Mario Kart World Review

Title = Mario Kart World

Platforms = Switch 2

Developer = Nintendo

Publisher = Nintendo

Release Date = 5 June 2025

For a franchise lasting as long as Mario Kart, the formula to that long-lasting success comes down to two things: maintaining fun and/or quality, as well as iterating on its gameplay to keep things fresh. While it has definitely succeeded with the former, the latter hasn't seen the same level of attention. However, that all changes with this latest entry in the legendary franchise.

Does Mario Kart World race ahead, or does it stall? Keep reading to find out!

Like the games that came before, there are various different modes for you to play through. As usual, Grand Prix is the main one you will paying through. Facing off against various AI (or human racers if playing multiplayer) in 4 tracks in each cup, trying to accumulate the most points in order to win. This is the classic Mario Kart experience players will be familiar with. However, one key difference is the significantly increased number of drivers...double in fact! From the 12 seen in the previous few games, now reaches a staggering 24 in any given race. It makes each race feel more competitive and hectic, which is exactly what you need in a kart racer like this. Despite saying that, if any smaller tracks get released, then I can see this becoming a bit of a hamper on gameplay.

While other returning modes like time trials and battle mode are welcome, there is a brand new event for players to sink their tyres into. Knockout tour pits you against others in one, long race that takes place across multiple tracks. However, instead of just racing to be first by the end, you need to keep pace and ensure you maintain at least a certain position by checkpoints or you are eliminated. It's a mode that rewards consistency throughout rather than a last minute surge at the end from power-ups. I had a lot of fun with this mode and was my definite favourite behind the standard Grand Prix.

However, the most marketed new addition to Mario Kart World that promised to shake up the gameplay is the open-world mode. Allowing you to explore a sizeable (but not excessively large) region at your own pace, finding collectibles, completing challenges, and unlocking stuff like costumes for characters. I was certainly excited to see what Nintendo could do, especially given how acclaimed other games like Forza Horizon manage it. Unfortunately, it feels empty and a wasted opportunity here. There isn't a whole lot to do, and while the challenges can be fun at first, they quickly slip into dull busy work that makes me wish I was back racing on the crafted tracks. I think they could have incorporated the racing aspect a lot more into the world to make it worthwhile to play. Instead, it fails to hold your attention for very long.

Now the tracks themselves are always the real star of the series. Unfortunately, Mario Kart World ends up being a mixed bag in this regard. Let's start with the positives, the returning tracks from various prior games in the series are all welcome revisits in higher fidelity presentation. While you can argue having so many returning tracks can feel lazy, giving players the chance to experience these again with a fresh coat of paint and possibly for the first time, is a great way to pay homage to its past.

In terms of the new courses, there are a number of incredibly fun and intuitive tracks that I will add to my all time favourites in the series. Boo Cinema and Starview Peak are two that spring to mind, while the latest iteration of Rainbow Road is perhaps the greatest version yet! It pains me to say though, that a lot of the new tracks have a common design flaw that leads them to feel too dull. Instead of being well-thought out loops for the player to complete numerous laps around, most of the latest tracks are now one long race split into sections. While that might not sound like an issue at first, it quickly becomes apparent that the shift to a straight race from one end to another lacks the quirky design that a Kart racer needs. I ended up finding most of the new tracks boring for the most part.

Visually, Mario Kart has never looked better! The higher resolution on a TV fuelled by the increased power of the Nintendo Switch 2 is such an improvement. Every varied locale in the open word and in the different tracks really takes advantage of the greater power and colours are much more vibrant across the board. I never encountered any frame drops either, which is something Nintendo nails for the most part.

What I will say about Mario Kart World is that I appreciate the continued attempt to iterate on every new entry in the franchise, including the biggest change in World, even if it doesn't land the execution. While I may have my issues with track quality in the new additions, the game is still a blast to play, even more so with friends (that blue shell betrayal never gets easier!).

Score = 7/10