Mario Kart World marks the ninth mainline entry in Nintendo’s ever-popular kart racer series. Boasting an open world, up to 24-player races, a huge roster of characters, and a host of new gameplay features to get to grips with, the game also marks the start of the Nintendo Switch 2 era.
Ahead of its release, players may still have some lingering questions on what to expect when they load the game up for the first time. This Mario Kart World FAQ will help answer all of those, so you’re ready to put the pedal to the metal on release date.
How Many Players is Mario Kart World?
The number of players that can play in each multiplayer mode varies. Four players can play together in split-screen multiplayer, while eight players can play against one another on their own Nintendo Switch 2s via local wireless multiplayer. Online multiplayer allows up to 24 players to battle it out on the track or in battle mode.
Mario Kart World: 7 Mario Characters Who Deserve to Be on the Roster
Despite the expansive roster of characters featured in Mario Kart World, there are some iconic Mario characters who have still been left behind.
All Mario Kart World Items So Far
There’s an extensive set of items that racers can use to their advantage in Mario Kart World. These are listed below:
- Coin Shell
- Ice Flower
- Hammer
- Mega Mushroom
- Feather
- Kamek
- Mushroom
- Star
- Red Shell
- Green Shell
- Banana
- Mushroom
- Gold Mushroom
- Triple Banana
- Triple Mushroom
- Lightning
- Bullet Bill
- Blue Shell
- Boomerang
- Fire Flower
- Bob-Omb
- Coin Box
- Blooper
- Boo
- Superhorn
It's also been suggested that some items, such as the Bob-Omb, will work differently in Mario Kart World. If a lot of other items have seen these types of adjustments, this could shake up the meta.
How Many Grand Prix and Tracks Are There in Mario Kart World?
Nintendo has confirmed there are seven Grand Prix, which, when won, will reward players with one of the Cups. These are:
- Mushroom Cup
- Flower Cup
- Star Cup
- Shell Cup
- Banana Cup
- Leaf Cup
- Lightning Cup
Each Grand Prix consists of four different tracks, so we know that there will be at least 28 of these in the full game. This will be made up of brand-new tracks and some classic courses from previous entries in the series. However, Nintendo hinted in the Mario Kart World Direct that Rainbow Road would be unlocked as an additional track once the other Cups had been completed, suggesting there will be an eighth Cup and another three tracks, taking the total to 32.
Some tracks also have 'variants', such as Crown City and Peach Stadium, that have slightly different routes. It's unclear if Nintendo counts these as separate tracks. The tracks we know of are:
- Acorn Heights
- Airship Fortress
- Boo Cinema
- Bowser's Castle
- Cheep Cheep Falls
- Choco Mountain
- Crown City/ Crown City 2
- Dandelion Depths
- Desert Hills
- Dino Dino Jungle
- DK Pass
- DK Spaceport
- Dry Bones Burnout
- Faraway Oasis
- Great? Block Ruins
- Koopa Troopa Beach
- Mario Bros. Circuit
- Moo Moo Meadows
- Peach Beach
- Peach Stadium / Peach Stadium 2
- Rainbow Road
- Salty Salty Speedway
- Shy Guy Bazaar
- Sky-High Sundae
- Starview Park
- Toad's Factory
- Wario Shipyard
- Wario Stadium
- Whistlestop Summit
Mario Kart World Racers
Mario Kart World features the usual characters from previous entries in the kart racer series, as well as some new additions. These are listed below:
- Mario
- Luigi
- Peach
- Daisy
- Yoshi
- Toad
- Wario
- Waluigi
- Bowser
- Koopa Trooper
- Rosalina
- Pauline
- Baby Mario
- Baby Luigi
- Baby Peach
- Baby Daisy
- Lakitu
- Toadette
- Bowser Jr.
- Baby Rosalina
- Shy Guy
- Donkey Kong
- Birdo
- King Boo
- Wiggler
- Dry Bones
New Characters in Mario Kart World
- Nabbit
- Cow
- Goomba
- Coin Coffer
- Hammer Bro
- Conkdor
- Piranha Plant
- Chargin’ Chuck
- Sidestepper
- Cheep Cheep
- Snowman
- Monty Mole
- Rocky Wrench
- Penguin
- Dolphin
- Fish Bone
- Stingby
- Para-Biddybud
- Peepa
- Pokey
- Cataquack
- Swoop
- Spike
- Pianta
It’s worth noting that there may be some secret characters that haven’t shown up in trailers or hands-on previews for the game so far.
