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Mario Kart World

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Mario Kart World
The game's cast of playable racers drive towards the camera, led by Mario. Multiple environments are depicted around them. The game's logo, featuring a globe, is in the top middle.
Key artwork
Developer(s)Nintendo EPD[a]
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)
  • Kenta Sato
  • Masaaki Ishikawa
  • Shintaro Jikumaru
Producer(s)Kosuke Yabuki
Designer(s)Shintaro Jikumaru
Programmer(s)Kenta Sato
Artist(s)Masaaki Ishikawa
Composer(s)
  • Atsuko Asahi
  • Maasa Miyoshi
  • Takuhiro Honda
  • Yutaro Takakuwa
SeriesMario Kart
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch 2
ReleaseJune 5, 2025
Genre(s)Kart racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Mario Kart World[b] is a 2025 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch 2. As in previous Mario Kart games, players control Mario characters as they race against opponents. World introduces an open-world design and mode, off-roading techniques, an elimination mode, and unlockable costumes for the playable characters. Races support up to 24 players, twice as many as previous Mario Kart games.

Mario Kart World entered development in 2017 for Nintendo Switch, shortly before the release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and shifted to the Switch 2 in 2020 due to hardware limitations. The title Mario Kart World was chosen over Mario Kart 9 to signify a "new approach". The soundtrack, composed by a team led by Atsuko Asahi, features over 200 tracks, including rearrangements of themes from across the Mario franchise.

Nintendo announced Mario Kart World in April 2025. It was released on June 5, 2025, as a launch game for the Switch 2. It received generally positive reviews, with praise for its gameplay and refinement of the series formula, but criticism for its open-world elements.

Gameplay

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See also: Gameplay of Mario Kart
Karts can now race on the surface of water rather than underneath.

Mario Kart World is a kart racing game. As in previous Mario Kart games, players race as characters from the Mario series in one of many selectable go-karts. The game features 50 playable characters; 24 of the playable characters have alternate unlockable costumes accessed by eating snacks during races, while most of the remaining characters additionally exist as obstacles on the game's tracks.[1][2][3] It supports up to 24 players, twice as many compared to previous Mario Kart games,[4] and includes features such as an open-world design, a free-roaming mode, off-roading segments, boat racing, rail grinding and wall jumping.[5][6]

Unlike prior Mario Kart games, the Grand Prix mode does not consist of four separate races; rather, racers must drive to each course.[7] Outside of Grand Prix, it is possible to race on tracks for three laps like in previous Mario Kart games.[8] Mario Kart World features some past courses from the series that have been reimagined to fit the game's open world design and to include a shift from day to night.[9] In addition, a mode called "Knockout Tour" is introduced in the game; the 24 racers compete in one much longer race spanning the game's world, with four eliminations at each of the six intermittent checkpoints.[10][11]

Battle Mode returns from previous games; players compete against one another to pop each other's balloons in Balloon Battle or collecting the most coins in Coin Runners.[12] "Mirror Mode", which horizontally inverts the entire map, also returns from the previous games.[13]

Another new mode called "Free Roam" is introduced in World; players are permitted to drive to any location, including those that are off-road or outside of race tracks. Numerous missions, such as finding collectibles, are present in this mode. In addition, players can also take photos of their chosen driver.[12] Rebekah Valentine, writing for IGN, noted the mode's likeness to Forza Horizon (2012), an open world racing game.[14]

Development

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Nintendo began prototyping Mario Kart World for the Nintendo Switch in March 2017, just before the release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. At the end of that year, Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development officially began development on the game. Kosuke Yabuki, series producer, wanted the new entry to innovate on the series' gameplay formula with an open world, as he thought the traditional gameplay formula had been perfected with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The game was titled Mario Kart World instead of Mario Kart 9 since early stages of development; the developers intended for it to be a completely new approach.[‡ 4] Most of the new playable characters also exist as obstacles on the game's tracks; according to art director Masaaki Ishikawa, one of the designers made a sketch of a Cow from the Moo Moo Meadows track driving a truck, leading to many of the course's other obstacles becoming "NPC drivers."[‡ 5]

