Mario Kart World: As Nintendo’s previous successful racing games, The Mario Kart World could mean the company’s brave new direction of beloved racing games or not. Launching with the Nintendo Switch 2 console on June 5, 2025, the title is slated to shake up the series’s formula, adding interconnected environments, 24-player races, and new gameplay mechanics like rail grinding and wall jumping. This long-awaited title will be released as the flagship game for Nintendo’s next-generation console and provide long-time fans of the plumber and kart racing series alike with a fresh perspective on the kart racing experience we all know and love.
Mario Kart‘s Next Evolution
Following the incredible success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which has sold 67 million copies to become the best-selling Nintendo Switch game of all time, Nintendo is taking the series in an ambitious new direction. Mario Kart World also keeps the core racing mechanics that have made the series so beloved but takes that gameplay to an unprecedented open-world level.
“Okay, so in Mario Kart you can go off the racetrack and drive just about anywhere in this world,” Nintendo said at its recent Nintendo Direct presentation. This is in stark contrast to the contained tracks of all the previous entries and might set a new standard for racing titles across the board.
Rumors of the game’s development have existed since at least 2021, with reports claiming that a new Nintendo racing game had been in development for “at least two [to] three years.” Fans immediately started buzzing when Nintendo revealed the Nintendo Switch 2 on January 16, 2025, and with it showed off footage of the new Mario Kart.
A Vast, Interconnected World
The most radical thing that Mario Kart World does is course design. Instead of isolated tracks, the game has an expansive, interconnected world where “everything is connected.” Players will race across various scenery, such as “grassy plains, bustling cities, wide-open waters, big ol’ volcanos, and more — plus everything in between.”
The world will change according to the time of the day and the weather, meaning even familiar routes will lead to unique racing experiences. That environmental diversity is also reflected in the gameplay, as the many terrains act differently on each vehicle.
What makes that open-world approach especially intriguing is how it incorporates classic Mario Kart racing. System: In addition to racing on four courses in the Classic Grand Prix mode, players will also have to drive in between those courses 3 That means the transition from track to track are part of the race itself, adding to the elements of strategy for every race.
Revolutionary Game Modes
The open-world design will offer a bunch of different game modes in Mario Kart World:
Grand Prix
The classic Grand Prix mode also returns but with a twist — races now include 24 drivers at the same time for the first time in series history. Players race across four interconnected courses to score the most points, but crucially, “the spaces in between courses are part of the race, too.” That makes for longer, more dynamic races that mix traditional track sections with open-world driving.
Knockout Tour
It’s a totally new mode for nonstop transcontinental rallying. Gamers “barreled through back-to-back courses, no pit stops along the way.” It’s an elimination system that introduces extra stakes to the races — if players don’t place high enough when they get to each of the five checkpoints around the course, they’re eliminated from the contest. It adds a survival aspect where staying in the race for the full distance is key.
Free Roam
Obama mode This is a major break from how the series has been done before: Free Roam mode lets players wander the entire game world without any competition. (For example, some journalists stated this was a particularly enjoyable part of preview events: “The times I wasn’t racing were my favorite moments of the preview. I was just driving and enjoying the ride.”
Using this mode, players can explore picturesque locations, take photos with friends, or just enjoy the richly detailed environments at their leisure. This mode leverages new elements of the Nintendo Switch 2, like taking photos and the new chat function.
Gameplay Mechanics and Technical Innovations
Mario Kart World —Several new gameplay mechanics for the series:
Rail grinding: Players can grind on rails for shortcuts and tricks
Others are new abilities, like wall jumping, which give fighters a brand new movement option.
24-player races: A big upgrade over the 16-player cap in previous games in the series
Expanded vehicle options: Trucks and all new vehicle types
The title also exploits the Nintendo Switch 2’s better performance, including a “bigger, more responsive screen bursting with clear color. With new Joy-Con 2 controllers that have magnetic connectors and work as a mouse, the game could have some unique control features.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Launch
Mario Kart World will be a flagship launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, releasing June 5, 2025. Nintendo announced the pricing for the console of ¥49,980 (around $330 USD). A specialized Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Set bundle with the system and a digital version of the game will also be available.
The game itself will retail for US$79.99, which is twenty dollars over the original price for base Switch games. This marks a price hike for Nintendo’s first-party games on the new console generation.
Upcoming Data and Marketing
Nintendo will provide more details on Mario Kart World during a special Nintendo Direct presentation on April 17, 2025, at 6 AM Pacific Time (9 AM Eastern Time). The event should spotlight new gameplay footage, characters, tracks, and features not disclosed in previous presentations.
With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (53 million copies) being one of the top-selling games for Switch, stretching far ahead of titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons (47 million copies) and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (32 million copies), it makes sense to market Mario Kart World as a winner for their new console, too.
Conclusion
Mario Kart World is the biggest evolution of the Mario Kart formula from Nintendo yet. It all suggests PiT seems to be hitting a transition like innovation while maintaining the core competitive racing aspect that made them popular. Characterized by its open world, diverse ecosystems, multiple game styles, and a distinctive racing experience, the depth and variety of which none can match.
Mario Kart World has lofty goals as the Nintendo Switch 2’s marquee launch title. So far, based on upcoming showings, it sounds like the game is ready to blow the lid off in terms of what kart racers have to offer and make a great first impression as a diet for life game for Nintendo’s next-gen hardware. Details were shared in an upcoming dedicated Direct presentation, and anticipation for this groundbreaking racing experience will only build towards its June 5, 2025 release.
