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Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Distributor provided a review copy

Story & Gameplay

It's hard to believe, but Mario Kart 8 is 11 years old today. When it came out in 2014, it was such a revelation for the franchise that it basically became the definitive Mario Kart title. Originally a Wii U title, it was ported as a launch game for the Switch, and it stayed a best-seller and effective system flagship for so long, we just didn't notice a decade rush by without a new Mario Kart on the system.

Where does that leave a new one? Especially one that has to shoulder launch title duties, effectively selling the system when all other titles are ports from the previous generation. Well, if you're Nintendo, it means you turn into a testing ground for a re-imagining of everything that Mario Kart has been – and will become in the future.

The biggest change is that Mario Kart is now, as the name implies, an open world title. You can still choose to focus just on the races, but new game modes like the Knockout Tour and furiously inventive intermission sojourns between tracks add a breath of fresh air into the mix. Instead of just going into another race via loading screen, players actually drive to the location through the colorful world map. That way, even if you ranked last in the previous race, you can get a chance to boost your starting position for the next one.

If there is something about to complain about this mechanic, it's that it makes the races feel longer compared to previous installments, and there no longer is a natural breather to grab a drink or mock your friends without the risk of losing focus and gambling away your winning spot. An option to just focus on the races in an old-school fashion would have been welcome.

The new game mode, Knockout Tour, is chaotic fun for 24 players, which is the most Mario Kart has ever packed in. Especially online, it's a hectic mix of frustration and pure joy that really brings out the best Mario Kart can be. In it, 24 players race across the vast Mario World like in a Bubblegum Rally, and at each checkpoint the 4 slowest players are disqualified.

Naturally, the collection of helpful items and weapons is still there, but more than ever, Mario Kart World emphasizes using the environment to your benefit. You can grind on rails and overturned poles, and even driving on the walls is now a possibility. During my two weeks with the game, I've constantly found shortcuts and ways to cut a milliseconds off my time, yet there's always someone who is faster, which brings out a competitive side I didn't know I had in me.

Battle Mode features familiar favorites like Balloon Battle and Coin Runners, which are more focused on single arena battles with a smaller pool of competitors. They're both fun, but not what I look for in Mario Kart.

Each mode is playable online or in couch co-op, but trying to marry the two feels like an impossibility. Nintendo has once again made the online experience a convoluted and difficult hassle, one that just isn't fun to mess around with despite the promise of an open world Mario title for everyone.

When you connect online, you can create a room for you and your friends. From there, selecting an online race puts you in a room with bots, not other online players. No matter what we tried, we couldn't find a way to connect together into a single game. Online sources tell of ways where the other player joins in just as another is in line for a race elsewhere, but that requires precise timing and good luck to make it into the queue before random strangers fill the seat.

In this day and age, with online gaming basically a commodity, it feels so backwards that Nintendo refuses to even acknowledge the possibility that friends would want to play with others in a manner of their choosing.

Granted, if you have enough friends, putting together a lobby is surprisingly easy and fast, and racing around in the open world is leisure fun in a way this series has never been. It's a promise of a greater Mario Kart Tour that one day might become reality.

Nintendo's new peripherals and added chat functions are also a blast, even if a part of that fun comes from how janky the technology can be. Basically any webcam works with the Nintendo Switch, and hooking it up to the room makes your face appear in the bottom part of the screen. As you race, you appear as a bubble above your racer, which brings a level of personality and immediacy that raises the stakes considerably.

Elsewhere, the open world has surprises of its own. Familiar blue switches unlock challenges, which in turn open up new characters and skins. Floating drive-through bags likewise give power ups and skins, which can make or break fast paced races for eagle-eyed drivers. While Nintendo weirdly chose to ignore characters from other franchises, there are still dozens upon dozens of Mario-centric folks to unlock.

Even with the small issues, Mario Kart World is a blast. It's a new take on the franchise, which will take some getting used to, but it's also so inventive, so wildly addictive, that it's hard not to be charmed by the results. If this is the only racer we get out of the Mushroom Kingdom for the next decade, I'll be fine with that.

Accessibility

Nintendo isn't great with accessibility, even though they're a family console meant for everyone. As such, Mario Kart World has no accessibility options to speak of. Granted, it's designed so elegantly that controls are easy to grasp, but I can see how people with motor function or cognitive impairments won't have a good time with it. Especially as the hectic races are more full of visual splendor than ever.

Luckily, the open world mechanic is extremely chill and should allow players to experience the game on their own terms and speed. That's a consideration previous titles haven't had, and one that is a welcome addition for anyone who can't keep up with the otherwise ludicrous antics.

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It is worth noting that this section isn't here to denigrate or knock off points from games. Instead, it's meant as a resource and example to showcase how the neurodivergent experience difference from the traditionally accepted one that most games are only just now breaking away from.

Technical Aspects

Mario Kart World may not immediately look it, but it's one of the most impressive titles for Nintendo to put out as a launch game.

Everything from the model details to the smooth as butter frame rate is immensely impressive. Especially considering what a major generational leap this is from the previous Mario Kart.

Moving between the open world and races is seamless, and once you realize just how much is happening under the hood to accommodate for the change, you'll be flabbergasted at how there doesn't seem to a single jutter or slowdown at any point.

Even in handheld mode, Mario Kart World runs at a steady 60fps, which means it's always responsive and easy to look at. I spent most of my time with it in docked mode, and even when we threw the maximum amount of players in split-screen at it, the game did not slow down one bit.

Even better, the entire game is on the cartridge, which means you just put it in the machine and you're good to go. It's exactly the promise the Switch made in 2018, one that I hope Nintendo remembers far into the future.

Who's It For?

It would be a cliche to say Mario Kart World is for everyone, but that's exactly what Nintendo is going for. As a launch title, it's the perfect game the entire family can gather around and understand innately how it works.

Like Tetris or the mainline Mario titles, Kart World is easy to pick up and difficult to master, yet the middle ground where most players spend their time is so inviting and fun, it doesn't matter if you ever get into the pro circuits or not. The added leisurely open world exploration is icing on the cake, providing an excellent training ground and hangout place for players of all skill levels.

Better yet, Mario Kart is a title that will only expand over the years. New tracks will arrive in DLC form, and new racers will grace the screen sooner than later. Here's hoping down the line they'll be gathered into an ultimate game cartridge as well, so that Nintendo can continue with its excellent output of first party titles on physical media.

Should you buy a Switch 2 just for Mario Kart World? Probably not, but almost. If there ever was a system seller, this would be it. If the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza is as good, Nintendo will have two titles so good, it's hard to argue against getting the console just for them.