Mario Kart World Review: A Turbo-Charged Evolution for the Switch 2

After an 11-year gap since the last brand-new Mario Kart entry, Mario Kart World races onto the scene alongside the Nintendo Switch 2’s highly anticipated launch. Following Mario Kart 8 Deluxe—the fifth best-selling game ever, boasting a staggering 96 courses after years of DLC—Nintendo faced a daunting challenge. Rather than trying to outdo its predecessor’s sheer volume, Mario Kart World focuses on evolving gameplay with fresh mechanics and modes.

It’s not a revolutionary leap, but it refines the formula in all the right ways, delivering the chaotic, rage-inducing Mario Kart experience fans crave. Where it stumbles slightly is its much-hyped open-world mode, which, while enjoyable in short bursts, doesn’t fully realize its potential. Even so, Mario Kart World is the best-looking and best-feeling entry in the series to date. Despite debates over its $79.99 price tag, it’s a stellar launch title, propelling Nintendo into the new generation with confidence.

Developer & Publisher // Nintendo
Platforms // Nintendo Switch 2
MSRP & Release Date // $79.99, June 5th, 2025
Reviewed On // Nintendo Switch 2

A Visual Victory Lap – Presentation of Mario Kart World

At first glance, Mario Kart World might seem visually similar to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, especially in still screenshots. But once you grip the controller and see it in motion, the differences shine through. Character and kart models are sharper and more detailed than ever, with characters like Daisy and Wario getting new dazzling models. Compared to 8 Deluxe’s slightly polygonal textures on wheels and models, World’s assets are smooth and meticulously crafted. Environments are a treat, with expansive draw distances that make tracks feel alive.

Unlike previous Mario Kart games, which used baked lighting and fixed times of day to create iconic visuals—like Moo Moo Meadows’ golden glow—Mario Kart World introduces dynamic lighting, weather, and a day/night cycle. This means tracks can feel wildly different each time you race. A sunset on Moo Moo Meadows with HDR enabled is breathtaking, even if it’s not always as picture-perfect as 8 Deluxe’s static version.

Animations That Pop

The real visual standout is the animation work. From tricks to attacks and wipeouts to drifts, every motion is expressive. A new physics engine makes karts feel less glued to the track, adding weight and realism. Getting hit by a shell sends you spinning based on your trajectory, while colliding with a car might tip you onto two wheels until you recover. Each character has unique trick animations, and costumes add bespoke flourishes—an awesome touch that screams attention to detail.

Performance is rock-solid, with no framerate hiccups in any modes. The only blemish is 3-4 player splitscreen running at 30fps, which is understandable given the hardware demands, but slightly disappointing. Visually, Mario Kart World isn’t a traditionally jaw-dropping graphical showcase like some would expect at a console launch, but its quality shines through in motion, making it a clear step up from its predecessor.

A Racing Cartoon – Lord RK’s Thoughts

The visual language of Mario is iconic, but the cast lost some of that character in charm in releases like New Super Mario Bros. While Mario Kart 8 had detailed character models, they weren’t as expressive compared to Mario’s proper 3D adventures.

But taking a page out of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the cast in Mario Kart World is alive and bursting with personality. I love so many little touches, like the karts bouncing around or how characters are far more emotive than before. It takes that iconic Nintendo charm and dials it up a notch.

Soundtrack That Hits the Gas

Mario Kart World’s soundtrack is a high-octane triumph, hands-down the best in the series. It’s a massive, eclectic mix of brand-new tracks, reimagined Mario Kart classics, and remixes of iconic Super Mario themes. Whether you’re tearing through a course or cruising in Free Roam, the music elevates every moment. A Spanish-infused remix of the Super Mario Bros. Underground theme in the open world is an earworm that never gets old.

The sheer variety ensures you’re constantly discovering new tunes, each perfectly suited to the mood of its environment. From adrenaline-pumping race themes to chill exploration vibes, the soundtrack keeps you hooked. It’s the kind of score that lingers in your head long after you’ve put down the controller, making every lap and mission feel epic.

A 1-Up to the Soul – Lord RK’s Thoughts on Mario Kart World

Many of you know me as the resident Sonic expert at Lords of Gaming, and I’ve gushed about the franchise’s music. But Nintendo music has equally touched my heart, and the musical score in Mario Kart World is one of the greatest Nintendo soundtracks of all time.

It combines iconic melodies and themes across Mario’s history and gives them new life. Half the fun of racing in the Free Roam mode comes from hearing these amazing remixes. Driving at night to an emotional remix of the Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island opening theme, pulling off killer tricks to almost Modern Sonic-inspired remixes to Super Mario Galaxy levels, and more were amazing.

Fine-Tuning the Formula

While the Free Roam mode grabs headlines, Mario Kart World’s deepest changes lie in its core gameplay. These range from small quality-of-life tweaks to game-changing mechanics that elevate the skill ceiling. For starters, items automatically shift to a defensive position behind your kart, protecting your rear without manual input—a subtle but welcome change.

