Mario Kart World Direct: Switch 2 Launch Details Revealed

Nintendo recently unveiled a wealth of new information about Mario Kart World, the eagerly awaited launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, set to release on June 5, 2025. This detailed Mario Kart World Direct provided insights into characters, courses, races, and hidden secrets, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter in the iconic racing franchise. This comprehensive guide aims to keep fans engaged and informed as they eagerly await the game's launch.

Mario Kart World promises an expansive interconnected map featuring a blend of new and reimagined classic courses. The Direct showcased a variety of tracks such as Mario Bros. Circuit, Crown City, Salty Salty Speedway, Starview Peak, Boo Cinema, Toad's Factory, Peach Beach, and Wario Shipyard. What's particularly thrilling for veteran players is how these classic courses have been revitalized to seamlessly integrate into the new world, offering a fresh take on beloved favorites.

Characters and New Techniques

With the capacity for up to 24 racers in a single race, Mario Kart World boasts a diverse roster of characters. The Direct introduced familiar faces like Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and Yoshi, alongside others such as Baby Peach, Baby Daisy, Baby Rosalina, Rosalina, Koopa, Rocky Wrench, Conkdor, Goomba, Spike, Cow, King Boo, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Waluigi, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Birdo, Bowser Jr., Lakitu, Toad, Wario, Pauline, Toadette, Shy Guy, Nabbit, Piranha Plant, Hammer Bro, Monty Mole, Dry Bones, Wiggler, Cataquack, Pianta, Sidestepper, and Cheep Cheep. Players can look forward to new driving techniques like the Charge Jump, which allows racers to dodge attacks, reach higher places, grind on rails, and even ride on walls temporarily. Another exciting addition is the Rewind feature, enabling players to retry tricky sections or hidden paths, though rivals continue moving forward, adding a strategic element to its use.

Mario Kart World Screenshots

View 120 ImagesRaces - Grand Prix and Knockout Tour

Mario Kart World offers two primary race modes: Grand Prix and Knockout Tour. Grand Prix follows the traditional format where players compete across multiple races to win cups like the Mushroom Cup and Flower Cup, but with a seamless transition from course to course thanks to the game's open-world structure. Completing all cups might unlock the challenging Rainbow Road, featuring new obstacles like cars firing Bullet Bills and Hammer Bros. throwing hammers. Knockout Tour introduces a battle-royale-style race where players must reach checkpoints in time or face elimination, with the last racer standing declared the winner in events like the Golden Rally and Ice Rally.

Mario Kart World Free Roam

Free Roam mode in Mario Kart World lets players explore without the pressure of racing. This mode is filled with interactive elements like P Switches, which activate blue coins and initiate skill-building missions. Hidden treasures such as Peach Medallions and secret panels await discovery, and a Photo Mode captures memorable moments. Additionally, visiting Yoshi's restaurant allows players to collect "Dash Food" for speed boosts and themed outfits, featuring items like cheeseburgers, sushi, skewers, chips, roasted meat, pizza, and ice cream.

Playing Mario Kart World with Friends

Playing Mario Kart World with friends enhances the experience, with multiple play options available. Up to four players can enjoy the game on a single system, while local wireless play supports up to eight players across two systems. Online Play expands this to 24 global participants. Friends can also free roam together, fast-travel to each other's locations, and engage in custom races or battles. The Photo Mode is accessible during these sessions, and GameChat facilitates communication, even allowing live video reactions for players with compatible cameras.

Beyond the main race modes, Mario Kart World includes Time Trials with online ghost data races, customizable VS Mode allowing for up to four teams, and a robust Battle Mode featuring Coin Runners and Balloon Battle, catering to various play styles and preferences.

Items

The game retains classic items like Bullet Bill and Lightning, but introduces new ones such as the Coin Shell, which knocks rivals off course and leaves a trail of coins, the Ice Flower for freezing opponents, Hammers for attacking and blocking, the Mega Mushroom for size advantage, the Feather for jumping, and the Kamek item for mysterious transformations.

Support Features

Mario Kart World is designed to be accessible to players of all skill levels, featuring support options like Smart Steering, Tilt Controls (compatible with Joy-Con 2 wheel), Auto-Use Item, Auto-Accelerate, and customizable camera settings to ensure everyone can enjoy the racing experience.

For more insights, don't miss our hands-on preview of Mario Kart World, the reasoning behind its $80 price tag, and our exclusive interview with Nintendo's Bill Trinen discussing the Nintendo Switch 2.