We all knew a new Mario Kart was coming the moment Nintendo teased the Switch 2. But what they actually delivered? That, my friends, was beyond anything I expected. Thursday’s Nintendo Direct wasted no time in dropping Mario Kart World — a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. Translation: if parents weren’t thinking of upgrading, they might have to now (especially my in-laws because my nephew is so into Mario Kart).
Aside from the obvious traditional updates they make to new iterations of Mario Kart, the Direct revealed some cool new vehicles and racing mechanics, like wall-driving! We saw Princess Daisy in a speedboat, Donkey Kong in a plane, and even a snowmobile for Rosalina! This reflects the many different regions in Mario Kart World, which looked like one giant continent in the trailer. Also, a cow riding a motorbike?? Who is this cow? Why is she on a bike? Is it the cow from Moo Moo Meadows? Are there more NPCs? So many questions.
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Not only are there different regions in Mario Kart World, but we’re also getting weather. No news if the in-game rain will affect your driving though. The biggest game changer: off-track driving. No tracks holding you back – if you want to go rogue, go rogue. Free Roam mode lets you drive around and explore with friends, and Knockout Tour mode has you racing across the world, trying to hit checkpoints and avoid elimination. Oh, and did I mention? 24 racers at once. That’s four more than F1’s max grid, which officially makes Mario Kart World the premier motorsport.
Personally, I’m here for the fashion. Peach alone had at least five different outfits in the trailer, which means we’re getting full-on Mario Kart runway moments. There’s even a Photo Mode, so you can stop mid-race to take the most dramatic selfies with your friends. Add in the new Chat and Camera mode on the Nintendo Switch 2, and I’m calling it now: Mario Kart World is about to become the next big GTA-style LARPing phenomenon.
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We’ll find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes when Nintendo gives us another look on April 17th at 11pm AEST. Stay tuned — and maybe start working on your Mario Kart cosplay now.
