NINTENDO DIRECT: ‘Mario Kart World’ Deep Dive Showcase

Following the major Nintendo Direct reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this month, Nintendo released a smaller, more focused presentation this week that offered a deep dive into its flagship launch title, Mario Kart World. The presentation offered new details on gameplay mechanics, course variety, online features, and how Mario Kart World aims to evolve the franchise for a new generation of hardware.

On Your Marks, Get Set, Explore!

Unlike past entries, Mario Kart World introduces a fully interconnected environment composed of different biomes and regions. Courses are scattered throughout this expansive world, and players are free to drive between events at their own pace. The world functions as both a hub and playable space, emphasizing exploration between traditional races.

Each course is inspired by its surrounding biome and brings a distinct sense of place. Some of the new tracks shown include:

• Mario Bros Circuit – A desert-themed course set against red rock canyons of the American Southwest.
• Crown City – A sprawling urban metropolis filled with high-speed straights and tight corners.
• Salty Salty Speedway – A Mediterranean-style seaside town, complete with waterways and canals, reminiscent of Hydro Thunder.
• Boo Cinema – A haunted, old-timey movie theater overrun by Boos. Billed as “a whole new kind of drive-in theater”
• Toad’s Factory – An industrial-themed course packed with traps and mechanical hazards
• Peach Beach – A tropical beach course with more waterways. Reminiscent of “Koopa Troopa Beach” from Mario Kart 64.
• Wario Shipyard – A Maritime-themed track scattered with wrecked pirate ships

Classic courses from previous entries will also return, reimagined to better fit into the interconnected world. Races can occur during the day or night, adding further variety.

CHARACTER ROSTER

The game will feature the full cast of familiar faces-Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi and more-alongside new playable characters, including Goomba, Spike, and the Cow from Moo Moo Meadows. As always, players will choose both driver and kart, each with their own stats.

The Name of the Game

Mario Kart World features two primary game modes: Grand Prix and Knockout Tour, both supporting up to 24 racers, the largest roster in series history.

• Grand Prix: Players race through four courses per cup like normal, traveling across the world map to reach each new race. Between events, players must manually drive to the next location, a new feature for the series. Completing all cups will unlock a certain “colorful course”.
• Knockout Tour: An elimination-based mode where racers compete across long-form tracks stretching from one end of the world to another. The last-place driver is eliminated in intervals. Staying in the race means placing well. “Drive to Survive”

While Grand Prix and Knockout Tour serve as the game’s two primary modes, several additional modes were revealed.

• Time Trials: Race against the clock in classic time trial fashion. Go online to download and compete against ghosts from players around the world.
• VS Race: Customize your own races with adjustable settings like teams, item rules, AI difficulty, and lap count. Choose between:
  • Traditional Circuit Races (3 Laps per Course)
  • Open World Progression, manually drive to next race
• Battle Mode: Play locally or online with multiple variants
  • Balloon Battle: A classic staple – pop rivals’ balloons to score points
  • Race Battle: A streamlined version of Knockout Tour, but in shorter bursts
  • Coin Runners: Collect as many coins as possible
• Free Roam: Explore the interconnected world at your own pace. Discover secret areas and find P-switches. Activating a P-Switch will trigger a mini-mission, (think Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 or Underground). Hunt for hidden coins and panels and use photo mode for capturing scenic shots or action moments. Meetup with friends and cruise the world together and take group shots.

NEW ITEMS

Several new items make their debut, adding new layers of strategy:

• Coin Shell – Leaves a trail of coins in front of your kart, making it easier to increase your coin count and speed.
• Ice Flower – Freezes nearby rivals in place.
• Hammer – Functions similarly to the Fire Flower, but throws hammers in rapid bursts.
• Mega Mushroom – Enlarges your character and lets you crush opponents, inspired by New Super Mario Bros. from the Nintendo DS.
• Feather – Returning from the original Super Mario Kart, allows you to leap over hazards or avoid attacks.
• Kamek – The MagiKoopa casts spells that transform and disorient opponents.

Item distribution still adjusts based on your current position, favoring balance and catch-up mechanics.

CONTROLS & ACCESSIBILITY

The game includes several accessibility options:

• Smart Steering – Helps new players stay on course and avoid falling off
• Tilt Controls – Players can hold a Joy-Con 2 controller horizontally to steer with motion controls. A steering wheel accessory is available to purchase at launch.

Players can unlock custom outfits by visiting in-game fast food drive-thrus and picking up “Dash Food”. Outfits are tied to the type of “meal” selected and become available costume options when choosing a character. Mario Kart World introduces new mechanics that affect gameplay flow. By holding and releasing the drift button, players can use a Charge Jump and gain extra airtime to leap over obstacles, access shortcuts or grind rails. If you miss a trick or fall, you can use the Rewind Feature to take you back to a previous position. However, the race continues in real-time, so rewinding will set you back a few positions.

Multiplayer, Better with Friends

With local multiplayer, up to 4 players can race together on a single Nintendo Switch 2 console using split screen. Local Wireless mode allows up to eight Switch 2 systems to connect on the same network (like a LAN party). Each connected console can support two players, allowing for a total of 16 players on one local session.

In online multiplayer, up to 24 players can race together in online matches, the largest online player count in Mario Kart history. The game supports public matchmaking or private friend lobbies. Play with friends using the Switch 2’s built-in Game Chat function, and communicate with the built-in microphone, video chat with the optional Switch 2 camera, and screen sharing.

INTERACTIVE ONLINE LOBBIES

While waiting for friends to join, you can explore the open world in free roam mode. Once your friends connect, they’ll spawn somewhere on the map, you can either drive to meet them, or fast travel to their location. Once you’re grouped up, you can launch any game mode together or just hang out and explore the open world. It’s the perfect opportunity for group shots and scenic captures.

Mario Kart World launches June 5th, 2025 alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 console. You can buy a Switch 2 bundle that includes a digital version of Mario Kart World.

MY THOUGHTS

I have to applaud Nintendo for shaking up the formula with the next Mario Kart entry. With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe selling over 67 million copies, they easily could’ve taken the lazy route: slap together a “Mario Kart 9,” rehash the same format, toss in a few new tracks and characters, maybe drop another round of Booster Course Pack DLCs-and it still would’ve sold gangbusters.

But instead, they went in a completely different direction. Mario Kart World isn’t just a sequel-it’s a reinvention. The open-world structure, expanded race modes, and deeper multiplayer integration all point to a clear desire to push boundaries rather than just crank out “another one.” It’s exactly the kind of bold shake-up a 30-year old franchise deserves.

Now, I know the $79.99 price tag has become a flashpoint among gamers. But consider this: the original Super Mario Kart launched in 1992 for around $60-$70. Adjusted for inflation, that’s roughly $120-$130 in 2025 money. I’m not saying price hikes are fun-but it puts things into perspective. Mario Kart has always been a premium experience, and Mario Kart World looks like it’s aiming to earn that price.