Earlier today, Nintendo released the hyped Nintendo Switch 2 Direct to unveil more specifics about how the console works, its new and improved features, and its game lineup for when it launches as well as the near future. This includes a full trailer for Mario Kart World, a new Mario Kart game that is meant to be a launch title for the new console. More information on the game will be disclosed on April 17 in another Direct, but today’s trailer did reveal quite a lot of important details. For example, Mario Kart World‘s new features include the Knockout Tour, customizable characters, and more – including a long-requested addition.
Mario Kart World is already stepping up its game compared to its predecessor in terms of how many characters are playable, with the cow from the old Moo Moo Meadows racetrack already winning the hearts of many fans online. The game also comes with 24-racer games, which is the most the series has ever seen, all while also adding customization options for each of them and karts, too. Yet, the biggest part of the reveal for Mario Kart World is likely the fact that players can finally go off the bounds of any given track and actually explore “virtually anywhere,” making it an open-world game.
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Mario Kart World Takes Open-World Racing to The Next Level
Having an open world in a Mario Kart game may very well be a dream come true for many fans of the series, as the title can not only be played as usual by sticking to the tracks and the tournaments, but now fans will also have the Free Roam mode to use. In fact, this is the first game in the series to allow players to truly go out of bounds, other than some secret passageways in racetracks. On top of that, players can grind on railways and even run on walls.
Free Roam can pair fantastically with Nintendo Switch 2’s new features and graphics, allowing for some great moments alone or with friends. Packed with the Nintendo Switch 2’s new graphical performance, the game is set to run at high, stable FPS throughout, regardless of the mode one chooses. Furthermore, the Nintendo Switch 2’s group chat with the new C button can make playing Mario Kart World in Free Roam a great experience.
Even if players are not driving around in Free Roam, the open-world approach can be felt in the Grand Prix races, as fans are tasked with driving to the next course as part of the competition. This essentially makes all the tracks connected to one another, meaning that Free Roam can lead players all over the in-game world at their own pace, be it on tracks or elsewhere. Likewise, Mario Kart World‘s new Knockout Tour mode makes fans race from one corner of the world to another, connecting multiple tracks to one another in a never-ending race – unless one is knocked out first.
Mario Kart World is the Series’ ‘Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ Moment
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why the game is called Mario Kart World, and it finally gives the series its “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild moment,” as it was the first open-world title for the IP and also the launch title for the Nintendo Switch, much like Mario Kart World is the launch title for the Switch 2. It remains to be seen if players will receive some kind of reward for exploring in Free Roam, such as unlocking more characters or customization options as they find secrets, but it would be a great way to make this mode all the more engaging and fun. For now, fans can circle April 17 on their calendars for Mario Kart World‘s own Direct.
- Released
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June 2, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo