Overview
- Also Known As
- Mario Kart 9
- Number of Players
- 4 (24 Player Online)
- Genre
- Physical Release
- Standard Game Card
- Release Date
Nintendo Switch 2
5th Jun 2025 — $79.99
5th Jun 2025 — £74.99
Nintendo eShop
5th Jun 2025 — £66.99
- Series
- Tags
- Official Site
- nintendo.com
Reviews
Review Mario Kart World (Switch 2) - The Perfect Introduction To A New Console Generation
Highway to Shell
Editor's note: With the whole team now having spent a week with the game, we've updated the text below with our verdict on Switch 2's premier launch game... True story: Not long before Switch 2 launched, I passed my driving test in America. A new Mario Kart game perhaps isn't the best game to start after getting a licence in a...
Screenshots 16
Mario Kart World Guides
Guide Mario Kart World Guide - All Courses, Cups, Missions, Collectibles, Tips & Tricks
Your ultimate Mario Kart World resource
It's finally time — Mario Kart World is here, along with the Nintendo Switch 2, so that means you'll need some fuel to keep the engines running. That's why we're here with Nintendo Life's ultimate Mario Kart World Guide. In this guide, we'll be covering all of the tips and tricks you need to get yourself...
Guide Mario Kart World: All Costume Unlocks & Complete Outfit List
It's a fashion race
Who doesn't love to dress up? The roster of Mario Kart World certainly does, with tons of unlockable costumes for many of the Mario series' favourite characters up for grabs. We wish changing clothes were as simple as it is for the racers in Mario Kart World, but alas. Below, we've listed all of the costumes you can get in Mario...
Guide Best Mario Kart Games Of All Time
Does World make the podium?
Back when Nintendo announced the very first Mario Kart game in the early '90s, there were some in the industry who proclaimed it as a sign that the veteran firm had finally lost its marbles. Sure, Mario had appeared in other games, but his forte was 2D platformers – he had no place on the racing track, and Super Mario...
Guide Mario Kart World: How To Unlock All Characters
Every character and weight class in Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World is a massive refresh for the ludicrously popular kart racing franchise, bringing the total number of participants per race up to 24, while moving the action into a fully open world environment in which you drive from one race course to the next. Quite a few returning favourites...
Guide Mario Kart World: Complete Course List - Every Track
Grander Prix
After almost a decade of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there's every chance that you know all of its circuits like the back of your hand. But Mario Kart World arrives with a new roster to learn. If you want to see every track in the game, you've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll run through all the courses grouped by their Grand...
Guide Nintendo Switch 2 Direct: Time, Where To Watch, What To Expect
It's time for Switch 2
Update: We're almost there! The April 2025 Nintendo Direct is today - can you tell we're excited? Our second Nintendo Direct of 2025 is coming, and it's a big one. On the day of the Nintendo Switch 2's reveal, Nintendo also confirmed that there will be a Nintendo Direct focused entirely on the brand new console in April...
Guide Mario Kart World: All Vehicles - What's The Best Kart?
Every kart, bike, and all-terrain vehicle in the newest Mario Kart
After the best part of a decade with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you probably developed a pretty good idea of what kart best suits your driving style. Well, there's a new racer in town and, without the option to customise your body, wheels and glider, vehicle choice is all the more...
Guide Mario Kart World: All Peach Medallions & Locations
Our hub for all the Peach Medallions in Mario Kart World's Free Roam
Mario Kart World's Free Roam mode has a lot to offer in the form of collectibles, with Peach Medallions being the most difficult of the lot. These coins are well hidden and require a lot of skill to gather so we're here to help! Like P Switches and ? Panels, Peach Medallions are...
Guide Mario Kart World: How To Unlock Mirror Mode
How do you unlock Mario Kart World's hardest mode?
Mario Kart World is absolutely massive, stuffed with secrets in the form of collectibles and missions. But there's one big, returning secret that's had us scrambling for days now. Mirror Mode, a staple in Mario Kart since Double Dash, is back, and it takes a little bit of work to unlock. We've...