In 2020, development was moved to the Nintendo Switch 2 after problems arose when trying to optimize an open-world racing game with 24 players on the original Switch hardware. The Switch 2's hardware specifications were beginning to take shape and gave the developers room to expand on their ideas.[15][16] The "Booster Course Pass" downloadable content for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was also conceived around this time, as a stopgap release to allow development on World to be prolonged.[15]

Music

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The soundtrack was composed by Nintendo's music team, led by Atsuko Asahi, who also worked on the music in Mario Kart 8 (2014). She was joined by Maasa Miyoshi, Takuhiro Honda, and Yutaro Takakuwa. For the first time in the series, Nintendo collaborated with external composers to arrange portions of the score, including members of the jazz fusion band Dezolve. In addition, Satoshi Bandoh and Masato Honda from T-Square contributed drums and wind instrument overdubs respectively.[‡ 4]

Mario Kart World introduced dynamic music transitions tailored to the player's progression through various game modes. According to Asahi, course themes were designed with dedicated intros and outros to create smooth transitions between tracks in the Knockout Tour mode, where players race continuously through multiple environments. The music was structured to build anticipation as players approach each course, transitioning seamlessly and creating a medley-like experience. For open-ended modes such as Free Roam, the team implemented a system internally referred to as the "jukebox", which automatically selects and plays from a large library of rearranged tracks. Over 200 original arrangements were created for this system, many of which are new interpretations of themes from past Mario games.[‡ 4]

Release

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On January 16, 2025, Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch 2 with footage of Mario Kart World. Critics likened the art style to Super Mario Bros. Wonder and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, both released in 2023.[17] In a Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2, 2025, Nintendo announced the title Mario Kart World and revealed the first trailer.[18] Nintendo announced that it would sell for US$79.99, $20 more than the standard price for games on the original Nintendo Switch and more than most standard editions of AAA games, which led to controversy.[19][20][21] Nintendo held a Mario Kart World Direct presentation on April 17.[22] Mario Kart World was released in most regions on June 5 alongside the Nintendo Switch 2.[23] It is the first Mario Kart game to release as a launch title for a Nintendo hardware product.[24]

Reception

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Mario Kart World received "generally favorable" reviews with an average score of 87 out of 100 according to the review aggregation website Metacritic, based on 86 reviews.[25] 97% of critics recommended the game, with a top critic average of 87/100, according to OpenCritic.[26]

Logan Plant from IGN praised Mario Kart World for its polished gameplay and controls, "celebratory" soundtrack, new mechanics, and the Knockout Tour mode. He criticized its "online multiplayer limitations", several "design decisions around the interface and unlockables", and the free roam for its "uneven" execution. He expressed optimism toward future updates.[36] Destructoid wrote that it was a "hallmark of excellence" and that it "may be the best game in the Mario Kart franchise", praising the Knockout Tour mode, open-world exploration and unlockable content.[28] PCMag described it as "a generational leap forward for the series".[39] GameSpot praised the new features and gameplay elements, and said the version of Rainbow Road was "an all-time great".[34] The Guardian's Keza MacDonald praised the "broad and ridiculous" selection of racers.[40] Some criticism was directed at the lack of local co-op multiplayer for the newly introduced "free roam" mode,[42][43] a feature previously reported to be in the game.[44]

Sales

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Famitsu reported that Mario Kart World sold 782,566 physical copies in Japan within four days.[45] According to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it was sold with about 79% of the 1.1 million Switch 2 sales in the United States, or approximately 869,000 physical copies.[46][47] It also sold about 95,000 copies in Spain.[48] Mario Kart World became the best-selling game on the Nintendo eShop.[49]

