Mario Kart World Review (In Progress) (Switch 2)

This game is even better than I was expecting! There is so much to do, and the races and knockout tour are a blast!

I absolutely love just continuing the race from one course to another, I didn’t realize how good this worked for Mario Kart until I played it!

It’s also cool how some courses are actually multiple courses in one, this game feels very ambitious.

The music stands out so much to me! I keep playing and hearing new remixes of Mario music from previous games, makes me so happy whenever a new song plays!

So far, 10/10!

@PikminMarioKirby Same! I'm enjoying pretty much all of it so far. Which is surprising because I'm not really the biggest Mario kart guy.

I’ve been playing with friends for the last 3 hours and I’ve got to say Nintendo have absolutely nailed what makes a great Mario kart game. It’s taken everything in MK8 and cranked it all up. Every course is bursting with life and character and are all abs huge and just pure joy to race around, and the increase to 24 players is inspired, it changes it so much. The amount of fun we had, all on game chat with cameras which all worked seamlessly and perfectly, was exactly what we all wanted. I get it may not be as fun or exciting in single player, including the open world part, but MK has always been about multiplayer and so far it has not disappointed. I expected nothing less from a game that’s been this long in the making! Having a MK party on Saturday with 6 of us and I cannot wait! Oh and knockout tour is absolutely outstanding! I can’t wait to see how Nintendo build and expand on this over the coming months/years 😁

I played the game for a little while today. And so far it's the best MarioKart game ever. I love just starting the game and pressing + to go explore.

I find it to be a 60 out of 100 which is good. To me 50 and above in my scale is worth playing but not necessarily worth buying. I have already beat all the grand Prixs and I know the game is better than 8... But not by that much. still has all the same flaws but the game makes up for some of them with more to do.

The music is the best part. Lots of different tales on classic Nintendo Tracks. Including ska, so I love it.

The wait until august is gonna hurt but it is what it is.
Edit: the amount of stuff you can do in this game is nuts. It feels like it is a mario game that got told last second it was to be a kart game. I mean that as a compliment. I haven’t even started racing yet. Just wandering around unlocking outfits and on occasion starting the collection items (there is so much to do I really just focus on the costumes and coins to unlock vehicles). I normally hit a wall with mario kart games after I beat all the cups. The free roam makes the game endless.

It's very pretty and the attention to detail is incredibly impressive, but the gameplay is lacking. Free roam is quite nice for kicking back for a bit and taking in the sights, though quite boring. I ed Fast Fusion and I'm having much more fun with that. I really hope I'm missing something with Mario Kart World, but so far it's been fairly underwhelming.

This game is incredible. It's somehow better than 8 which I didn't think would be possible. Gameplay is silky smooth, visuals and audio exceptional, knockout tour is absolutely thrilling, free roam is chill and the P block missions are fun. I can't see how this is not 10/10 unless you're being churlish.

Biggest pluses for me are knockout tour and the soundtrack.

I don’t like that if I get pushed into an oncoming vehicle it starts literally pushing me backward until I moved out of the way. Thats a serious annoyance in knockout tour.

The jump mechanic is kind of iffy. Might be a hot take but I’d like the time to ready a jump to be a little less than it is now.

Most of the tracks are actually bangers- wario shipyard being my favorite from mk 7.

I would have liked the item pool to also be more diverse as getting hit by anything is extremely punishing (feels more than mk8d)

Online worked great so far. Have not used game chat and probably won’t as I don’t want to be constantly recorded.

The soundtrack is so pleasant. I was really hesitant when I heard the trailer music as I’m not about that roadhouse bad to the bone style. That being said I was really surprised to hear they at least had one liquid dnb tune on the roster and the remixes are awesome to listen to.

I do NOT think this game is worth 80 dollars and I don’t know if I like it better than 8d. The open world doesn’t have enough interesting things about it imo and is a missed opportunity to incorporate battle mechanics, bosses, etc.

I am having an absolute blast with this game. It’s been a while since I properly enjoyed a Mario kart game ( loved mk8 but I played it a ton on the Wii U)

Easily the best soundtrack in any Mario kart game IMO

I haven't tried Free Roam yet but went through all the cups in 50cc, including Special Cup. The game is utterly gorgeous and a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. Acceleration seems much better this time even though you'll still get bombarded by items. I don't like that you usually only go through the final track in a cup once.

