer modes. Time Trials let players compete against ghost data from around the world. VS mode allows for extensive customization, enabling team races. Battle mode includes Coin Runners, where collecting the most coins wins the race, and Balloon Battle, where the last racer with a balloon standing is the victor.

The game supports both local and online play, with up to four players racing in split-screen on a single system. Local wireless play supports up to eight players (two per Switch 2 device). The Switch 2’s GameChat feature enhances multiplayer interaction, allowing players to chat and view each other's screens.

Additional features include Smart Steering to keep players on track, Auto-accelerate for automatic forward movement, Tilt controls for motion-based gameplay, and support for the new Joy-Con 2 Wheel, enhancing the racing experience.

Mario Kart World aims to redefine the kart-racing genre by offering an open-world experience that lets players freely explore Mario's universe. The game is set to launch on June 5, 2025, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. Stay updated with the latest news by checking out our article below!