Notes

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  1. ^ Additional development support by Monolith Soft,[‡ 1] 1-Up Studio,[‡ 2] and Bandai Namco Studios[‡ 3]
  2. ^ Japanese: マリオカートワールド, Hepburn: Mario Kāto Wārudo

References

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  1. ^ Cardy, Simon (April 3, 2025). "Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusive Mario Kart World: Every Playable Character and Outfit Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  2. ^ Watts, Steve (April 3, 2025). "Mario Kart World Hands-On: The Conservative Switch 2 Gets A Bold Sequel". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  3. ^ Wood, Dashiell (April 17, 2025). "Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct: new free roam details confirmed and everything announced about the Switch 2 game". TechRadar. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  4. ^ Kennedy, Victoria (April 2, 2025). "Mario Kart World announced as Switch 2 launch title, complete with 24 player races, new modes and more". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  5. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (April 2, 2025). "Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart Game Officially Revealed as Mario Kart World". IGN. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  6. ^ Tassi, Paul (April 2, 2025). "Nintendo Reveals 'Mario Kart World' For Switch 2, Here's The Trailer". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  7. ^ Nightingale, Ed (April 3, 2025). "Here's how Mario Kart World's Grand Prix and Free Roam modes work". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on April 5, 2025. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  8. ^ Stenhouse, Henry (April 4, 2025). "Mario Kart World's Open World, Knockout Mode, and More Major Changes on Switch 2". Restart. Archived from the original on April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  9. ^ Lewis, Catherine (April 17, 2025). "Mario Kart World's retro courses have been "reimagined," so don't expect your muscle memory to carry you through the Switch 2 racing game". GamesRadar+. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  10. ^ Shea, Brian (June 5, 2025). "Mario Kart World Modes And Courses Detailed, Free Roam Features Missions And Collectibles". Game Informer. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  11. ^ Fanelli, Jason (April 17, 2025). "Battle Mode Is Back In Mario Kart World, Two Minigames Confirmed". GameSpot. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Mario Kart World Direct Revs up New Details on the Biggest Mario Kart Ever, Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 at Launch". Business Wire (Press release). Nintendo. April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  13. ^ Hagues, Alana (June 8, 2025). "Mario Kart World: How To Unlock Mirror Mode". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  14. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (April 17, 2025). "Mario Kart World's Free Roam Mode Is an Open World Road Trip You Can Take With Friends". Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Phillips, Tom (May 21, 2025). "Mario Kart World Began Development on Switch 1 and Suffered Performance Struggles, Until Switch 2 Delay Offered 'Ray of Hope'". IGN. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  16. ^ Serin, Kaan (May 21, 2025). "Mario Kart World started development as an OG Switch game in 2017, but went open-world because MK 8 Deluxe perfected "the formula that we'd been following" for 25 years". GamesRadar+. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  17. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (January 16, 2025). "A New Mario Kart Game Is Seemingly Coming to Nintendo Switch 2". IGN. Archived from the original on April 1, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  18. ^ Welsh, Oli (April 2, 2025). "Mario Kart World goes open-world and off-road on Nintendo Switch 2". Polygon. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  19. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (April 3, 2025). "Here's Why the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World, and Everything Around Them Is So Expensive". IGN. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  20. ^ Cunningham, Andrew (April 2, 2025). "First-party Switch 2 games—including re-releases—all run either $70 or $80". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  21. ^ Redmond, Wash (April 2, 2025). "Nintendo Switch 2 Launches June 5 at $449.99, Bringing New Forms of Game Communication to Life". Business Wire. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  22. ^ McWhertor, Michael (April 2, 2025). "They're just letting anyone drive in Mario Kart World". Polygon. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  23. ^ Miller, Matt. "Mario Kart World Review - Roam If You Want To - Game Informer". Game Informer. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  24. ^ Spencer, Alex (July 2025). "Linked to the Past: Can Switch recapture the original's magic?". Edge. No. 411. Future plc. p. 70.