So far, I expect it'll still be a rock-solid 9 for me. There's a little lost potential for a story, more fan-favorite characters and better battle modes, but almost all of what's here is fantastic.

I’ve been playing this all day. Nuff said lol

Mii is not available, right? 😟
So sad....

But is it better than ridge racer!!!!??

I've put about 3 hours into today across all modes and I'm really enjoying it so far, especially Knock Out Tours. My only complaints are the lack of a proper map in free roam, having no check list or map markers makes it a pain to explore. Secondly the online rank system is the same as MK8, earning points means nothing to me I would be more persuaded to play online if there was some kind of reward system or free battle like with splatoon 3. Still with those aside I'd rate it 8.5/10 and the most enjoyable Mario Kart I've played yet.

From now on, June 5th shall be known as Cow Day.

And no, it has nothing to do with Chick-Fil-A.

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…

I think they intend to fill the open world with free periodic DLC to keep you coming back. The paid DLC will be more tracks and perhaps another island.

The reviews seem pretty mixed so far... I'll hold out for more reviews and scores to come in. Intriguing.

Me for the near future

Got to say I’m enjoying it so far. I didn’t plan on getting a Switch 2 on launch day but I just so happened to go to the local wal mart early as hell this morning for something else. And they had four MKWT bundles in stock. And I figured; why the hell not. Got to say I’m liking this thing so far. They mostly fixed all the nibbling issue my Switch Mariko had and the LCD screen is fantastic. I never had an OLED Switch so it wasn’t a downgrade for me, just an upgrade.

@raymond23 Yeah, I feel like Grand Prix mode should have just been doing 3 laps around the tracks without the racing between them each time, as that makes much more sense in Knockout Mode. And Free Roam feels fairly empty. But I am still enjoying it overall.

Brownie points for the review tagline. XD

@AlanaHagues Regarding the Audio-Visual Delights section, shouldn't it say "Dire Dire Docks"? Though "Rocks" could work for a heavier electric guitar number of the same tune.

...Someone with musical talent please do this.

Edit: Thanks for fixing!

@raymond23 While I don't fully agree with you, I am also disappointed that most of your time playing in Grand Prix is just driving from one course to the next. I like the idea, but I feel like only 1 of the 3 laps should be driving to the course instead of 2/3. I don't understand why they thought players should be spending 67% of their time just driving between courses.

Enjoying it a lot and the music callbacks are awesome. Only complaint is there only being 1 lap per course, the first 2 of 3 laps is just getting to said course. Unless there is a way to change that in the settings?

I've been having a lot of fun but I feel like more competitive MK8 players might not vibe totally with it. I know it's Mario Kart and it's always whacky but the extra players make it so chaotic now that it sort of feels like the randomness you get in Mario Party at times. Truly you can go from 2nd to 20th in a split second if you're unlucky (which you will be). I'm also enjoying the drive-to tracks a lot more than I expected. Some aren't great ittedly but others are brilliant - the ones leading to Peach Beach are a highlight for sure!

MKW looks amazing and I hope people have fun playing it. I wish I could get a Switch 2, but I gotta wait until I get my bills caught up. I got my rent caught up, so yay for me.

Ok I was wrong about gamechat, it is very easy to do and not annoying. The online for this games seems seamless even with a ton of players playing today. The courses are fun during grand prix, I do wish I could do more laps on some but so far so good. Haven't done much open world but I've had fun roaming

At least so far I'm not really enjoying it that much. Might be more fun with other humans but feel like the mechanical changes make it absolutely infuriating as a single player experience, you can be playing everything completely perfectly and one single item will still drop you from first to tenth in an instant with pretty much 100% consistency, it's absurdly unbalanced.

I dunno, maybe I'll warm up to it but at least at the moment there isn't much about it that isn't making me go, "Or I could play 8."

Calling it now: Gonna be the most sold Switch 2 game for the entire gen.

It could just be the launch hype but I'm loving the game so far. The driving feels good, the soundtrack is awesome, the tracks included are cool and, even if it's a bit empty in the open world, I've had a lot of fun with free roam. I don't know as I'd say the game is $80 great but getting it in the bundle? It's a perfect way to kick off a new Nintendo generation.

