Mario Kart World promises to be the biggest, most ambitious entry in the series with plenty of new and exciting features. As a lifelong fan of Mario Kart—having spent countless hours weaving through the twists and turns of Rainbow Road and beyond—I couldn’t be more thrilled for the next evolution of the franchise. As a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, Mario Kart World is set to redefine kart racing fun. Start your engines, let’s dive into all the new information shared in the Mario Kart World Direct.
New courses in Mario Kart World
There’s an exciting new look at five circuits designed to showcase the game’s ambitious open‑world structure and dynamic environments. From sun‑baked canyons to haunted theatres, each course brings unique shortcuts, hazards, and scenic backdrops. Here’s a look at each track:
Mario Bros. Circuit
Shift into high gear as you navigate the ridges and ribbon-like roads of Mario Bros. Circuit. This bright desert course winds around a sprawling canyon, offering tight hairpin turns and sandy paths that challenge your drifting skills.
Crown City
Experience the electric buzz of urban racing with the Crown City circuit. This sprawling metropolis course features towering skyscrapers, bustling marketplaces, and a straightaway down Main Street that launches you high above the city skyline. Day or night, the neon lights and honking traffic provide an exhilarating backdrop—just be ready to dodge the occasional taxi that veers onto the track!
Salty, Salty, Speedway
Race on beside glistening canals and under bridges in Salty, Salty Speedway. Constructed around a thriving waterfront district, this track’s winding waterways let you drift around tight corners before splashing through shallow channels.
Starview Peak
Keep your cool on Starview Peak, a frost-covered circuit perched high in the mountains. Ice-slick trails and snow-dusted cliffs require more precision, as one miscalculated power slide and you could tumble off the track.
Boo Cinema
The Boo Cinema track sees you zip around a haunted movie theatre. A few mischievous Boos are hanging out so be sure to watch your items.
New and returning Mario Kart tracks
In addition to new circuits, Nintendo showed off a few beloved classic tracks—such as Toad’s Factory, Peach Beach, and Wario Shipyard—each will return, reimagined within the new open world. Rather than standalone arenas, these nostalgic tracks are connected via the landscape: you might exit Mario Bros. Circuit and find yourself skirting the edge of Peach Beach’s sandy shores. Additionally, each course can host races during the day or at night with dynamic weather to add more variety to each race.
Mario Kart World character racing roster
The Mario Kart cast we know and love is back, looking better than ever on the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware: We saw Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and Yoshi all sporting updated vehicle designs and new outfits in Nintendo Direct. We also got a peek at a few new driver additions like Goomba, Spike, and Cow. Nintendo hinted at more characters, so stay tuned for reveals of new returning faces around the track.
Two main racing modes in Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World’s racing action core is defined by two headlining modes—Grand Prix and Knockout Tour—each offering a unique test of speed and strategy. Let’s take a deeper look at what each has to offer:
Grand Prix Mode
Classic cup racing action returns in Mushroom, Flower, Star, and even more Cups yet to be announced. Each will consist of four courses drawn from the open world’s environments. And now, for the first time in the series, you’ll drive across regions to the next racing track. Aim for the highest points total across all four races to secure the gold trophy.
Knockout Tour
This new mode pits you against up to 23 other drivers in a series of sprint-style rallies that span the globe. After each course, only the top finishers advance—so every drift and boost counts. Knockout Tour’s pace keeps the pressure high: finish outside the safe zone, and you’re out!
New items coming to Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World introduces six all-new items—Coin Shell, Ice Flower, Hammer, Mega Mushroom, Feather, and Kamek—which look to shake up the classic power-up roster with fresh twists. From spawning coins to collect with the Coin Shell, to freezing opponents in their tracks with the Ice Flower, each item offers dynamic new ways to attack, defend, and outmaneuver rivals on the track. Here’s a look at each one and its effects:
- Coin Shell: This golden shell skips along the track, leaving a trail of collectible coins in its wake—but watch out, as opponents can snatch them first!
- Ice Flower: Launch icy projectiles that freeze and spin out foes, creating slippery traps on the course.
- Hammer: Send a barrage of hammers in an arc, knocking rivals off course and planting temporary obstacles for other racers on the track.
- Mega Mushroom: Grow to colossal size, plowing through karts and obstacles for the ultimate road-clearing power boost.
- Feather: Hop to great heights to bypass hazards or uncover secret shortcuts on high platforms with the feather power-up.
