What You Missed: Mario Kart World Direct

The highly anticipated Mario Kart World Direct, which aired recently, provided a deep dive into the upcoming kart-racing game from the beloved Mario Kart series. Here's everything you need to know about the game's innovative free-roam world and its exciting features.

Mario Kart World Direct Reveals

An Interconnected World

During the Mario Kart World Direct on April 17, Nintendo unveiled a host of new details about the game. Players will have the freedom to explore Mario Kart World, navigating through both familiar and new regions of the Mario universe.

According to Nintendo, "In Mario Kart World, the game's courses are seamlessly connected by roads, allowing players to experience the thrill of driving between races!"

Explore the expansive world of Mario like never before, with breathtaking scenery and iconic landmarks scattered throughout. Players can also uncover hidden items and engage in missions to hone their driving skills beyond the traditional races.

A mix of new and classic courses has been announced, 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 creatively reimagined to enhance the immersive experience of Mario Kart World.

Grand Prix and Knockout Tour

The game features two main racing modes: Grand Prix and Knockout Tour, both accommodating up to 24 racers, marking the largest player count in the series' history. Racers should be prepared for various obstacles such as Bullet Bill-shooting cars and Hammer Bros attacks.

In the Grand Prix mode, players will compete across four consecutive races to claim victory in the Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, Star Cup, and more. A unique feature is the need to travel to the next race location within the game world to continue the Grand Prix. Completing all the Grand Prix Cups unlocks a mysterious "colorful course," speculated by fans to be the iconic Rainbow Road.

The newly introduced Knockout Tour mode challenges players with extended races spanning the entire world map. In this survival-style competition, racers must finish in a qualifying position to advance to the next race; otherwise, they are eliminated from the tour.

Items, Characters, and More

Mario Kart World introduces a fresh arsenal of items for use during races, alongside beloved classics. New items include the Coin Shell, which can knock opponents aside while leaving a trail of coins, the Ice Flower, capable of freezing rivals, and the Big Mushroom, which enlarges the player's kart to squash competitors.

The game's roster includes classic Mushroom Kingdom characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser, as well as new additions like Goomba, Spike, and even Cow. Players can discover alternate costumes for these characters hidden throughout the world, adding a layer of exploration and personalization.

Playing With Friends

Mario Kart World offers a variety of engaging game modes. Time Trials enable players to compete against ghost data of other racers online. VS mode provides extensive customization options, allowing players to form teams for head-to-head competition. Battle mode returns with Coin Runners, where the goal is to amass the most coins, and Balloon Battle, where the last racer with a balloon intact wins.

The game supports both local and online multiplayer, with up to four players able to race in split-screen on a single system. Local wireless play allows up to eight players (two per Nintendo Switch 2 device) to join the fun. The Switch 2's new GameChat feature enhances social interaction, enabling voice chat and screen sharing among players.

Additional features include Smart Steering to help players stay on course, Auto-accelerate for automatic forward movement, Tilt controls for an immersive experience with motion control, and support for the new Joy-Con 2 Wheel to enhance the racing feel.

Mario Kart World promises to revolutionize the kart-racing genre by offering an open-world experience where players can freely explore the vast landscape of Mario and his friends. Set for release on June 5, 2025, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World is shaping up to be an unmissable addition to the series. Stay tuned for more updates by checking out our related article below!