The Switch 2 is here and with it a new version of Mario Kart. Mario Kart World is a big departure for the series as it offers a pretty different way of racing, along with an even more diverse cast of drivers than its predecessor, the long-lived Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. With World, Nintendo offers a very fun and challenging, but still family friendly, entry that just about anyone who was lucky enough to score a Switch 2 at launch can enjoy.
The “world” in Mario Kart World stems from the fact that there’s now a big map to explore. Tracks are a consistent part of that world, and the game does a great job at conveying that by not only having you race in courses that aren’t lap-based, but instead stretches of road that take you from one location to the other, but also allowing you to simply free roam it at your convenience. You can even stop by a Yoshi restaurant during or off races and get a quick snack that boosts your speed or change your outfit, which you can then use later as well.
That world is so big and varied and offers a lot to do outside of simply driving: big blue switches are put in out of the way places giving you special challenges to partake and score points thanks to, and even trickier to find are the inconspicuously hidden golden Peach coins that force you to rethink the way you tackle courses and the map itself. These help provide further reason to up your playtime even more, if the base game wasn’t busy enough on its own.
In terms of game modes, you can play the usual circuits that are the bread and butter of the Mario Kart experience, from 50cc all the way up to 150. As of now, there’s no 200cc like in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but there’s bound to be an update at some point adding it as a bonus to the crazier of racers out there that can make it through it. Circuits work well in providing a lot of racing in a short amount of time, and for single player it’s a good way to enjoy the game in small spurts.
The big one is endurance mode, where 24 racers – just like circuits – race it out in a gauntlet where little by little the grid is cut, so if you’re not among the top dogs, you get eliminated. It’s an exciting way of racing that’s akin to the F-Zero 99 model that I’ve got an immense kick out of in the last few years, so seeing it done in a Mario Kart game is an absolute joy. It’s especially fun in multiplayer, which outside of the insanity that is playing with other live people, is a blast.
As usual, speaking of multiplayer, there are the expected battle modes, the ones I’m the least excited to play. Still, for those who are keen on taking on friends or random people either online or locally, they’re there as an option. You can do the classic balloon fight that has been a staple of these games since the very first one or a more flexible and customizable race as you see fit.
Like I’ve mentioned, playing online can be a ton of fun but it’s the same inane experience that it’s been ever since it’s been available as an alternative to local play introduced in Double Dash. There’s just too much to keep track of, crap flying all over the screen, so if you’re interested in simply racing and winning, you should look elsewhere. This is utter insanity and that’s what makes Mario Kart World a fabulous pickup if you take playing online with the right mindset of simply having a fun time and not worry about getting first place every time.
And there’s a lot to go on in regards to trying to avoid others from reaching the finishing line before you. Outside of the usual blue, red, and green shell, a golden one has been introduced that gives a line of coins to those that drive behind it, but be careful as they explode at the end of their path. Another cool one is the hammer bros. powerup that gives you hammers to throw that get stuck to the pavement temporarily, serving as obstacles to your competitors. The magic wand works as a race-wide spell that changes you and other players into a variety of shapes, including characters you end up unlocking to race as.
Oh man, the characters in this game. If you are a longtime Mario fan like I am, you’re gonna get a kick out of them. The freaking cow from Moo Moo Meadows is a driver, for one. You know that dude that pops out of the manhole in Super Mario Bros. 3 and throws wrenches at you? He’s in there as well. So is the dolphin from Super Mario World, who has no hands, let me remind you. Even a wriggler has a go at the wheel! You caught my drift, right? There are no bars held in Mario Kart World and it’s all the better for it.
Another kick to the nostalgia bone is the overall world design of the game. There are references not only to past games in the series but also to Nintendo history as a whole just about everywhere in World, including literal tracks that you’ve seen before. The coolest nods, though, are the in-world signs and billboards that integrate a multiple of aspects of Mario to day-to-day. You can pick from stickers that glue to your car and profile when playing online as well.
The soundtrack to the game is another standout. There’s music from Donkey Kong Country and many other Nintendo franchises remixed and even catchier to hum along to, very smartly integrated into gameplay. The original tracks are also very good and help give the game a roadtrip vibe, especially the one song that plays as Mario Kart World boots up and the start screen pops up.
There’s just so much to like about the game as someone who has had their ups and downs with the series over the years. I fell in love and stuck with it since the first one on SNES and moved on to Nintendo 64 before totally dropping these games until the DS version came out and I got hopelessly entranced by its online features. I gave Mario Kart 8 Deluxe an honest try after another decade and change of neglecting Mario Kart, but this new one is the game that brought me back to the fold, really.
Hopefully if you’re in a similar situation, it’ll work its magic on you. And if you’re someone who has never given the franchise a try, this is a fantastic starting point for sure. It’s a treasure trove of nostalgia for Nintendo admirers but also works to ease in newcomers who are looking to put their Switch 2 to use with a game that shows what the device is capable of with wonderful graphics and impressive effects both on the TV and off and about in portable mode.