I've given it a serious burn. Warning! If you're experienced and go into a single player mode at 100cc, you will be bored as hell. My big hope for MKW was it be an actual challenge in single player, hence, the dip into 100cc.

The big allure of MKW is the Knockout Mode online. It's crazy sh1t! First race I reached one checkpoint for 18th place. Failed the first checkpoint the next 2 races. Then finished 6th. Nintendo dumped online cups after MK DS because people would quit before completion by restarting their DS. I sense Knockout Mode is part of the solution to give players a longer series of races, not just to add a different mode, as much as it's a great addition. Racing single races over and over following MK DS got a bit stale.

Following from the underwhelming tease in January, there's a definite dusty sheen to the graphics. Whether that's "realism" or not, MKW simply doesn't pop like MK8D. It could even be the LCD screen because Fast Fusion did not seem that vivid either. Games might pop better on my OLED TV. Otherwise, everything is super smooth and fast.

The return tracks are quite different, notably Choco Mountain. Lots of choc and less boulder chaos. Peach Beach from GC is point to point. DK , again, the snowball section up the hill is not chaotic. I demand danger!

The speed is really on! Even at 100cc, I noticed it. I suspect all engines got a 25cc boost. At 150cc, I could barely get around Airship Fortress. There seems a greater racing edge to MKW overall and, with 24 racers, recovery from attacks is fast. Very rarely was I stationary being pounded and pounded, and loving it! Yes, I did love that multiple pounding. The wild swings from exhilaration to despair are the classic hallmarks of MK. In MKW, you get that more from the numbers of racers that suddenly can jump ahead or fall behind you, not from chaos.

Against the U is a joke. I started at 100cc for the first cup and won it in my sleep. Same with the knockout race. 150cc on the second was a much greater challenge, even if I still just won.

I haven't even seen the Free Roam Mode.

If I could make one change, it's that the connecting sections were shorter and we got two full laps of the circuit. Mind you, it is exciting reaching the circuit and punching out that final, complete lap. Your mind really clicks into gear as you know the real race is actually on!

Overall, MKW is a winner. There's enough new stuff and courses to keep players engaged, and probably still a lot to uncover. Just don't expect to be blown away on first impressions.

Game looks great, super excited, but I just noticed something.

A Nintendo Life review where the reviewer refers to themself as "I" and "me" instead of "we" and "us"?? Didn't think it would ever be done. It probably isn't a huge deal but this one change is honestly a vast improvement and I hope you guys stick with this writing style. Genuinely. It's so much more believable when the writers come across as individuals with an opinion, rather than a collective hivemind.

Looks 'fine' like Fuel did for PS3/360, with it's segmented or it's zones or wide space to drive.

It may be more then that but it gives off that vibe mixed with Sunset Overdrive or skating type moves on rails. It looks fine.

Hardly a big deal. Different for the series sure, the most exciting, eh. No.

Plenty of other games whether Kirby, DK or literally any other third parties retro or modern I'd rather care about then Mario Kart anything (not the boring ports to Switch 2 many third parties are offering).

I even think Sonic Crossworlds will be just a Transformed successor but just as bland and barely push the potential it can.

I've got 3 main thoughts after the first day (or evening) with it.

1. Might be the single greatest soundtrack I've ever heard in anything ever. I probably spent almost a quarter of my entire play time so far just listening in absolute awe instead of actually playing the thing.

2. While not a huge step up from 8 graphically in my opinion aside from some very tasty HDR ...this game's absolutely stunning take on Rainbow Road still managed to deliver perhaps the single most jaw- dropping visual experience I've had since the launch of Uncharted 4 way back in early 2016.

3. Controls are mostly excellent, but I still struggle with the grinding and wall riding. It's just so different and so unlike any other Mario Kart game ...or racing game for that matter. Not worse, just ...different.

I’m a couple hours in and so far it’s good but not amazing. The music is INCREDIBLE but certain aspects of the game feel very unpolished. For example, the clunky character select screen or the fact that a lot of characters don’t fit in their karts correctly and clip through the steering wheel.

The visuals are also a mixed bag. They look great in some areas, especially the lighting and colors. But man some of the areas just look so flat and worse than 8 Deluxe.

