Mario Kart World on the Switch 2 is still fast and frantic, just not in the way you remember

Note: This review was first published on 29 July 2025.

Finally, a new Mario Kart game. Now, if I’m being honest, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the original Switch already felt like the be-all and end-all. But then Mario Kart World landed alongside the Switch 2, and it’s been quietly chipping away at that sense of familiarity for me ever since.

What surprised me first wasn’t the scale or the visuals but the pace of the game. Not just of the karts, but of how Mario Kart World reshapes the rhythm of play. You see, instead of being hurled straight into lap-based chaos, you’re dropped into this sprawling, oddball map that’s somehow part amusement park, part open-world playground. One moment I’m drifting through a moonlit jazz district modelled after New Donk City, and then the next I’m off-roading through a desert canyon, taking detours to chase floating coins.

Nintendo calls it “connected karting”, but what it feels like is a road trip with interruptions. Remember EA’s excellent Burnout racing series? Sometimes the interruptions are races. Sometimes they’re impromptu stunt challenges or exploration bits where you’re bouncing across clouds to reach some hidden token. And sometimes, more often than I expected, they’re just moments where you’re coasting along next to a bunch of other players, honking your horn at a Luigi in beach shorts for absolutely no reason. And therein lies the fun of Mario Kart World.

I didn’t expect to enjoy the free-roam stuff this much. It’s not deep in the way a proper open-world game might be – there’s no real story nor characters to chat with. But it’s layered with that usual Nintendo sleight of hand. Things feel handcrafted even when they’re incidental. A dodgy-looking ski-lift off the side of a mountain, or a suspicious row of boost pads leading into what looks like a waterfall shortcut. It’s a sandbox where the fun comes from poking at the edges and realising the game is always slightly more aware of your curiosity than you thought.

Still, for all the meandering, the racing is very much still the core in World. That familiar mix of chaos and control is there, where you’re never more than half a second away from glory or absolute carnage. What the game changes most meaningfully is how you move. The new grind mechanic lets you charge a jump and latch onto rails or ride walls, and it’s been throwing off my years of drift muscle memory in all the best and worst ways. For example, very early on, I kept overshooting corners or missing boosts entirely. But when it clicks, it feels absolutely satisfying and very refreshing.

The tracks themselves have a kind of thematic playfulness that reminds me of Galaxy-era Nintendo, too. A personal favourite track pays homage to the arcade version of Donkey Kong, with the titular character throwing barrels down at you. The lap structure has loosened, too. Some of the longer circuits blur the line between traditional tracks and open routes, and the game’s new Knockout Tour mode leans into that idea of chaos-as-spectacle – 24 players, sprawling courses, and a nail-biting elimination format where the slowest get cut every few minutes.

Character selection is even nuttier than ever. I raced as a Koopa Troopa wearing aviators, then as a version of Birdo riding what looked like a sentient espresso machine. You unlock cosmetic bits at a generous pace – such as decals, gliders and alternate costumes – but they’re all optional fluff, and thankfully there’s no whiff of in-game currency or battle pass nonsense. Even the assist options for less experienced players feel quietly thoughtful. My partner, who’s not a regular gamer like me, was able to jump into a race with steering and acceleration assists turned on.

But it’s not all good news here as I ran into a few rough edges with World. Free-roam doesn’t support local split-screen multiplayer (although the rest of the formats do), which feels like a missed opportunity given how social this game is meant to be. Couch co-op racing is still there and runs smoothly, but if you want to explore the larger world together, you’ll need a second Switch 2 and another copy of the game, and another Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Not ideal, especially when part of the charm here is wandering and discovering things with someone else next to you. And there’s also the jaw-dropping price tag of S$119.90 that even for a live-service game, is going to be hard to swallow for many fans.

Technically, Mario Kart World is a great showcase for the Switch 2 without trying to be flashy. Frame rates hold steady even in 24-player chaos. But what sticks with me isn’t the fidelity, which, by the way, is fantastic. But it’s the way it all comes together without fuss. No long load screens, no aggressive menus, just a world that unfolds naturally whether you’re racing, roaming, or just mucking about.

I wouldn’t call Mario Kart World a reinvention, but it’s certainly a rethinking of the Mario Kart series as we know it. It doesn’t throw out what works. It nudges it. Adds layers. Pulls back just enough to let the player lean forward. And in doing so, it reminded me why Mario Kart still matters – not just as a racer, but as this strange, joyful glue that manages to pull people together around a screen, regardless of age or gaming ability.

Availability and pricing

Mario Kart World is available now for $119 at the Nintendo Official Store on Lazada and Shopee, as well as major retailers in Singapore.