New items, however, are a mixed bag. The Coin Block is a standout, quickly maxing out your coins, while the Feather lets you dodge red shells or access hidden rails and shortcuts with precise timing. Others, like the Coin Shell (a middle-lane projectile that spawns coins), Ice Flower (a Fire Flower variant that slows foes), and Kamek (whose abilities, like turning racers into identical characters, feel gimmicky), don’t leave much impact. Tweaks to classic items, like a widened window to boost past blue shells, add spice to the chaos.

Balanced, But Still Challenging – Lord RK’s Thoughts on Mario Kart World Item Balance

While I love Mario Kart like everyone else, the franchise’s item balance has always been annoying. While it has been better in games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, past installments like Mario Kart Wii were borderline unfair. Thankfully, I fully agree with Don’s points, with Mario Kart World learning from the past to make a fairer experience.

New mechanics, like the charge jump, and the game more liberally handing out Super Mushrooms, offer racers more opportunities to avoid shells and even the dreaded Blue Shell.

A Physics-Powered Overhaul

The new physics engine is a quiet revolution. Unlike Breath of the Wild’s physics overhaul, Mario Kart World’s changes are less flashy but still transformative. Collisions with items or ramps now have varied outcomes—shells might hinder or accidentally boost you, while mistimed ramp tricks can slow you down instead of speeding you up. This adds a layer of technical skill and unpredictability that keeps races tense.

The real game-changer, though, is the introduction of technical mechanics like the boost jump, grinding, and wall-riding. These moves let skilled players chain boosts, dodge attacks, and carve unorthodox paths through courses. While scripted shortcuts are still available for adept players, perfectly timed combos can turn a race around with significant shortcuts, rewarding exploration, and precision. Even with 24-player races, the wider tracks make the chaos feel less claustrophobic than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. These mechanics make Mario Kart World the most advanced and rewarding entry in the series, raising the skill ceiling while keeping the pick-up-and-play charm intact.

A Scenic Detour – Introducing Free Roam

Mario Kart World’s Free Roam mode was touted as its boldest innovation: a vast open world weaving all 32 courses into a single, explorable map. Initially, I was skeptical, but the return of missions—expanded from Mario Kart DS—piqued my interest. Activated by hitting P-Switches, these short challenges, typically under two minutes, push your mastery of mechanics to the limit. You might wall-ride and grind through checkpoint-laden platforming sections or weave past a swarm of Chargin’ Chucks to reach a goal in time.

With nearly 400 P-Switches, and an abundance of Hidden Peach Medallions and Question Panels, there’s no shortage of content, ensuring you’re rarely far from action. In short bursts, Free Roam is a delight, offering a refreshing single-player escape from the multiplayer chaos that defines Mario Kart.

Where’s the Map – Issues with Free Roam

Yet, for all its promise, Free Roam feels oddly hollow in longer sessions. Taking a Breath of the Wild-style approach, the map only marks courses for fast travel, leaving P-Switches, Medallions, and Panels unmarked. This organic exploration sounds great in theory, but it backfires. Unlike Forza Horizon 5’s cluttered maps, Mario Kart World’s minimalist approach leaves you directionless. The game tracks your collectibles but doesn’t mark completed locations, making it nearly impossible to clear areas systematically.

Beyond missions and collectibles, there’s little to do. NPCs are static, offering no meaningful interaction beyond a boost from jumping on them. Vehicles on the road drop items or throw attacks, but without a goal, these encounters feel inconsequential. A Tony Hawk-style combo system or score tracker could have injected life into exploration, rewarding trick chains and creative driving, but as it stands, Free Roam is fun for casual dips but lacks the depth to anchor a grand single-player experience.

A Karting Odyssey – Lord RK’s Thoughts on Mario Kart World

When Mario Kart World was revealed, I didn’t know what to make of the Free Roam mode. On one hand, offering a literal sandbox for racers to hang out in between online racers sounds like a fantastic idea. More so if it’s large enough for casual exploration for a new take on the Mushroom Kingdom.

However, the lack of information on what players can do in this open sandbox was concerning, leading up to the launch. Now that I have personally spent many hours racing around this racing world, I’m driving away more positive than negative.

The biggest aspect I love about the mode is the casual vibes. You can drive around and enjoy the amazing soundtrack, drive across the many P-Switches and complete a few missions, or even collect Peach Coins and find Question Mark blocks. It’s a zen-like experience, channeling what I loved about games like Super Mario Odyssey.

Sadly, unlike that game, there’s little incentive to see everything Mario Kart World‘s open world offers. The only rewards for completing missions and finding items are stickers you can put on your kart. It’s fine, but when games like Forza Horizon or Burnout Paradise offer substantial rewards for your racing efforts, this feels like a glaring omission on Nintendo’s part.

It’s the missing link making Free Roam anything more than a shockingly sizable bonus to the core Mario Kart experience.

Classic Chaos & New Twists in Mario Kart World

Grand Prix remains the heart of Mario Kart World, delivering the scripted, chaotic races fans love. The big twist? Instead of teleporting between courses, you now drive from one to the next. Each race splits into thirds: the tail end of the previous course, a transitional route, and the new course itself.