There’s also a lot of straight line driving. Not super exciting. But some of the new tracks are very cool. Overall I’m enjoying it but it isn’t the next BIG game I was hoping for. Hopefully more playtime will change my mind, but overall it feels like a worse version of 8 Deluxe but with an open world.

MK world is fascinating, been nonstop fun for me but I do wonder if the free roam will ever get old. There is no record kept of the missions or no map so far for what I can tell.

The courses are all pretty great. The Bowsers Castle and Rainbow Road feel like a Universal ride with how immersive they are.

@raymond23

You are entitled to your own opinion, but this new mario kart game makes MK8D look bland as hell!

Some scattered thoughts after a few hours with World:

Lots of dead air during races and I feel like I'm driving through molasses.

It's hard to take anything away from any of the new / revamped tracks because GP and Knockout Tour prefer 65% of your race be pure straitaways. Knockout Tour is forgivable given its elimination rules, idk who thought this was a good idea for Grand Prix. It's a showcase of tracks I barely get to see.

Roads need to accommodate 24 racers so they are absolutely gargantuan. Again - dead air seems like the most appropriate term here. Initially at the start of the race you'll be eaten alive by the pack, but as they spread out you're going to notice a significant amount of nothing. Granted I've only played with Us and my brother, but this game is significantly less frantic than MK8, especially with a lack of 200cc.

I've only done a little bit of free roam, seems like the best way to get all the costumes and collect coins for karts, but other than that it's pretty underwhelming and completely removed from the main game. Like this game doesn't benefit from an open world at all, the actual races don't utilize it in any way. I see it effectively as a waste of resources.

Nintendo is allergic to good UIs now. The character select menu is an abomination.

The OST is ***** incredible, it's easily the best thing about this game.
The costumes are cute and creative. I like some of the new miscellaneous racers, but most are clearly just here as reused track assets. That's not a problem in of itself, but there were a lot of ACTUAL characters cut from the previous game and I wouldn't exactly call these suitable replacements.

Feels akin to the underwhelming Mario sports games that came out on the switch. Hopefully the game will improve with future updates and DLC but right now nothing about it feels particularly put together. A collection of good ideas and the bones of something great but clumsily executed.

...80 ***** dollars btw.

To anyone who hasn't gotten a switch 2 yet: you can hold off for a bit. I feel like this game being so lackluster is an omen for things to come.

@raymond23 Can't you just do VS mode races and set them up to run traditional style laps around the courses?

I’ve been upset by free roam not being local multiplayer! I really hope they add this in as an add on because me and my son really wanted to roam around together. I hope they add this quick as he will loose interest quick and then that ship will have sailed. Sad Nintendo!

We’re enjoying it as a single player and onljne mode. And roaming we’re doing by turn

What I don’t like it two olayer couch online. Only one person get points. i always played this mode with my son both sllowly getting points

And why is there no classic grand prox mode to ust enjoy the great circuits.

I totally love this game! The best mario kart or heck racing game ever made.
Its perfect. With the free roam they can af some more stuff in the future, but even that is perfect to just practice unlock stuff etc.

Man also when i calibrated HDR pff every game looks amazing now lol even my older games.

So far I'm loving this game. Considering I'm never been a huge fan of the MK series, that's quite an accomplishment.

It's a nice Mario Kart game, but the Open world mode is very lackluster and a completely missed opportunity sadly.

There is really not much to do, other than just driving around (which gets old real fast) and doing those blue coin Power Up challenges.

So the Free Roam mode feels more like a Gimmick to jump on the open world bandwagon, than anything else.

@The-Chosen-one Can I just ask what you mean by “calibrated HDR pff”?

The best compliment I can give to this game is I no longer feel frustrated getting hit by items…. The visuals, sound effects and vibration when you do is awesome. And getting hit by lightning is now wondrous 🤣. Is this just me?

My first impressions:

Pros:

• Knockout Tour is great, as well as the classic Grand Prix.
• The soundtrack is great and blends really well when changing courses
• The characters and the world are full of life and things to explore
• Controls are as smooth as ever

Con(s):

• Free Roam doesn't come with much explanation of what you can do, unless you check the manual. A tutorial or story mode would've been nice

Really feel like they’ve ruined Grand Prix which is the mode I’ll be playing most with my girlfriend and kids on the couch.

