Okay, here goes nothing. So, everyone’s been losing their minds over the Nintendo Switch 2 and its shiny new thing, Mario Kart World. I mean, who wouldn’t, right? People snagged the console on day one or whatever and now they’ve been glued to it, racing like mad across what’s basically a whole Mario Kart universe. Anyone else’s engine still roaring, or are we all on pit stop duty now? Anyway—or wait, was I done?—let’s dig around in the nuts and bolts of this thing.
So, first up, Mario Kart World’s like, the first new slice of Mario Kart goodness in what feels like forever. Like, literally over ten years, I think? And oh boy, it sure does deliver—race-wise anyway. There’s 24 different bikes and karts bouncing around, plus loads of new drivers. Weird, but somehow it doesn’t feel cramped. The tracks have this, like, open road vibe going on. No worries about getting wedged in a loop and bombarded with shells. At least, not as much.
Oh, racing! You can go it alone, with friends—real ones, not imaginary—or take it on the world wide web. Honestly, catching a game online with my pals from work felt pretty slick, like, winning a race and not being the last for once. Game chat was open and fun, at least until they charge for it. Phew, anyway, the controls are all customizable, so you won’t be stuck with some bizarre view. Or maybe you will? Who knows.
Now, who’s got a soft spot for the old stuff like Grand Prix, Time Trials, and VS Race? No crazy 200cc craziness this time, but, oh well, 150cc is a neat challenge too. Surprise hit though? Knockout Tour, where racers get booted left and right, no chill time between rounds. Seriously, don’t forget to blink, people. And oh my gosh, check your settings, or you’ll be stuck on this odd “Smart Steering” thing. Why is that even default?
And yeah, about Battle Mode, ugh. It’s kinda… slow? Just Balloon Battle and Coin Runners right now. Nobody’s loving the current tracks much, echoing Mario Kart 8 vibes when that showed up on the Wii U. You drive forever to find someone—like, come on. Why do I keep thinking of Mario Kart 64? Really gotta hope they shake things up soon.
Speaking of hidden stuff—did anyone else miss the tiny map icon down there? Turns out you can just roam around, checking out these big regions. How is this not more obvious, Nintendo? It’s supposed to be the big new thing, right?
Still with me? Okay, so, Free Roam mode—love it. Relaxing, even, while scoping out coins, outfits, and cool photo ops. I kinda want to jump out and just wander around. But hey, those P Switch missions are another story—like, intense! Jumping and rail riding, super tricky! They need a little more polish, if you ask me. But hey, tweaks could definitely add some flair.
What sort of flair, you ask? Maybe, tracking missions better could, like, totally help. All these outfits need a cleaner setup anyway. And what’s with all the Mario costumes? Please, give us more than stickers—the current stash feels like a last-minute tack-on.
For major improvements, some revamped P Switch missions could tie back to classic tracks—yep, that’d be awesome. Mix up the track count a bit. Oh! The music’s fab too, some classic Mario remixes jazzing things up. Could we get a radio or something while we race?
Eh, tracks—yeah, they ride alright. There’s this "World" feeling in there, being all connected and whatnot. But like, individually, they don’t always stick in my head. Especially the oldies. It’s like, either the first or last lap holds the classics. Not sure I dig that.
And rehashed old tracks? Meh, they’re cool but feel kinda recycled. The roster’s kinda slim versus MK8 DX, and half are repeats. Choco Mountain—again? But hey, Toad’s Factory is back, so, yay? Let’s see more fresh stuff, like DK Spaceport. It’s rad, but you’ll need to unlock DK first.
Okay, okay, long-time fans? You’re in for a ride—wild quirks and all. Racing as a cow (don’t ask, just go with it) hits differently. For newcomers, it’s gonna be, like, epic. I can’t wait to see how Nintendo’s gonna evolve this world over time.
So, my grand finale after weeks of racing chaos? Mario Kart World rocks and rolls—looks fantastic, plays like a dream, worth every penny of its crazy price. But yeah, standing solo, it’s got a few pieces missing compared to its predecessors. Fingers crossed for some DLC to fill the gaps and fix a few hiccups. Really, it’s a must-try game, racing—and maybe coasting with its head high.
