How can a game surpass the greatness of Mario Kart 8, which by 2025, after more than a decade, had arguably reached the zenith of kart racing games? Throughout its tenure, it has reigned supreme over the last few decades. The appeal of Mario Kart 8 lies in its exceptional mechanics and track design, but its weak point has always been content and game modes.
As I savored the final moments of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it was abundantly clear that no other game in its genre could match its content depth. Its mechanics, a decade on, remain unparalleled. But here’s the million-dollar question: how do you surpass such greatness? How does one top that extraordinary experience?
At the conclusion of each Grand Prix track, you’ll move on to the next one immediately without any breaks or delays, seamlessly merging into the subsequent race.
As Nintendo explains, they’ve opted for a fresh approach rather than following the traditional path with the new Mario Kart game, Mario Kart World. Instead of just offering a familiar experience with a new set of tracks like previous games, Mario Kart World aims to be unique. It doesn’t strive to surpass its predecessors but carves out its own niche, establishing its individuality.
In virtually all aspects of this game, you’ll notice an integrated open world where every racing track is situated, allowing for unrestricted exploration. This open-world setting can be freely roamed. A notable addition is the Knockout Tour mode, transforming Mario Kart into a blend of battle royale and cross-country rally. In this mode, players race from one track to another in sequence, with those finishing below a specific rank being eliminated at each stage.
The manner in which you transition between races has been updated – Grand Prix now requires you to race to your next track immediately following the completion of the previous one, seamlessly merging into the next race. On the other hand, Battle Mode is now time-based. Furthermore, the gameplay and world dynamics have been significantly altered in Mario Kart World, incorporating physics-based interactions and collisions, as well as rail grinding and wall running. These additions greatly impact track design and player interactions, making for a more dynamic experience. Despite these changes, it remains fundamentally a kart racer, but within the genre, it represents a substantial reinvention.
“The game is vibrant, lively, colourful, and full of an abundance of personality.”
In Mario Kart 8, each race track is embedded in a single, interconnected universe, making every track a genuine location within this world. Earlier versions of the game suggested a larger world beyond the visible tracks, but only offered fleeting glimpses. Now, we can explore it all, and it’s amazing! The increased immersion, ambiance, and sense of place that comes from treating these tracks as real locations within the universe is outstanding.
Instead of delving too deeply, it’s more about appreciating the thrill of discovering how a track seamlessly integrates with the game world as you play. For instance, revamping Dino Dino Jungle into a Jurassic Park-themed park or transforming Wario’s Shipyard into a stormy sea galleon adds significantly to the allure and immersion these tracks provide.
The game, Mario Kart World, is equally appealing due to its stunning visuals akin to Mario Kart 8. It’s bursting with energy, color, and character, making it feel lively and full of personality. The art style for animations and character interactions is particularly noteworthy, adding a tangible charm to the gameplay. Although the tracks might seem impressive, they wouldn’t stand out without solid track design. The recent Mario Kart games – DS, Wii, 7, and 8 – have all boasted exceptional track designs, with many of these tracks reappearing in later games.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that Mario Kart World shares the same stunning visuals and impressive design as Mario Kart 8.
OR
It’s noteworthy that Mario Kart World, similar to Mario Kart 8, boasts beautiful graphics and a well-designed presentation.
OR
Mario Kart World is equally appealing in terms of visuals and design, just like Mario Kart 8.
OR
Just as Mario Kart 8 did, Mario Kart World has an eye-catching look and polished style.
The world sets a high standard, and it generally meets it. Although I’m not entirely convinced that any track surpasses the greatness of those in Mario Kart 8, with perhaps a couple exceptions, they are all still outstanding and on par with quality of the four games mentioned earlier. This excellence is largely due to the inclusion of rail grinding, wall jumping, and numerous opportunities for trick chaining and boosting. Each track appears intricately designed, featuring multiple levels and shortcuts to keep things interesting. The themes of these tracks are also impressive (enhancing their integration within the game’s world), offering developers a chance to create truly original and innovative Mario Kart tracks.
Beyond the custom-built main tracks designed for competition, there are also roads and paths linking them all. This detail matters not only for the open exploration mode coming up, but also in real races. In a Grand Prix scenario, upon completing a race, you don’t immediately move to the next track; instead, you start from the previous track, navigating to the next one while racing against others on the connecting roads. Along the way, you’ll encounter traffic, pedestrians, and other potential dangers. The final stretch of the race then involves a lap around the new track.
This change could be controversial – some believe shortening the races on the custom-built tracks to only one lap, with the remainder taking place on connecting roads, weakens the genre’s traditional strengths. However, it’s understandable if others appreciate this new layout because the open world remains consistent, resulting in a constantly varying experience due to changing weather, traffic, and conditions. Moreover, the game still offers the classic Grand Prix format – you can create a custom cup with scoring in the Versus Mode, which eliminates the connecting segments and focuses on racing multiple laps around tracks consecutively.
“Every mode in the game benefits from how fantastically well the game controls.”
The most exhilarating part of the game is the Knockout Tour mode, where the intermediate sections transform into a lively experience. In essence, you dash across various areas of the map, swiftly transitioning through numerous tracks in rapid succession, not just the tracks themselves but also the segments in between them. Following each segment of this continuous race, some players who fell below a specific level are eliminated, gradually reducing the number of competitors until only a few remain.
