Today, Nintendo held a special Mario Kart World Direct presentation dedicated entirely to showcasing Mario Kart World gameplay. The show lasted about 15 minutes in total, during which the authors explained the main elements of gameplay, including new features. The Blix team will cover all the details that have been submitted.
Contents
Highlights
- Description of tracks, new items, and modes for Mario Kart
- Other interesting changes in the game
In Mario Kart World, players can move freely through a vast, interconnected world. You’ll be able to find secrets and race on numerous tracks. The world is divided into regions, from cities and plains to deserts and oceans, and weather conditions and time of day change dynamically.
You can watch the full gameplay review on the YouTube broadcast:
Mario Kart World Direct: New Features
Modes in Mario Kart
There are two main modes for the races themselves:
- Grand Prix – Each grand prix trophy includes four interconnected tracks.
- Knockout Tour – a large-scale mega-race that connects tracks from two opposite points on the map.
In addition to this, gamers are free to experience additional modes. In Time Trials, developers offer to compete online with ghost data racers from all over the world, and in VS Race mode, you can customize the rules of races for yourself.
There is also a Free Roam option. If you want to ride and explore, choose this picturesque mode and enjoy beautiful panoramic views. There is also a photo mode in Free Roam mode.
Players will discover a Battle Mode that will become literally chaos incarnate. Earn gold by collecting the most coins in Coin Runners, or burst your opponents’ balloons with items in Balloon Battle. Choose what you like best.
Mario Kart World will also feature a free exploration mode where players can search for secrets and complete missions. This will add an extra interaction element with the game’s world beyond traditional racing.
By the way, up to 24 simultaneous users can participate in one race. As for local co-op, up to four players will be available on a single Switch 2 device. Mario Kart World also supports wireless connectivity with a second Switch 2 console so that local co-op can be expanded to up to eight gamers.
6 New Items in Mario Kart World
The game has added a few new items that you can use during races to try to work your way to victory:
- Coin Shell – A projectile that leaves behind coins that can be collected for bonuses;
- Ice Flower – freezes opponents, making them slide;
- Hammer – flies in an arc, jamming into the track and creating a temporary obstacle;
- Mega Mushroom – will grow both the player and their vehicle to be able to crush the competition;
- Feather – can be used to jump onto grind rails or to avoid shells and obstacles;
- Kamek – turns nearby opponents into weak characters, reducing their speed.
New Tracks Introduced at Mario Kart World Direct
Mario Kart World offers a variety of races throughout the vast world. The developers showed off several new tracks, including:
- Mario Bros Circuit – a retro track in the spirit of the original Mario games;
- Crown City – a city track with neon lights and dense traffic;
- Salty Salty Speedway – a scenic track along canals with water obstacles;
- Starview Peak – snowy track with steep slopes and ice traps;
- Boo Cinema – a gloomy track with ghosts and cinematic atmosphere.
The game will also feature some reimagined nostalgic tracks familiar from previous Mario Kart installments.
Other Details and Changes
Mario Kart World introduces Yoshi’s, a vehicular restaurant where you can permanently unlock new character skins based on food. For example, if you eat sushi, your character will wear a Japanese outfit. Special meals can not only give characters costumes, but can also increase the racers’ speed.
There will also be a rewind function: if you went the wrong way, you can rewind and try again. However, Nintendo noted that all other racers will continue to move forward.
GameChat offers an enhanced online experience. The Nintendo Switch 2’s built-in microphone lets you speak with friends while traveling together.
Until March 31, 2026, you can use GameChat without a Nintendo Switch Online membership. After that, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required.
Conclusion
Mario Kart World is the first full-fledged installment in the series in 10 years. It will be released on June 5, at the same time as the Switch 2 console, and will cost 80 dollars.
