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Mario Kart World takes Nintendo’s familiar kart-racing formula in a new direction with connected regions, open-world-inspired exploration and races featuring 24 drivers. After Mario Kart 8 Deluxe brought together a substantial collection of the series’ tracks and features, the next entry faced the challenge of feeling fresh without losing what makes Mario Kart recognizable. This hands-on preview suggests that Nintendo is addressing that challenge through larger events and a world players can explore beyond the racetrack.
Mario Kart World expands racing beyond the track
Rather than limiting play to separate circuits, Mario Kart World connects its courses across a broader landscape. Players can explore in Free Roam, leave the main route during races and take part in events that travel through multiple regions. In Grand Prix, the drive between courses also helps make each race feel like part of a connected journey.
The Grand Prix course in the preview featured winding sections, lava-filled lakes and numerous obstacles. With 24 racers competing at once, the opening moments can be hectic as drivers jostle for position and use items. Directional indicators help show where incoming items are coming from, giving players a chance to react. When a racer is struck by a shell, Bullet Bill or another projectile, the resulting movement appears more physics-driven than the fixed reactions seen in earlier entries.
Rail grinding adds another layer to navigating the courses. Drivers can grind along rails and jump between them, creating opportunities to adjust their route while racing. When approaching a rail, look for a safe moment to jump on, since switching paths during a crowded race can affect your position.
A wide-ranging cast of racers
The larger field brings together familiar characters such as Mario, Wario, Peach and Yoshi with less frequently seen faces, including Cheep Cheep, Wiggler and Goomba. The preview also featured Cow, an unusual addition from the Mario series. This broader selection gives the roster a distinctive character while keeping the focus within the franchise.
Knockout Tour turns a long race into an elimination challenge
Knockout Tour puts all 24 competitors into a long, map-spanning race. At each checkpoint, only a set number of racers can continue; anyone who arrives outside the qualifying positions is eliminated. In the previewed match, the first checkpoint required players to finish 12th or better. A racer can lead for much of a segment and still be caught by incoming items near the end, so maintaining a strong position all the way to each checkpoint matters.
For practical play, it is worth balancing speed with caution as a checkpoint approaches. A late hit can quickly turn a comfortable lead into an elimination, especially when the qualifying cutoff is close.
Free Roam rewards curiosity
Free Roam offers a chance to explore away from the structured races. The preview included a field of flowers that could be bounced on and a ravine where the player could drop down, float along and discover a star and a pile of coins. A large pipe provided a route back to the main road.
These discoveries suggest that exploring side areas may reveal useful or entertaining surprises. When leaving the main route, keep an eye out for unusual terrain, objects and paths that could lead to hidden rewards.
Overall, Mario Kart World aims to introduce a more connected, exploratory style of play while retaining the crowded races, item-driven surprises and recognizable characters associated with the series. Its 24-driver events, checkpoint-based Knockout Tour and Free Roam mode give players several ways to experience the expanded world.
Mario Kart World was scheduled to launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, with a dedicated Mario Kart World Direct announced for April 17. For players interested in how the series could evolve after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Kart World’s combination of large-scale racing and exploration is its central new draw.