This mode in Mario Kart is incredibly enjoyable, nerve-wracking, and wildly unpredictable, enhancing not just the party game aspect of the equation with the unpredictable chaos it offers, but also simultaneously acknowledging the skilled or competitive player by truly appreciating those who can save mere seconds off their race times. This can be achieved through strategic use of items, memorizing tracks and knowing where the shortcuts are, or simply mastering the art of drifting and executing tricks to get your own speed boosts at opportune moments.
Playing Mario Kart World is truly exhilarating – it might just be the most thrilling aspect of the entire game! Every element, from the inventive track designs, the strategic placement of tracks within the world, the realistic physics interactions, and even the open-world setting, all harmoniously contribute to an extraordinary experience.
In this game, every playstyle is enhanced by the exceptional quality of its controls. The refined, swift, and snug handling, offering an impressive level of fine-tuned control to proficient players while remaining effortlessly user-friendly for all, has been reprised, but with added depth and intensity. While drifting remains significant, it’s no longer the primary focus as the game now offers a plethora of opportunities for players to combine their own boosts at their discretion – from traffic and hazards that can trigger a boost, to numerous chances for linking together a multitude of tricks through rail grinding and wall jumping.
Absolutely, if you’re a player who prefers a stress-free driving experience without interference from others, you might appreciate the “Free Roam” mode. As its name implies, this mode allows you to roam freely without any concerns about losing or competition from other players.
The distribution of game items seems surprisingly controlled, even with a larger number of players – now 24 per race, compared to 12 in Mario Kart Wii and 8 in both the original and subsequent games. Each item also benefits from having multiple effective counter strategies, whether these come from other items, track design, or skilled players performing maneuvers to dodge unfavorable items aimed at them.
In this game, if you’re seeking a carefree driving experience devoid of competition with other players, opt for the Free Roam mode. Here, you can navigate the map at your leisure, choosing any destination you desire. The confining walls and barriers typical in races have been removed, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the world’s expansive beauty. As you roam, it becomes apparent how meticulously crafted the environment is, offering numerous chances for enjoyable driving experiences, boasting intricate details that make exploration satisfying, and filled with hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.
This style is likely to appeal strongly to younger, less formal demographics due to its relaxed, unstructured nature. You’re free to roam wherever you wish without any stress, and it heavily emphasizes spontaneous gameplay and interactions, much like what “World” excels at. It also offers incentives, such as new costumes for characters or kart customizations, that encourage exploration. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea initially, I found myself becoming quite fond of it after spending considerable time exploring its world simply because of its calming, contemplative appeal.
“Yes, there are missions in Mario Kart World’s open world.”
As an enthusiast, I’d say one potential drawback is the apparent absence of a structured narrative. To clarify, there’s virtually no story, no missions, no guiding markers, no cinematics, no tutorials, and not even initial dialogue to set the scene for you. Instead, you find yourself plunged directly into the world without any clear objectives or instructions – just you and your vehicle.
This experience might leave a negative impression and even be frustratingly underwhelming, especially when compared to other racing games over time like the Forza Horizon series. What sets these games apart is how they’ve leveraged their open worlds for extensive single-player campaigns alongside their conventional arcade racing gameplay. However, this particular game can seem aimless and devoid of purpose at times.
Initially, I found it challenging to grasp how to interact with it. However, once you get the hang of it, you realize that it’s a playground designed for self-discovery, fueled by your natural curiosity. As you venture out, you discover that there are indeed items within it – besides the costumes and stickers mentioned earlier, there are also collectibles scattered throughout the map, hidden within mysterious ? block panels, and notably for those seeking structure and goals, missions.
Indeed, Mario Kart World features tasks scattered throughout its open environment. These tasks lack any specific context but can be accessed by locating P-Switches strategically placed across the map. The tasks you uncover could range from traditional races to time trials, as well as challenges requiring unique maneuvers or abilities, avoiding or deliberately colliding with obstacles, and many other types of challenges. Overall, they are designed to be concise and engaging.
To put it simply, there’s an overwhelming variety of them available – at least a hundred, and possibly even more. In other words, there will be no shortage of activities in the world for you. However, the chaotic and unorganized manner in which you discover and interact with these things might not meet your expectations, and if it doesn’t, I can understand why.
Time will tell if Mario Kart World surpasses the popularity of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as both versions have their own unique qualities.
As a devoted fan of Mario Kart 8, I must say that one aspect that truly resonates with me and fellow long-time enthusiasts is the game’s exceptional soundtrack. Remarkably, most of these tunes can be enjoyed exclusively in the free roam mode, where they seem to play spontaneously as you traverse this expansive world.
Truly, this soundtrack adds an incredible atmosphere to the game – driving around searching for P-Switches, dodging traffic, executing combos, and appreciating the scenery while music plays in the background can be incredibly engaging. It’s not just the impressive mechanics and world design that keep you hooked, but the music really enhances the experience. This soundtrack is truly exceptional.
The game Mario Kart World appears to be an exceptionally daring project, with the developers seemingly determined to reconsider nearly every element. Not all of these innovations succeed – the Free Roam mode might prove contentious among those anticipating more structure, and while I suspect that the modifications to Grand Prix and Battle Mode will generally be welcomed, there will undoubtedly be some players who are let down. However, most other aspects – including the new mechanics, tracks, graphics, soundtrack, Knockout Tour mode, and the physics-driven emergent gameplay style – seem to be a hit.
It remains to be seen if Mario Kart World surpasses Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but for the moment, it’s clear that Nintendo has produced a top-notch, polished, and enjoyable version of Mario Kart in Mario Kart World that appeals to a wide range of players.
This game was reviewed on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Read More
2025-06-10 16:43