Most folks who grabbed the Nintendo Switch 2 have dived right into Mario Kart World. Honestly, I’m one of them, and it’s been weeks of non-stop zooming around this crazy open map. Are you still tearing it up out there, or is your kart collecting dust? I get it – the excitement wears off, but let’s pop the hood and see what’s really going on.
So, like, this is the first fresh Mario Kart in ages. A decade, even! They really had to crank it up a notch, ya know? And they sorta did! Imagine 24 racers in karts and bikes all bumping around—sounds chaotic, but the tracks are wider, so you’re not crammed in like sardines. There are these sneaky little paths too, so you don’t just get pelted with shells over and over. Trust me, it’s a lifesaver.
Now, racing—you got solo, multiplayer, and online. Online’s cool; it keeps the game alive longer. Played a few rounds with some colleagues, and hey, I won a couple of times! That’s rare, let’s be honest. Everything’s super smooth. Even the chat is thrown in for free, for now anyway. It’s a blast! But you’ll probably start solo—just to find your feet. Or wheels, I guess?
Feels like seeing an old friend when the Grand Prix, Time Trials, and VS Race modes pop up. No 200cc speed demon stuff—150cc is still super tricky. But hold up, Knockout Tour is the real star here. It’s like a wild race where the slowpokes get booted out each round. Man, it’s tense! You’ve gotta focus, like eyes-on-the-road type of focus. Oh, and check the settings! It starts with “Smart Steering” on. Why? Beats me.
Oh, and Battle mode. Don’t get too excited. Balloon Battle and Coin Runners are it, so far. Feels like the design is copy-pasted from Mario Kart 8 on Wii U. I used to love Battle mode—huge fan since the N64 days—so fingers crossed it gets some love soon.
There’s this neat little map icon buried in the corner of the screen. Took me forever to spot, but it opens up the map. Roam free, it says! Maybe Nintendo’s big thing here is Knockout Tour, who knows?
Free Roam sounded like a big deal when they were hyping the game—and thank the gaming gods, it’s fun! Cruising around looking for coins and costumes, watching the sunset, feels oddly… relaxing. Makes me wanna hop out and walk around. So much to see!
But, wandering isn’t aimless thanks to P Switches. They’re intense! Some are super tricky and test your jumping skills or new tricks like riding rails. Annoyingly hard, but they change color once you beat them. The whole thing feels a bit half-baked. Needs some updates, if you ask me.
Updates, yeah, what would work? Maybe a better way to track missions. There are loads of costumes, like a parade of dressed-up Marios. Clean up the interface, please! And all those stickers—what are we even supposed to do with them? Just… why?
Deeper updates would rock. Some long P Switch missions let you race on classic tracks. Love those! Imagine if the whole game had these tucked in. The soundtrack, though. It’s gold—a tribute to Mario with killer remixes. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a radio or playlist while cruising?
The tracks, though. I’m split. They’re fun, sure, and the world feels huge. But, they don’t stick in your memory like before. Especially the old tracks—it’s like, “Oh, been there, done that.” Choco Mountain’s classic, sure, but how many times do I have to race it? Some tracks are back for the first time, like Toad’s Factory. Still, I want fresh stuff. The new DK Spaceport is epic! DK’s locked, mind you—gotta earn that first cup.
For longtime fans, Mario Kart World offers loads of fun. Newbies might see it as a game changer. Excited to see how it evolves.
Driving around, here’s my take on Mario Kart World post-honeymoon. It rocks; looks and sounds amazing, super smooth on Switch 2. Worth the extra bucks! Yet, for $79.99 solo, it’s missing something compared to previous games—less tracks, fewer features. Future DLC will save it, I bet, but this game is still a must-play. Crosses the finish line proud, for sure.
