Mario Kart World Direct: Key Highlights Revealed

The Mario Kart World Direct, recently concluded, provided an in-depth look at the highly anticipated kart-racing game from the Mario Kart series. Dive in to discover the exciting features of the game's expansive free-roam world.

Mario Kart World Direct Reveals

An Interconnected World

Nintendo unveiled Mario Kart World during their April 17th Direct, showcasing a myriad of new features and elements. Players can now explore an interconnected world, traversing both familiar and new regions within the Mario universe.

Nintendo described it as, "In Mario Kart World, the game’s courses are interspersed across the world with roads leading from one to the next – allowing players to navigate between courses seamlessly!"

Explore Mario's world in a fresh way, with scenic views and iconic landmarks spread throughout. Hidden items and missions await players as they roam, offering chances to hone their driving skills beyond traditional races.

A mix of new and classic courses has been revealed, 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 fit seamlessly into the expansive new Mario Kart experience.

Grand Prix and Knockout Tour

The game introduces two primary racing modes: Grand Prix and Knockout Tour, both accommodating up to 24 racers, setting a new record for the series. Participants must navigate through a variety of obstacles, including cars launching Bullet Bills and Hammer Bros. attacks.

In the Grand Prix, players will compete in four consecutive races to secure victories in the Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, Star Cup, and beyond. Unlike previous entries, players must physically travel to the next race location to continue the Grand Prix. Completing all Grand Prix Cups unlocks a speculated "colorful course," believed to be Rainbow Road.

The newly introduced Knockout Tour takes players on an epic journey across the world. These extended races operate as a survival mode, where racers must finish within a certain position to advance to the next race, or face elimination.

Items, Characters, and More

Mario Kart World introduces new items alongside returning favorites. Notable additions include the Coin Shell, which can knock opponents aside and leave a coin trail; the Ice Flower, freezing anyone it contacts; and the Big Mushroom, enabling players to grow huge and crush competitors.

The roster features beloved Mushroom Kingdom characters like Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser, alongside newcomers such as Goomba, Spike, and even a Cow. Hidden throughout the world, players can discover alternate costumes for all characters, adding a fun customization element.

Playing With Friends

A variety of game modes cater to different play styles. Time Trials let players challenge global ghost data, while VS mode offers extensive customization, allowing team formations for competitive play. Battle mode returns with Coin Runners, focusing on coin collection, and Balloon Battle, where the last balloon standing wins.

Mario Kart World supports both local and online multiplayer. Up to four players can race in split-screen on a single system, while local wireless play accommodates up to eight players (two per Switch 2 device). The new GameChat feature on Switch 2 enables in-game voice chat and screen sharing.

Additional features like Smart Steering help players stay on course, Auto-accelerate drives racers forward automatically, and Tilt controls enhance immersion through motion control. The all-new Joy-Con 2 Wheel adds to the authentic racing experience.

Mario Kart World is poised to revolutionize the kart-racing genre by offering an expansive, freely explorable world. Set for release on June 5, 2025, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2, stay tuned for further updates by checking out our related article below!