As others have said, it’s too many straight roads actually driving to the courses and not enough laps round the actual course.

The knockout mode sounds fun and I’ve not got to try that yet though.

Just a shame because I think Mario Kart is one of the best games ever for playing with friends/family on the couch and I can’t help but feel disappointed but the way Grand Prix is now

This game is incredible! Definitely the biggest step forward for ninty since breath of the wild and also an amazing showcase for switch 2. It looks and sounds so amazingly good and the open world is very cool. Honestly if this doesnt get a 10 nintendolife is losing the love of gaming, come on guys do the right thing!

I'm a bit of a completionist when it comes to getting 3 stars for every cup.... as usual 50cc is a little too easy and can be a little bit boring when you're in 1st place pretty much all the time.

Still thought it's a good way to learn the new tracks and I'm confident it'll be a lot more interesting and more challenging when I move up to 100cc

I haven't tried online yet as I want to get a proper feel for all the new tracks before I venture into that

I personally enjoy the new GP formula. Pretty sure they will include an option to disable intermission tracks in GP mode in the near future.

@Member_the_game If you complete a Grand Prix on 150cc it automatically gives the ranking to 100 and 50. So you don’t actually have to 3 star every single one anymore. Unless you want to of course

@Grim

Really? I didn't know that..... I'll give that a try thanks

@Pillowpants There is sadly not much explanation needed, as there is simply not much to do in Free roam mode.

I have been driving around in Free roam last night for over an hour and all I found are those blue power-up challenges which are all the same (collect blue coins within the time limit ).

Other than that, I guess its the fastest way to collect gold coins, if you want to unlock all the different car options quickly.

Free roam has so far been a HUGE let down! and this was actually the feature I have been looking forward to the most.

I unexpectedly have access to a Switch 2 but I’m not that interested in Mario Kart at this time. Will be testing and reporting on some Switch 1 games through the Switch 2 translation as a matter of curiosity

Had a chance to play it for a day.
It was... Well, it is not your classic Mario Kart.
There is no option to play Grand Prix like a standard Mario Kart game, there will always be just one lap on othet stages except the first one, which is weird.
You don't get a chance to familiarize yourself with the stage.
The open world, what excited me most, turns out it came at a price of every stage losing it's charm and becoming just a small part of a larger world.
Free roam is lackluster, unlockables are meaningless. They had every chance to make free roam a single player adventure with wide variety of challenges like bosses and battles. Instead you are getting to race through rings on most of challenges . Yay?
I was not impressed.
However, there is a silver lining here, the knockout mode. This mode fits the vest with the new stages layout and it will surely become a go to mode for me when playing online.

@Jeronan
I drove around an hour in free roam and I didn't found a single blue coin challenge. Instead I found a challenge where need to drive through a bunch of cows, a challenge where you need to avoid different obstacles, a challenge where you need to fly to a goal post, and so on ...
I also catched Nabbit and collected two Peach coins and I "targeted" Charging Chuck. 🤷‍♂️

From what i saw on Youtube of people playing, this game isnt worth 500 bucks (you have to first buy the console plus game)! Glad I ed the Switch 2 for now.

@Guddy I hope so

@Michael0916 Even with those added challenges you described, it just sadly doesn't change anything.

If you take free roam away, then Mario Kart World is actually a huge downgrade from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Gone are the unique kites you could collect.
Gone are the unique tires you could collect.

You could customize your kart and tune it with different tires and kites. All that seems to be gone now.
It was actually one of the most exciting features in Mario Kart 8 and you wanting to unlock everything, so you could personalize the driving characteristics of your kart!

They have could done so much more with Free roam, where you could actually do various quests/missions and/or challenges that unlock unique tires and kites and maybe new type of car customization options, to tune your kart.

It would have made Free roam actually a lot more fun and interesting.

Mario Kart World is so far a classic example of streamlining the game in the wrong direction and taking away features.

And the worst of it all is that Nintendo charges us 100 Euro for this game! While Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was 60 euro.

It's so boring. After half an hour's play you've seen and done everything the game has to offer.

@Jeronan What I meant was that when you choose the Free Roam option for the first time, there's absolutely zero explanation of what you can do in Free Roam. I thought that was a weird omission from Nintendo, who are usually way more handholdy...