This change is divisive, but I found it exhilarating. Seamless music transitions and varied environments keep races fresh, avoiding the repetition of looping the same track. Courses feel slightly shorter than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s, which takes adjustment but doesn’t detract from the experience. With 32 courses across seven initial cups, plus an unlockable Special Cup featuring a jaw-dropping Rainbow Road, Grand Prix is as addictive as ever.

Versus Mode, often overlooked, shines with a unique feature: customizable routes. Unlike Grand Prix’s fixed paths, Versus lets you chart your course between destinations, creating new track combinations. With up to 10 routes per destination, the 32 courses feel exponentially larger.

Short routes make for quick races, while longer ones offer marathon challenges. This flexibility makes Versus a sandbox for experimentation, rewarding players who master the open world’s layout. Both modes deliver the classic Mario Kart experience with enough tweaks to feel fresh, making them the backbone of World’s multiplayer appeal.

A High-Stakes Thrill Ride

Mario Kart World embraces the Battle Royale craze with Knockout Tour, a mode that feels like Fall Guys meets Mario Kart. Unlike Grand Prix, Knockout Tour features unique, longer routes with five checkpoints. At each checkpoint, only a set number of racers advance, whittling the field down to the top four at the finish line. This high-stakes format tests your skill, strategy, and luck, amplifying the classic Mario Kart chaos. Every item, trick, and shortcut matters as you fight to stay in the race. The mode’s intensity and freshness make it a standout, offering a modern twist that fits perfectly alongside traditional modes. If you’re craving a challenge, Knockout Tour is Mario Kart World at its most exhilarating.

Crossing the Finish Line – Lords of Gaming’s Final Thoughts on Mario Kart World

Lord Digital aka Alex Patsy

Mario Kart has always been more of a party game than a competitive racer. Naturally, I was curious to see how Mario Kart World would land, especially with the introduction of a new free-roam mode. I hoped this open-world element would offer a deeper, more engaging experience. While the mode is undeniably ambitious, it quickly feels shallow after some time. At its core, it’s more of a relaxing side mode where players solve basic puzzles and unlock alternate costumes—fun, but far from revolutionary.

Regarding alternate costumes, the user interface could use serious improvement. Every costume variation takes up its character slot, and with over 50 playable characters, the menu quickly becomes cluttered and visually unpolished once you’ve unlocked a decent number of outfits.

The core gameplay remains as fun as ever, especially with friends. The game features a strong selection of tracks that are rewarding to master. Discovering shortcuts using the new kart mechanics, like wall-riding and grinding, adds a fresh twist to the classic formula. The soundtrack also deserves a shout-out for enhancing the excitement of each race.

In terms of game modes, all the staples are here, including Grand Prix and Time Trials. The standout is Knockout Tour mode, which delivers the most exciting and competitive gameplay in Mario Kart World.

Lord Subeg Dhaliwal

Mario Kart is in my DNA. As a kid, I remember that alongside Pokémon, I had Mario Kart. And Mario Kart World is worth that 10-year wait, feeling like a true evolution. Blitzing through the Grand Prix on 150cc, I felt each track had purpose.

The first few cups took me a bit to acclimate to the new mechanics. But I love choosing different characters and unlocking their alternative outfits. Seeing which kart and character combo I will main and get comfortable with is exciting, alongside seeing different outfits and cars hidden in the Mario Kart World. It didn’t take me too long to get through all the cups, and it got me ready to jump into online races!

Crossing the Rainbow Road – Don Otaku’s Final Verdict

Mario Kart World is the series’ best entry yet, refining the traditional experience with tighter gameplay, stunning visuals, and a killer soundtrack. New mechanics like boost jumps and wall-riding raise the skill ceiling, while modes like Knockout Tour and Versus add fresh ways to play. The Free Roam mode, while ambitious, falls short of its potential, feeling empty and unstructured for dedicated players. Still, it’s a fun diversion between intense races.

At $79.99, the price sparks debate, but bundles dropping it to an effective $50 soften the blow. With no microtransactions or battle passes, Mario Kart World delivers a complete package that justifies its cost in a sea of nickel-and-dime multiplayer-centric games. If Nintendo supports it with post-launch content like they did with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this will be a Switch 2 staple for years. It’s not exactly a revolution, but it’s a substantial evolution that fully makes up for the 11-year wait.

Pros

• Stunning Visuals and Animations
• Deep Gameplay Improvements
• Banger Soundtrack
• Knockout Tour is a Standout
• Packed with Unique Content
• Rainbow Road is the Best it’s Been

Cons

• Free Roam Doesn’t Fully Meet Expectations
• New Items Aren’t Impactful
• 3-4 Player Splitscreen at 30fps

Final Score: 9.2/10

This review was written using a copy purchased by the reviewer via the Switch 2 Mario Kart Bundle. In addition, all the writers who contributed to this review also bought the title via the Switch 2 Mario Kart Bundle.