Expert Claims “Mario Kart World” on Nintendo Switch 2 Uses “Fake HDR” — Suggests Even Top Developers Overlook True HDR Quality

Sure thing, here goes nothing. So, Mario Kart World on the Switch 2, right? Yeah, people are ticked off about this whole ‘fake HDR’ thing. It’s like a soap opera for techies. You’ve got those TechTubers, who love stirring the pot, lighting up social media like it’s the Fourth of July. And then there’s Alexander Mejia — this big-shot HDR guru — who just had to weigh in. He rants about how Mario Kart World is a total letdown because it’s stuck in an SDR mindset trying to pass off as HDR. Like, why bother calling it HDR if it’s not the real deal?

What’s hilarious is, this was supposed to be Nintendo’s big splashy 4K60 HDR show-off, and yet, boom, Mejia calls them out. It’s all smoke and mirrors, he says. The developers? Man, they danced right into this mess. It’s like the time I tried to impress my friends with “pro” cooking skills and ended up with burnt toast. Not exactly a shining moment.

But get this — Mejia sorta admits that HDR isn’t easy-peasy. Oh, no. You’ve gotta be all about HDR from the get-go, not slap it on later like a sticker. Makes sense, right? If you’re using all this snazzy 2020s tech, you’d better know what you’re doing, or else, what’s the point?

Now, picture this. Mejia’s findings — yeah, they’re as bright as mud when it comes to Mario Kart World. My goodness, it’s like they set their peak brightness to a gazillion nits, but nothing ever hits past 950. That’s like announcing you’re gonna host a massive fireworks show and you end up lighting sparklers. Sad trombone.

And it’s not just the numbers that are out of whack. The colors, too. It’s like painting a rainbow with two crayons. Mejia pointed out the game’s stuck in some ancient SDR-like color space. So, bye-bye full color explosion, hello dullsville.

Oh, and Mejia’s also dropping hints about how his consultancy could swoop in and save the day. Need HDR advice? He’s your guy. HDR pipelines, Dolby Vision magic, tone-mapping – he’s on it.

Anyway, it’s all a bit of a laugh watching these pros trip over HDR, yet, here we are. Nintendo, take note – give HDR the respect it deserves or risk more side-eye from Mejia and his ilk. Who knows, maybe they’ll get it right next time. Fingers crossed.