Tony Hawk’s Mario Kart

The biggest changes to the Mario Kart formula are the rails and wall riding. As if they were pulled straight from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, you'll now be able to grind rails throughout the various levels and ride the walls for an extra boost. These are some of the best additions to a Mario Kart game in a long time, giving each stage even more depth and variety, with shortcuts being far more complex than simply finding an off the beaten path.

With these two new features, you’ll be able to look for more complicated means of getting to the finish line, allowing for more skill-based racing. There’s still a bit of RNG tied to it thanks to the power-up items, but the gap between veteran players and casual players has been expanded a decent amount. You are still able to jump into a race and make it to first from time to time, but you'll need to put in a little extra effort to get there.

You’ll be able to look for more complicated means of getting to the finish line, allowing for more skill-based racing.

More Variety in Modes

There are quite a few modes to speak of in Mario Kart World. The two that take center stage are the standard Grand Prix and the Knockout Tour. The Grand Prix is very much your standard, multi-course race where you can rack up more points the higher you place, and at the end, whoever has the highest point value wins the cup.

The Knockout Tour is far more interesting, as it pits you against other players, but only allows a certain number of players at the end of each race to continue. This heats up the challenge and really relies on players to utilize their battle items appropriately and in a timely manner, as otherwise they'll find themselves quickly knocked out.

Outside these two modes, there are Versus and Time Trial modes, allowing you to do a quick match or test your capabilities on each track, racking up the best time possible. This allows you to be ready for the real thing. Then there’s the more mini-game-centric Battle mode where you can either do Balloon Battle or Coin Runners. These mostly amount to slamming into the backs of others or collecting currency from around the map.

Around the World

This wouldn’t be a Mario Kart game without a bevy of tracks and Mario Kart World has its share of new and unique levels. It’s hard to compare it to Mario Kart 8, especially now that it’s more of a complete experience, with nearly 100 courses, but give it some time, we have no doubt even more will be added. Regardless, what Mario Kart World launches with is impressive, with a large variety of around thirty courses to set off on.

This includes the iconic levels such as Rainbow Road, Bowser’s Castle and Wario Stadium, just to name a few. Then there are various new tracks such as Acorn Heights, DK Spaceport and more that inhabit the vast map. This is where the open-world aspect comes into play, as each is interconnected, being able to travel between each in the Free Roam feature.

With tracks, we have a huge number of characters and vehicles to choose from, not only from the start, but unlock, as well. Granted, a good portion of the characters are slight variations of their existing models, but it adds extra flair when you find a new costume for your favorite Nintendo character.

One Step Forward, One Step Back for Online

The online component is most likely what players will be coming for, and for a Nintendo game, the Japanese giant has done surprisingly well for itself. It’s standard in terms of racing, with all the modes listed above being included, but it’s the in-between matches that shine. While waiting for a match, be it finding new players or selecting a new track, all players will be put into an open world in which they can drive across.

While the tracks themselves are on a track system, with barriers limiting you from going too far outside the boundaries, this lobby system lets you go from the Mushroom Kingdom all the way to the Rainbow Road. Better yet, you can find secrets spread throughout, allowing you to unlock the various cosmetics. There’s even a day and night cycle to keep things fresh. While this isn’t anything super innovative, it’s something that keeps you busy and invested as you go between the highly addictive competitive online gameplay.

One aspect we would have loved to have seen expanded is the free roam feature, as it’s limited to solo play. Being able to hang out with friends in a private lobby while driving around the vast world Nintendo has created is something we've dreamed about. Alas, we're halfway to our destination with Free Roam being solo only. On top of that, we wish there was a better map system in this mode, as the interconnected world is more generalized than anything else.

Closing Comments:

Mario Kart World is a surprising step forward for the Mario Kart franchise. The introduction of the rail and wall riding systems are welcome additions, adding even more skill-based racing to the already beloved formula. That’s on top of Nintendo putting the World in the Mario Kart World name. Nintendo has crafted an impressive interconnected lobby system, allowing you to explore the vast world while in-between matches. This Free Roam feature could be better improved, though, with a better map system and potentially cooperative play in the future. All in all, Mario Kart World is one of very few Switch 2 exclusives to truly speak about, offering an immense amount of value at the console’s launch. It’s highly addictive and will leave a lasting impression on fans and newcomers.