Mario Kart World Review (Nintendo Switch 2)

What could possibly go wrong? When you have a showstopping force like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to follow up after? It turns out that even games we expect to be exceptional can still have a few loose ends left to tie up. But are those loose ends worth turning a blind eye to? In Mario Kart World’s case, definitely yes. Because ultimately, they don’t detract from the core experience that newcomers and veterans are looking for. 

That chaotic thrill of throwing shells at opponents to slow them down. The close calls between whether to speed up or save your boost for the last stretch. Right till the last millisecond, anything could change. Your opponent could still whisk by you, pulling the rug from under you at the last minute. Yet there are still some precautionary facts we need to address. Some expectations that may not be met upon booting up “the” showpiece for the Nintendo Switch 2. 

Tag along on our Mario Kart World review as we explore all you can expect, including all the exceptional moments, sweet little joys, and a few features needing more time to grill.

Firstly, the Open World

It’s in the name. So, naturally, we start analyzing from there. Well, rather than the standalone tracks you’re used to, Mario Kart World shifts gears to an interconnected open-world map. Tracks bleed and blend into one another, transitioning seamlessly from deserts to cinemas and Mario-themed circuits. In total, you’ll race across 30 unique tracks, ranging from the Wario Stadium to Donkey Kong’s Spaceport and all-time favorite, Rainbow Road. 

Something about having all these tracks connect, taking you from one distinct environment to another, and spanning an entire continent of diverse biomes, feels grand and massive. “Bigger and better” is evidently the theme here, emulating Forza Horizon’s way of open-world racing. It feels like a never-ending journey, integrated into multiple distinct but, ultimately, one, singular experience. And it shows from the delicate and gorgeous details of each map. 

Mario Kart hasn’t looked as good as it does in World. Its vibrant and colorful designs jump off the screen with delight. And the characters are equally as bright and inviting, humorous in design, and exuding impressive attention to detail, whether in their facial expressions or costumes. And despite the often chaotic racing, the frame rate remains at a steady 60 fps, except in split-screen multiplayer moments, where it can dip to 30 fps.

Still, you can’t help taking in the awe of it all in stride. The immense creativity is vivid and clear. So that even though Mario Kart World’s goal is certainly delivering a sprawling and massive open world, it doesn’t neglect the sense of wonder we’ve come to love from the series: the charming cartoon aesthetic, now polished at a professional and artistic level. 

Free, Free Bird

You can argue that the main thing to do in the open world is to Free Roam through it. It’s a standalone mode in Mario Kart World, where you choose your character, your vehicle, and set forth into the open world to explore it on your own terms. Again, the open world’s design is gorgeous. And with Free Roam, you have the pressure of racing taken away. Here, you can casually drive to wherever you want to go, almost chill and relaxing in a stress-freeing way. 

The sense of wonder and awe checked off the list, next up, you’d want to stumble onto exciting things to do. Here’s where the P Switch challenges come in. You run over a P Switch to activate a challenge within the open world, mostly timed challenges around collecting coins, racing backwards, checkpoint races, rally racing, and aerial challenges. 

They’re quite interesting challenges, taking just a few minutes to complete, and incorporating new abilities and mechanics like wall riding, rail grinding, and charge jumps. You may also drift with precision, dodge obstacles, or navigate a debris-riddled course, and in turn, receive Stickers as rewards. I can’t help wishing for more, though. 

Missed Opportunity

Over time, the P Switch challenges regurgitate, growing boring to pursue. And the rewards aren’t that all-incentivizing. Stickers to decorate your vehicle? I mean, sure. They’re well-designed. But I could definitely think of better ways to excite my craving: new characters or karts, maybe. Compared to Forza Horizon’s packed open world, Mario Kart World comes up short. 

It’s disappointing as well, since Mario has always been great at tucked-away secrets and surprises; they just needed to apply the same to an open world scenario. Otherwise, you’re free-roaming around, completing repetitive challenges, unlocking more stickers you don’t particularly care for, and wishing there was more to it. 

Multiplayer is a good idea for more. But all you can do is run into friends and take pictures with them. It’d be great if you could challenge one another to a quick race. Or explore the world together, unearthing new characters, vehicles, missions, secrets, and surprises that make the open world feel truly alive. 

Earn Your Place

Mario Kart World doesn’t let its guard down, though, in the Knockout Tour mode. It’s so good, in fact, it might as well be the moniker for Mario Kart World. Think of it as a battle royale, where you start with 24 players, and gradually eliminate the last four racers at respective checkpoints until the remaining four players compete for the crown. 

All of it is continuous, never slowing down. And trust me, even one slight mistake can cost you. It feels so damn chaotic because you utilize every tool at your disposal. The weapons are activated in a flurry of rage, at you, against you. Meanwhile, speed boosts do come in handy. They’re often that last Hail Mary you’ll find yourself in need of to make that last cut into the next round. 

This is where the newly introduced wall riding, rail grinding, and charge jumps come in handy. They are incredible speed boosters, and when strewn together, they can make all the difference in winning. But as veterans know, Mario Kart is an easy game to pick up but hard to master. You won’t have a difficult time at all learning the pretty smooth and fluid controls. 

However, to make a name for yourself on the circuit, you truly have to embrace the deep technicalities and mechanics of the Mario Kart framework. You have to use every power-up and speed boost opportunity, or else your opponents will leave you in the dust. And that’s where the chaos and mayhem of multiplayer begins. 

Threes a Crowd

While not a party game, Mario Kart World might as well be categorized as one. On split-screen, with four friends yelling at each other, frantically pressing down on the accelerator button until your fingers hurt. Making the most of opportunities to derail the competition, throwing banana peels, and jumping up to evade attacks. The new charge jump can be pretty handy here. But even then, it needs to be accurately and precisely timed. 

And the tricks, man. They’re just as good in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but even more new ones are added. Pressing buttons at just the right time as you approach a ramp and reveling in the subsequent speed boost. These are the moments that set the casual drivers apart from the veterans, the moments where your skills and prowess shine. And man, does it ever grow more satisfying to win, but also motivating when you lose, enough that you want to play another race and polish up your mistakes. 

Otherwise, Mario Kart World smoothens the rough edges of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, not that there were significant ones. The old Time Trial, Battle, and Grand Prix modes return, alongside welcome familiarity that purists will appreciate. Beyond that, returning features have mechanical and technical nuances that enable a more seamless playthrough. 

Verdict

Mario Kart World has been quite the fun undertaking to test out the new Nintendo Switch 2. It perfectly encapsulates the more powerful console, donning absolutely gorgeous visuals and detail. You’ll take breathers admiring the sheer beauty and wonder of the open world map, massively large with wider roads and more alternating paths. 

The secrets and surprises along the tracks are truly immense, incorporating obstacles that further sharpen skills and prowess. This isn’t just a point-to-point fast racer, but an intentionally entertaining experience for solo and multiplayer sessions alike. Yet Mario Kart World isn’t without its flaws, although it does not quite detract from the overall experience.

The open world leaves you craving for more. I still can’t wrap my head around challenges unlocking stickers rather than more incentivizing characters and vehicles. While a sense of progression exists in Time Trial, Battle, Grand Prix, and Knockout Tour modes, the open world feels like a by-the-way stroll to jump into whenever you feel bored. And even then, the activities you can engage in on the sprawling continent grow on you. 

Certainly, Mario Kart World will continue to elevate its offerings. And I can’t wait to see how the game evolves over, undoubtedly, Nintendo Switch 2’s run.