- Kamek: Summon the sorcerer Kamek to transform nearby opponents into unexpected forms. Plus, Nintendo Direct hinted at more “mysterious effects” yet to be revealed.
New support features in Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World provides three customizable support features whether you’re new to the track or a seasoned pro. Nintendo shared how each will help create a more accessible experience for players:
Smart Steering
Activating Smart Steering will help you hug the course edges and stay on track.
Tilt Controls
You can flip the Joy-Con 2 controller horizontally and use motion controls instead of the joystick to steer your vehicle.
Joy-Con 2 Wheel set up
If you have the Joy-Con 2 Wheel (sold separately), you can feel like you are driving with the steering wheel-shaped accessory.
Open‑Road & Dash Food
You’ll traverse the open world between circuits on highways, desert paths, and coastal roads. You can make pit stops at Yoshi’s Drive‑Thru to grab dash food like pizza or sushi, which unlocks themed outfits (e.g., Luigi’s Venetian gondolier ensemble or a kimono). Once discovered, these outfits remain permanently available in your driver selection options.
A new bag of tricks in Mario Kart World
To give you an extra layer of strategy and freedom on larger tracks, Mario Kart World introduces brand-new mechanics to shake up the gameplay:
Charge Jump: You can hold the drift button to charge, then release for a high jump. This adds a level of verticality which you can use to hop up and grind rails, vault over obstacles, or access hidden routes.
Rewind: Mistakes happen—you can now use Rewind to instantly reset your kart to its pre-error position. Remember that time moves forward, so your rivals won’t pause and rewind when you do, so keep this in mind on the track.
Loads of Modes
Mario Kart World comes packed with game modes designed to suit every type of racer. Whether you’re sharpening your skills in solo challenges, crafting custom rulesets for private matches, or teaming up to outscore the competition, there’s a mode for every type of player.
Here’s the modes we got a look at in the Nintendo Direct:
Time Trials
In Time Trials, you’ll hit the track solo with one goal: post the fastest lap times possible without worrying about items or other racers. Each course lets you compete against your ghosts—or download top global ghost data online—to hone your racing lines and carve precious seconds off your best times.
VS Race
VS Race offers complete freedom to pick and choose the tracks you want to race, without chasing Cup trophies. Customize nearly every rule—lap counts, team configurations, CPU difficulty, and more—and go head‑to‑head in local or online multiplayer. It’s perfect for practice sessions or private tournaments with friends.
Teams
In Teams mode, racers are split into groups that compete over a series of races. The combined placement of its members determines each team’s success, so coordination and strategic use of items are key: help your teammates secure top finishes and collectively claim victory.
Balloon Battle
Battle Mode returns with the chaotic classic, Balloon Battle. Equip a preset number of balloons as your “life bar.” Getting hit by an item will pop one off your collection. Last kart standing—still sporting at least one balloon—wins the match. It’s a classic, fast-paced mayhem that rewards aggressive play.
Coin Runners
Also in Battle Mode, Coin Runners tasks you with collecting as many coins as possible within the time limit. Coins are plentiful but contested; steal from rivals, defend your stash, and rush to the centre when special gold coin bundles appear to vault up the leaderboard.
Free Roam
When you’re not competing, hop into Free Roam to explore Mario Kart World’s vast open landscape at your own pace. Drive across grassy plains, motorboat along rivers, or take to the skies with glider sections. As you explore, there are P Switch challenges to undertake, coin caches to find, and shortcuts to discover. You can snap photos with the new Photo Mode to capture scenic vistas or hilarious karting antics solo or with friends.
Local and online multiplayer
Mario Kart World lets friends, family, and online opponents jump into the fun whether you’re sharing a single console, linking systems nearby, or racing online. The game supports classic split-screen play for up to four racers on one Nintendo Switch 2, local wireless lobbies of up to eight consoles (two players per system) without any internet connection. There are full online matches featuring up to 24 competitors—complete with built-in voice chat via GameChat for a more social experience.
Racing action awaits in Mario Kart World!
Mario Kart World is shaping up to be an exciting addition to the franchise, offering plenty of new features and content. With its expansive open-world design, the introduction of innovative mechanics, it looks to add new layers of strategy and excitement to each race. The Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World arrive on June 5th, 2025. Keep it locked on Best Buy Blog for more news and pre-order information as it breaks.