Guide Mario Kart World: How To Avoid Blue Shells
Feeling blue
Oh goodness. It's back. Mario Kart World was never going to let the Blue Shell go, and that means many tears and lost victories by a hair. But, as with previous Mario Kart games, there are a few ways you can avoid being hit by what is the game's deadliest item. So, we'll be going over all the ways you can avoid being hit by a Blue...
Guide Mario Kart World: Kamek Item Explained - What Does It Do & How To Get It
How to transform into other characters
Mario Kart World keeps its line-up of items relatively familiar. You'll be intimately familiar with the Super Star, Golden Mushroom, and the Blue Shell. But there are a couple of newcomers, including one former racer. Yep, Kamek — who was a playable racer in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5...
Guide Mario Kart World: All Question (?) Panel Locations
Where to find every ? Panel in every course in Mario Kart World
The Question mark — one of the great piece of punctuation, but in Mario's world, it often means secrets and rewards. Mario Kart World's Free Roam mode is home to multiple ? Panels, all of which are tucked away in the game's many courses. In this guide, we'll be showing you where to...
Accessibility Features 10
- Gameplay
- Assists
- Controls
- Visual
- Audio
- Content
- More Details
Accessibility data by Family Gaming Database
Mario Kart World News
Japanese Charts Switch 2 Surpasses 2 Million Units Sold
While Minecraft sells over 4 million on Switch
Famitsu has provided the latest look at the boxed charts in Japan, and it's another resounding success for Mario Kart World, with the Switch 2 launch title selling another 38,026 copies. Borderlands 4 made its debut, with the PS5 version coming in at number 2 after selling 13,029 copies. A decent...
News Mario Kart World's First European Online Event Gets Underway Later This Month
EUreka!
Nintendo has announced that Europe will soon be treated to its very first Mario Kart World online event, as it lifted the lid on the 'European September Circuit'. This online competition will get off the start line on 27th September, running from 5pm BST - 7pm BST (6pm CET - 8pm CET). It'll see participants speeding through a series of...
News Sega Reignites Its Nintendo Rivalry In New Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Trailer
"Segaaah!"
Sega has released a new trailer for the upcoming Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, and with it has reignited its rivalry with Nintendo (albeit in a cute, harmless sort of way). In an effort to pay homage to its Sega Genesis vs. SNES advertisement from the early '90s, the new trailer highlights CrossWorlds' high-speed action, broad...
UK Charts Borderlands 4 Debuts Strong Ahead Of Switch 2 Release
Not long to go
The latest UK charts data is in and the newly-released Borderlands 4 has performed admirably, hitting the number 1 spot ahead of both Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Of course, we still have a couple more weeks or so to wait until the Switch 2 release, with Borderlands 4 scheduled to launch on 3rd October on Nintendo's new...
Japanese Charts Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots Scores An Eagle Despite Mixed Reception
But Mario Kart World claims the top spot
The latest boxed charts data from Japan is now in courtesy of Famitsu, and we can see that Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots has managed a pretty solid performance in its debut week. Selling 35,139 copies on Switch and 16,075 copies on PS5, Bandai's Namco's latest managed a total of 51,214, putting it well ahead of...
UK Charts Mario Kart World Takes The Lead While Cronos Sees Weak Sales On Switch 2
Mixed bag
Happy Monday, folks! The latest UK boxed charts are here, and we've got a few newcomers to acknowledge, but first... Yes, Mario Kart World is back in the lead at number 1. Nintendo's grabbed a Golden Mushroom and stormed past the competition once again; let's see how long it lasts this time. Cronos: The New Dawn makes a solid debut at...
Japanese Charts Story Of Seasons Makes A Grand Debut On Switch And Switch 2
'Tis the season
The latest boxed charts from Japan are now in courtesy of Famitsu, and gosh, this week was absolutely full of new releases. For us, perhaps the most notable launch was Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar for the Switch and Switch 2. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater might have claimed the top spot, but combined sales for Grand Bazaar...
