The starting flag is up: Mario Kart World is turbo-charging onto the Nintendo Switch 2, promising the most dramatic evolution the franchise has seen in over a decade. After Mario Kart 8 Deluxe held the spotlight with its polished port, Nintendo is shifting gears for the ninth mainline entry. This time, the Mushroom Kingdom is tearing down the walls—literally—with seamless open-world tracks, inventive new modes, and multiplayer mayhem on a scale the series has never seen. Here’s the lowdown on Mario Kart World’s high-octane debut.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Release Date | June 5, 2025 |
| Genres | Racing, Open-World, Party |
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch 2 |
It’s been more than ten years since Mario Kart 8 first spun its wheels on the Wii U, with fans making do with Deluxe and DLC for the long haul. Mario Kart World, though, promises a leap into uncharted territory. Its headline feature? A sprawling, fully open-world Mushroom Kingdom where circuits connect in a single, continuous adventure. Forget picking tracks from a list—now you’ll barrel straight from Peach’s Castle to Bowser’s blimp, no loading screens in sight, just pure, uninterrupted racing chaos.
This isn’t just a visual refresh. Free-roam “Ride” mode invites you to wander, hunt for shortcuts, or simply enjoy the view—think Mario Kart meets Breath of the Wild, but with banana peels instead of Bokoblins. Meanwhile, “Survival Marathon” ups the ante, daring you to outlast rivals and hazards for as long as your kart holds out. Iconic items like shells and bananas are back to ensure every race is as unpredictable as ever.
Multiplayer gets its biggest expansion yet: up to 24 racers can now battle it out online, while four friends can go head-to-head in classic split-screen. Whether you’re a speed demon, a collector, or just in it for some family fun, Mario Kart World offers assist options and scalable difficulty to welcome every type of player.
Critical perspective: While Mario Kart World’s open-world approach is a bold gamble, it does raise questions about whether the series’ classic, frantic pacing can survive the transition. Will the interconnected tracks dilute the tight-cornered action, or inject fresh life into a beloved formula? With Nintendo at the helm, there’s plenty of reason for optimism. Still, the real test will be how exploration and competition blend in practice. We’ll be watching to see if World strikes the perfect balance between wild innovation and classic karting chaos.
With its ambitious scope, Mario Kart World could become the series’ definitive entry—or spark heated debate among longtime fans. Either way, June 5 is the day to watch. Will Nintendo’s bold new direction keep the blue shells flying? We’re ready to find out.
TL;DR: Mario Kart World debuts June 5 exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, boasting open-world tracks, new modes like Survival Marathon and Ride, and the franchise’s biggest online races yet. Classic item chaos meets modern exploration for Mario Kart’s most daring chapter.
Source: Nintendo via GamesPress