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Mario Kart World Review: A Sprawling Switch 2 Launch Gem That Lives Up to the Hype

Time：Thu, Oct 30, 2025 07:53:18 PM Reading：7009

Nintendo took its time responding to the enduring popularity of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe—a simple Switch port of a Wii U title that defied all projections to become the best-selling game on one of the company’s most successful consoles. Now, Mario Kart World, the flagship launch title for the Switch 2, carries the weight of expectation: it’s all but guaranteed to be one of the defining games of the system’s entire lifecycle. The real test was creating a new entry that could adequately shoulder that pressure. Thanks to its clever mechanical adjustments, stunning visuals, and an overall design focused on delivering delightful surprises at every turn, this installment is more than capable of going the distance.

The most striking feature of Mario Kart World—one that shapes its name, identity, and most of its gameplay mechanics—is the interconnected world itself. For the first time in the series’ history, races aren’t designed as isolated tracks but as integral parts of a vast, continuous map. Iconic locations such as Bowser’s Castle and Moo Moo Meadows exist as physical spots linked by a network of highways and side roads. The Grand Prix cups, which serve as the de facto story mode of any Mario Kart game, are merely predefined routes through this world—much like how real-life street races cordon off specific paths for competition.

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Within this framework, the races themselves are more dynamic than ever before. Since the release of the last Mario Kart, Nintendo has begun licensing its properties for theme park rides, and that roller coaster-like design philosophy is evident in these new tracks. Much like a well-crafted amusement ride, you’re constantly met with unexpected twists and obstacles that keep the experience visually engaging and mechanically thrilling. A race across the savannah might feature charming, plump animals like a herd of zebras, while a desert section surprises you with the Easter Island-inspired Tokotoko enemies from Super Mario Land. Other tracks might launch you into the sky or force you to navigate rough waters. It’s a delight for long-time Nintendo fans, in particular, as the sheer number of references runs far deeper than in any previous entry.

This depth of fan service doubles down when it comes to character selection. After branching out beyond the Mushroom Kingdom with inclusions like Link and Isabella in Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart World stays firmly within the Mario universe—while expanding its roster exponentially. Series staples like Mario, Bowser, and Toad share the spotlight with more obscure picks such as Swoop the bat, Para-Biddybud the insect, and the frog-like Coin Coffer. And of course, there’s Cow—a character who’s already become a breakout star from the game’s promotions, charming players simply with her presence.

On top of that, all core Mario characters have a variety of unlockable costumes. Grab a sacked “Dash Snack” lunch as Toad, and he might sport a racing helmet modeled after his iconic mushroom cap, or suddenly transform into a train engineer. Alongside the track surprises and the massive roster expansion, the impressive array of costumes is just another way Mario Kart World aims to keep players on their toes with constant surprises.

The methods for unlocking characters and costumes are a bit haphazard, and Mario Kart World intentionally keeps the exact mechanics vague. You might get the same costume multiple times in a row from Dash Snacks, only to unlock a new character or outfit when another player uses a Magikoopa item. I’m sure completionists rushing to unlock the full roster and all associated costumes will find this frustrating or spend time figuring out the exact pattern, but I’m enjoying embracing the game’s pace. It’s designed for long-term play, doling out unlocks seemingly at random and gradually—and I’m happy to go with the flow. The least engaging collectibles are stickers, which you earn by finishing various in-game challenges. These serve as the kart customization option in Mario Kart World, which is less robust than the mix-and-match kart building in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe—especially since you can only equip one sticker at a time.

I am slightly disappointed that most of the expanded roster doesn’t get its own costume changes. This makes the creature characters feel like second-tier picks, and it actually discourages me from playing as them when I know I could be unlocking more costumes by choosing a core cast member. I’d love to race as Para-Biddybud more often, but it feels like I’m missing out when I do. That said, this unlock system does push me to play as characters I wouldn’t normally choose. I’ve never been a fan of heavier characters, but I’m now taking the time to race as Wario or Bowser because I want to unlock all their stylish outfits.

All of this is even more appealing because Mario Kart World looks absolutely stunning, serving as a fantastic showcase for the Switch 2’s increased power. Nintendo has always excelled at art direction—even older games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have a playful, animated style that still feels fresh today. But Mario Kart World demonstrates what Nintendo can do when combining its eye for visual charm with more powerful hardware, and the result is breathtaking. It’s like a living cartoon, complete with tiny, delightful details—such as facial expressions you’ll never notice unless you jump into Photo Mode.

The fact that the entire world is connected means courses flow into one another—a feature I find mostly charming, if occasionally distracting. Sometimes, when racing from one track to the next during a Grand Prix, a stage will start with one visual style and end with a completely different one. It’s a cool way to see the transition, but I do sometimes miss the days when each course had its own distinct visual identity, separate from everything else.

Rainbow Road, the grand finale of the Grand Prix campaign, is the only standalone course disconnected from the main world—and it stands out because of it. Mario Kart has featured numerous versions of Rainbow Road over the years, but this one might just be my new favorite. It’s a sprawling masterpiece: a visual spectacle, a playful celebration of the game’s sights and sounds up to that point, and an incredibly diverse, lengthy race marathon in its own right.

Naturally, a new Mario Kart wouldn’t be complete without new tools and skills to master. The series has always balanced a low skill floor with a high skill ceiling—anyone can pick up and play Mario Kart World, but seasoned pros can show off their skills like never before. There are new items to learn, such as the Feather and Hammer, alongside beloved classics. Mario Kart World makes a subtle but impactful change: certain items, like Green Shells, are automatically dragged behind you instead of letting you pull them on command. This eases the burden on new players while increasing the risk of losing an item if you’re hit by a Blue Shell or Lightning Bolt.

The biggest new skill to master, though, is the Charge Jump. Essentially, it gives veteran players a new tool for straightaways—letting them charge up speed much like they would with a power-slide on a turn. The jump is smaller than one from a ramp or Feather, but it’s just big enough to dodge an attack or hop over an obstacle if timed perfectly. It also pairs well with the new stunting system, which lets you grind on rails and glide off walls—both of which grant a speed boost. The off-road sections sometimes lead you into water, where your kart automatically transforms into an aquatic vehicle, with choppy wave mechanics that bring back fond memories of Wave Race.

Crucially, Nintendo has taken this new set of mechanics and polished them to perfection, integrating them into a variety of modes that offer more ways to race than ever before in the series. You can still enjoy classic modes like Grand Prix, VS, and Time Trials, but the newly revamped Battle Mode no longer feels like an afterthought. Battle arenas are familiar locations from the main map, roped off into closed loops to encourage confrontations. It’s a far more aggressive style of play, and small stunts like a quick 180-degree turn reward high-level skill.

Then there’s the standout new addition: Knockout Tour. The contiguous open world allows for long, winding routes, which serve as the foundation for this mode. Knockout Tour fully leverages the increased 24-player count by gradually eliminating players at each checkpoint, creating tense moments as you fight to qualify for the next round. It’s the perfect middle ground for a gaming session—not as brief as a quick VS race, but not as time-consuming as a full Grand Prix.

Knockout Tour is especially great for showing off the increased player count in online multiplayer. While I found the 24-player aspect a bit underwhelming in single-player—the last dozen or so racers trail so far behind they barely matter—playing with a full lobby online is a completely different experience. It turns the classic kart racer into a chaotic, raucous party game. Even with track sizes and item distribution tuned to accommodate more players, racing against real humans means constant close calls—and that seems intentional.

The increased player count for online matches does mean you might wait a while for a full lobby. It’s nice that the game lets you free roam while waiting for matchmaking to finish, but wait times have been inconsistent. Sometimes it’s quick and seamless; other times, I’m roaming for several minutes before a lobby fills up. So far, searching for a regular race seems to take significantly longer than a Knockout Tour, but your experience may vary. That said, once you’re matched with other players, you stay grouped together to vote on the next race—no need to search all over again, which is a nice touch.

Speaking of free roaming, you can do it anytime from the main menu—not just as a lobby waiting room. Nintendo seems to have envisioned this mostly as a way to meet up with friends and cruise around, but the open-world aspect feels a bit sparse. There are exclusive activities for free roaming, like jumping into an 18-wheeler and taking control of it for a short time. There are also P-Switch challenges that give you quick tasks to complete, such as reaching a high vantage point or avoiding falling boulders to cross a finish line. These are fun little distractions, but the rewards—even more stickers—ultimately feel underwhelming.

Nearly everything else, though, hits the mark. Mario Kart World is a massive, expansive sequel that playfully expands and refines the qualities that made Mario Kart 8 Deluxe such a long-lasting success. It’s an incredibly fun and rewarding kart racing experience—easy to pick up, with enough mechanical depth to satisfy veteran players—all presented beautifully as a showcase for the Switch 2. It would be shocking if this game doesn’t enjoy the same enduring popularity as its predecessor, because it’s among the best entries in the series and a worthy flagship title for the launch of a new Nintendo console.

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