Mario Kart World Is Switch 2’s Big Standout Title

When Nintendo first revealed the Switch 2, they hinted it would be launching with a new Mario Kart game, and that’s indeed the plan. Mario Kart World was unveiled in all its glory early this morning during the big Switch 2 Direct. And it looks impressive!

For the first time ever, you’ll be able to go off-track without Lakitu scolding you. This Mario Kart World is an open world, with the entire area between tracks fully explorable on whatever vehicle you’re driving. It sounds like this will be part of the competition itself sometimes, as a new mode called Knockout Tour will add a cross-country battle royale to the mix. In addition, real-time shifting weather conditions can change strategies in a second.

And everybody’s here! These tracks are wide enough to support 24 racers at once. Among the contestants in this trailer alone, we counted not just the main cast, but Boo, Nabbit, a Goomba, a Hammer Bro, Sidestepper, Chargin’ Chuck, Monty Mole, Para-Biddybud, Stingby, Pokey, Cataquack, Peepa, Spike, a dolphin, a penguin, even a Moo Moo and a Snowman.

The only downside to Mario Kart World is….Nintendo wants eighty bucks for it. You might have heard about this already, from an angry friend or someone else. A far as we know, nothing else in the opening Switch 2 lineup costs this much. It’s not going over very well, and we’ll have to see what the reaction from Nintendo is, but historically they have not budged from high prices (the Wii U remained $350 its entire life). They’re the Apple of video game companies, for good and for bad.

The only way to get a discount on Mario Kart World is to obtain the Switch 2 bundle on launch day, which costs $500, but $50 of that is the game. The race begins June 4; Nintendo will share more in Mario Kart World’s own Nintendo Direct April 17.