'Mario Kart World' (Image: Nintendo)
About two weeks ago, Nintendo fans were given their first extended official look at the new Nintendo Switch 2, and with it, a solid look at its new launch title, Mario Kart World. However, due to the controversies surrounding Nintendo’s recent pricing decisions, the latest short update on the highly anticipated game was met with mixed opinions rather than thunderous applause.
On the morning of April 17, 2025, Nintendo aired a quick 15-minute direct on Mario Kart World. In summary, the direct showed closer looks at new stages, characters, items, gameplay modes and advanced movement abilities.
The stages have all been designed with the new free roam mode in mind. Each track is now part of an overarching map. This carries weight not just to the new free roam and Knockout Tour modes but also the classic Grand Prix and VS. Mode. It was revealed that in free roam, there will be collectibles scattered throughout the map, along with challenges that can be activated through pressing P Switches scattered across the map. Knockout Tour has players racing from one end of the map to the other, and after each section of the race, players who didn’t place high enough are eliminated from the game. And in Grand Prix, players must now race to the next track after completing the one before. VS. Mode has this feature as an option but not a requirement, so players who want a more traditional Mario Kart experience can rest easy.
New items revealed include hammers, ice flowers and coin shells. The first two are both throwable items with multiple uses meant to slow down other racers. The coin shell will still operate like a normal shell, move on a fixed path, and leave a trail of coins behind that any racer can pick up. Some returning items include the Mega Mushroom from Mario Kart Wii, and the feather, which dates back all the way to Super Mario Kart.
The most unique addition seen is Kamek, who previously was a playable character in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It seems that Kamek has multiple effects, but it’s unclear what Kamek can do as an item. All that’s seen in the direct is that he’s able to turn every other racer into a Chargin’ Chuck, another Mario enemy who’s also had history in Mario Kart Tour as a playable character.
As for new characters, this includes but is not limited to Goomba, Spike, Penguin and Cow from the Moo Moo Meadows track in previous Mario Kart games. There were many other obscure characters, such as the Biddybug, introduced in Super Mario 3D Land, that were shown in the direct but never named. Also, the addition of a plethora of character costumes was shown to be unlockable in-game.
However, while all of these seemed like a recipe for a well-received Nintendo Direct, the reception was much more mixed than anticipated. This is mainly due to the lingering dislike for the new $70 and $80 standard Nintendo is pushing with this game. While some see this as an inevitable change due to factors such as inflation and tariffs, many others are still distraught about the new price. This was to the point where the live stream for the direct was flooded with comments with viewers stating their strong desire for price drops.
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