UK Charts Metal Gear Solid 3 And Gears Of War Shake Up The Top Ten
What year is it?!
The latest UK boxed charts are in and, thanks to the launch of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Gears of War: Reloaded, the top ten has seen a bit of a shake up. Starting with Snake Eater, Konami's remake for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S has reached number 1, with the PS5 enjoying a whopping 93% of the platform split. Gears...
Japanese Charts Switch And Switch 2 Hardware Are Both Crushing The Competition
You almost feel bad for them...
The latest boxed charts from Japan are now available thanks to Famitsu, and as expected, Nintendo's first-party line-up for Switch 2 is doing particularly well. Specifically, Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza remain unchanged at the top, selling a further 30,202 and 8,424 copies respectively. We'd like to see...
News Mario Kart World Wins "Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game" Of Gamescom 2025
DK Bananza takes out "best gameplay" award
In case you missed it, Gamescom gives out awards every year, and while Nintendo didn't even feature last year, it's back in 2025 with a few wins. These awards call on a "panel of expert gaming jurors" and the community to decide the winners. The recent Switch 2 release Donkey Kong Bananza has taken out...
Previews
Preview Mario Kart World's True Genius Is Its Movement, Not Its World
Moo-ve it on out, girl
It’s not much of a claim to fame to say you’ve played Mario Kart World at this point. After countless public preview events, the number of people lucky enough to have had a pop must at least be in the tens of thousands. But I’m special. I’m special because I got to play it for about four or five hours solid. I had a...
Hands On Mario Kart World Brings The Utter Chaos In Knockout Mode
The World Wide Road
I beat Nintendo of America at Mario Kart World's new Knockout Tour. Okay, that's a tiny bit of a humblebrag, but Knockout Tour is the mode that has finally convinced me that the "99" formula is fun. I know, I'm sorry, you were all right. Next to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Mario Kart World was the game everyone wanted to play. Of...
About The Game
Put the pedal to the metal in Mario Kart World, a brand-new experience set in a vast interconnected environment.
Race seamlessly across connected courses that deliver Mario Kart racing like never before. Twenty-four drivers can compete in a race. Participate in the new Knockout Tour mode, where you’ll barrel through back-to-back courses and checkpoints, with no pit stops along the way.
If a player doesn’t make it to each checkpoint at a high-enough placement, they will be eliminated. And in Free Roam, it’s possible to go off the racetrack and drive in any direction you wish, explore areas that pique your interest and take some photos at scenic spots with a group of friends.
Comments 9
I am so glad that King Boo was shown playable in the first trailer for this. He is, and always has been, my favorite character.
Thank God this isn't called "Mario Kart 9". I personally never liked that name.
This looks fun. I'll probably miss the 8/8DX kart customization, unless it is in there. So far, doesn't look like a deal-breaker to me. I wonder if Nintendo will eventually bring the courses from 8DX+BCP as some kind of "Classic" dlc, separate from the open-world concept?
@Obi-WonTheHighGround Or make them DLC where you go to a different "island" where those courses are connected?
@CaleBoi25 Possibly, yeah.
@nintendolife Just thought I'd let you know, ROB has been spotted.... Sort of. He won't be a racer, but there is a Bike based on him.

So disappointed so far. The open world gimmick is wrecking this game. 2/3 of most courses is now driving in a straight line to the course. Only one lap around Toad’s Factory, Shy Guy Bazaar,
Wario Stadium, Airship Fortress, etc. I loved these courses but this game is not giving them ANY justice. Hope they make an update where I can just do 3 laps around the 4 courses in grand priz mode. Don’t know what they were thinking, but very boring so far. I’ll be going back to Mari Kart 8 deluxe…
Underwhelming as a follow-up to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but still a good game in its own right. Good, but not the best.
Great visuals and game mechanics hampered by poor game design. It's fun for a bit but I've already gone back to 8 Deluxe. I really wish that game got a Switch 2 patch with 4K visuals, but it won't with World existing.
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