Mario Kart World is the Switch 2’s key launch title. And it’s the one included in the official Switch 2 console bundle we imagine 95 per cent of buyers will want.
At Nintendo’s big unveil of the new system, we got to see a decent chunk of Mario Kart World in action. But Nintendo also held a separate Direct event just for the new Mario Kart, on April 17.
Give it a watch below. Or just have a scan through our summary of the main things you need to know about Mario Kart World, which is due out on June 5 alongside the Nintendo Switch 2.
Game Modes: a primer
The two main game modes of Mario Kart World are the classic Grand Prix and Knockout Tour, which sees you race across the game world. And if you’re not in a high enough position by the next checkpoint, it’s game over.
We’ll also get classic time trail events and versus racing.
Up to 24 players online
The maximum number of racers doubles from the 12 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to 24. These can be computer-controlled racers, or actual people when you play online.
Up to 8 players local
Four people can play locally on a single Switch 2 console. But to really max-out local multiplayer you can link up two Switch 2 consoles for 8-player races.
Classic courses are in
No surprise here. Mario Kart World will feature courses based on those you’ll recall from Mario Karts past, including of course, Rainbow Road. However, Nintendo says it has had to reformulate these to suit the new open style of this latest take on the classic racer.
You can rewind
One of your racer’s key moves is a rewind function, letting you replay those moments you mess up. However, this isn’t a true time shift power as the other racers don’t rewind too, meaning you’ll want to employ some strategy about how to use it.
Unlock outfits by eating meals
As you free roam around Mario Kart World, you’ll bump into Yoshi restaurants. At these you can pick up Dash Foods, like burgers and sushi. These let you unlock outfits to customise the look of your racer.
Charge Jump lets you wall ride
You can jump in Mario Kart World. And you can Charge Jump too. Let your jump build up and you can use that extra power to briefly ride along walls. It’s another move in your racer’s arsenal.
There are helpful modes for less expert players
Mario Kart isn’t exactly the most intimidating racer series going, but Mario Kart World will provide some control options to make play all the more approachable. These include steering assistance, automatic acceleration, and auto-use of items.
More than 25 characters
We don’t yet know the full extent of the Mario Kart World character roster. And we reckon it will expand over what’s likely to be a long old lifespan for this (up to) £75 game. There are at least 25 characters here, though, including some deeper cuts like King Boo, Dry Bones and Wiggler alongside obvious picks like Mario and Luigi.
P Switches unlock missions
When in the Fire Roam mode, you’ll encounter P Switches, as seen in Mario platformer games. These commence a mini mission, which might involve collecting a bunch of blue coins of reaching a goal within a time limit. There will “hundreds” of these to find, intended to help you sharpen up your Mario Kart chops outside of more conventional races.