Rumor: Mario Kart Tour Could Be Getting New Content
Mario Kart Tour could be getting its first new content in more than a year, with the release of Mario Kart World not far on the horizon.
Is Mario Kart World Coming to Nintendo Switch 1?
No, Mario Kart World will release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. From hands-on time with the Nintendo Switch 2, it’s clear that the game makes use of the additional firepower of the hardware for its 24-car races, open world, and sharper visuals.
What's the Release Date for Mario Kart World?
Mario Kart World will release on June 5th, 2025, on the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2. It can be purchased for $79.99, but is also included in a bundle with Nintendo’s new hardware for $499.99. This is only $50 more than the Nintendo Switch 2 SKU, so those purchasing the bundle will make a nice additional saving.
What Game Modes Are There in Mario Kart World?
There are seven different game modes confirmed for Mario Kart World. These are:
- Grand Prix: A collection of four races where racers will earn points based on their finishing position. The racer with the highest points at the end of the fourth race wins. The main difference comes in the fact that at the end of the race, you'll then drive to the beginning of the next track, making it one epic endurance race.
- Knockout Tour: In Knockout Tour, you'll race between checkpoints and must be above a certain position to stay in the competition. If you fall below the required position shown at the checkpoint, you'll be eliminated from the competition.
- Time Trials: Set the fastest time possible on a track and see how you compare against the developers and other players online. Players will be given three mushrooms, which they'll need to use at the right time to give them the biggest boost.
- Vs Race: This mode allows players to go back to the traditional Mario Kart format. Up to 24 human and CPU racers can fight for pole position in three laps on a track of their choosing. The rules and CC class are both fully customizable, so players can choose exactly how they want things to play out.
- Battle Mode: Mario Kart World's Battle Mode has two different modes within it. Balloon Battles tasks players with popping their opponents' balloons by dealing damage with the different items. The last player with a balloon (or balloons) left wins. The other mode is Coin Runners, where you'll need to collect as many coins as possible while preventing your opponents from doing the same.
- Free Roam: Players can drive around in the open world of Mario Kart World, explore the map, complete different challenges, find any secrets that might be hiding, and unlock some of the different outfits by picking up Dash Food. This can all be enjoyed either solo or with friends.
- Multiplayer: Enjoy the Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, Vs Race, Battle Mode, and Free Roam game modes with friends and other players online, in local multiplayer, or split-screen.
Will Mario Kart World Get DLC?
Currently, Nintendo has not announced whether Mario Kart World will be getting any downloadable content. However, given the popularity of the series and the positive reception to Mario Kart 8’s DLC characters and tracks, there’s a good chance that Nintendo will release some more content for the game in the future. Whether this is additional racers, tracks, karts, or other game modes remains to be seen.
There’s also a chance that Nintendo may choose to re-release Mario Kart 8’s DLC for Mario Kart World, as characters such as Link haven’t been confirmed for the base game at the time of writing.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- June 5, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
WHERE TO PLAY
Hit the open road with Mario and friends! Zip around courses in a vast world where everything is connected. Race along grassy plains, bustling cities, wide-open waters, big ol' volcanos, and more—plus everything in between.
A sprawling world of courses. Speed across plains, cities, water, volcanos, and much more. Everything is connected!
Go beyond the course. There's more to racing than just the course. Hop off the course and race the distance to the next one!
Free Roam - Drive wherever your heart takes you. Where to? That's up to you! Take off in any direction in this new mode. Explore areas that pique your interest, and maybe even snap some in-game pics at scenic spots.
Play Together - Have a blast with friends, whether near or far. Up to 4 players can race on the same system. Play using your choice of button controls or motion controls. Attach a Joy-Con 2 controller to the optional Joy-Con 2 wheel accessory to wheely feel like you're driving. You can also play using Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers connected wirelessly.
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