  25. ^ a b "Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  26. ^ a b "Mario Kart World Reviews". OpenCritic. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  27. ^ Höger, Jonas (June 10, 2025). "Mario Kart World im Test: Ein echter Kracher – aber der Grund überrascht". 4Players. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  28. ^ a b Duwe, Scott (June 5, 2025). "Mario Kart World review – Once you start your engines, you might never stop". Destructoid. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  29. ^ Orry, Tom (June 11, 2025). "Mario Kart World Review". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  30. ^ Miller, Matt (June 10, 2025). "Mario Kart World Review". Game Informer. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  31. ^ Cortes, Alex (June 9, 2025). "Test : Mario Kart World reste solide malgré un monde ouvert vide". Gamekult. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  32. ^ Bishop, Rollin (June 11, 2025). "Mario Kart World review: "A glorious road trip that embraces the open road"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  33. ^ a b Watts, Steve (June 9, 2025). "Mario Kart World Review - A Worthy Marquee Launch Game". GameSpot. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  34. ^ Diedrich, Sören (June 10, 2025). "Test: Mario Kart World spaltet die GameStar-Redaktion fast so sehr wie eine Runde im Multiplayer". GameStar. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  35. ^ a b Plant, Logan (June 10, 2025). "Mario Kart World Review". IGN. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  36. ^ Antoine, Charles (June 9, 2025). "Mario Kart World : le jeu vidéo le plus attendu de la Nintendo Switch 2 est-il à la hauteur de MK 8 Deluxe ?". Jeuxvideo.com. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  37. ^ Ronaghan, Neal (June 10, 2025). "Mario Kart World Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  38. ^ a b Minor, Jordan (June 9, 2025). "Mario Kart World Review: A Wonderful New Spin on Nintendo's Arcade Racer". PCMag. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  39. ^ a b MacDonald, Keza (June 10, 2025). "Mario Kart World review – a riotous road trip for every player". The Guardian. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  40. ^ Scullion, Chris (June 12, 2025). "Mario Kart World review: Nintendo's latest racer is at its best when it's doing what it's always done". VGC. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  41. ^ Makuch, Eddie (June 5, 2025). "Mario Kart World Is Missing One Feature People Really Wanted". GameSpot. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  42. ^ Gach, Ethan (June 5, 2025). "Now That's A Bummer: Mario Kart World's Free Roam Mode Doesn't Have Splitscreen". Kotaku. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  43. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (April 17, 2025). "Mario Kart World's Free Roam Mode Is an Open World Road Trip You Can Take With Friends". IGN. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  44. ^ Romano, Sal (June 12, 2025). "Famitsu Sales: 6/2/25 – 6/8/25". Gematsu. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  45. ^ Piscatella, Mat (June 13, 2025). "Nintendo Switch 2 set a new all-time launch week unit sales record for video game hardware in the US". Bluesky. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  46. ^ Serin, Kaan (June 14, 2025). "Nintendo Switch 2 beats PS4 to set sales record in the US with Mario Kart World, Cyberpunk 2077, and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as its best-selling games". GamesRadar+. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  47. ^ Caballero, David (June 13, 2025). "Ventas España: Nintendo Switch 2 arrasa en su estreno con 108.000 consolas". Gamereactor. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  48. ^ Doolan, Liam (June 15, 2025). "Switch 2's Best-Selling eShop Games So Far". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 15, 2025.

Primary sources

In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):

  1. ^ "Games" (in Japanese). Monolith Soft. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  2. ^ "開発協力" (in Japanese). 1-Up Studio. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  3. ^ "Mario Kart World". Bandai Namco Studios. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Ask the Developer Vol. 18: Mario Kart World — Part 1 - News - Nintendo Official Site. Nintendo. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via YouTube.[non-primary source needed]
  5. ^ Ask the Developer Vol. 18: Mario Kart World — Part 3 - News - Nintendo Official Site. Nintendo. Retrieved May 22, 2025 – via YouTube.[non-primary source needed]
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