@Jeronan
Where does it cost 100€?

@Michael0916 Here in Norway. I paid 599 NOK for Mario Kart Deluxe.

Mario Kart World is selling for 999 - 1090 NOK/SEK in Norway and Sweden and it's the same in Denmark.

We are being screwed over by the Scandinavian Nintendo distributor Bergsala AB.
The Switch 2 console is 6500 NOK / SEK and the Mario Kart World bundle I bought is 7500 NOK / SEK.

@SuperRetroArt
Why do people feel the need to start lying? 🤦‍♂️

@Jeronan
So Nintendo is not charging you 100€ for Mario Kart World? 🤔

Good information and I agree with this early review.
I think, like the Switch 2 itself, this is an evolution rather than a revolution but it’s a brilliant one.

I do agree that some of the Grand Prix tracks feel a bit bland at times although I also feel that there is a real focus on when you use your shells and power ups before hitting the last laps and getting into the real racing of Mario Kart that we know and love so well.

I’m loving free roam as a form of gaming mindfulness as I can just pick up and fly around at my leisure.

I can see updates and more content further down the line but for now, this is a brilliant Mario Kart and it’s a superb evolution.

The courses in this game are soooooo cool and imaginative, it's incredible

Overall, I'm a bit underwhelmed!

Free Roam looks nice, but it's short on content and rewards. One thing that's really bizarre is that you can stumble upon the race tracks, but you can't go into a race? Such an easy win for them to have designed a "circuit" version or every track for a more traditional 3 lap course that you unlock in Free Roam.

Nintendo are the ones that set the bar so high on their games... this is missing the mark for me.

LOADS to love in this game too. It's the icing and the cherry on top that are missing.

@Pillowpants I couldn't agree more. The way the Switches, Coins and P Blocks are just a number in the corner and the fact there's no coin counter despite the coins unlocking vehicles are massive red flags for me. Free Roam feels like a last minute addition...

I'm pleased that I didn't get the S2 and this game on release now based on the mixed views of the game.

My hope is that in the years to come, it becomes a much more content heavy game (particularly in the open world areas) and I'll pick it up then I think. If it doesn't change much from how it is now, I'll probably and carry on with MK8D.

@Michael0916 How am I lying? What you mean is "stating an opinion different to mine" despite numerous people and the media telling you otherwise, this is not "lying'

@Ellie-Moo you definitely made the right call. The switch 2 is not worth getting at the moment. After some more exclusives are released and a viable control system to play handheld (joycons are terrible) then that could change

@JohnnyMind be prepared to be underwhelmed!

@BaldB3lper78 Switch 2 - "I EVOLVE, but I don't REVOLVE"

@bandyba icing? love the ice selling yoshi and the new strateciatella circiuiit... it finally looks like it was intended before... fun to see a track designed for mkw in a way being previewed in mk8/tour

(but i get your general point)

@SuperRetroArt we were overwhelmed by the visual explosion coming at you

(but i get the point if your expecting a incremental update (aka MK9) the new vision of mk might not be what you wanted

@Jeronan We've here been addicted to free roam since we got it.... (although i fear we might exhaust it sooner that we think)

@SuperRetroArt 😂 something like that! I just thinks it’s what was needed at this stage. I think whatever comes down the line on 6 to 8 years may well be something different but for now, im more than happy evolving rather spinning around.

@Michael0916 Ehh yes, because all other third party Switch 2 games (like 2077) are normally priced.

I've only done offline grand prix and open world exploration so far but these are my thoughts:

Pros:

• It looks amazing and the world feels alive! Truly a next gen Mario Kart in that sense.
• Still in love with DK's new design.
• Returning courses have been worked in well, both feeling nostalgic and fresh at the same time.
• All the new characters are wonderful. I didn't know I wanted Para Biddybud in the roster, but it turns out I did!
• Some really stunning new courses! I found myself doing a a few "wow"s under my breath a few times.
• Love the challenges hidden around the open world, feels like a return of DS's challenges.
• Tweaks to controls are great.

Cons:

• Disappointing to see all the weird new characters dont have at least 1 alternate skin. Feels a real wasted opportunity and makes them feel more throw-away.
• Some connecting tracks don't feel as exciting and memorable?

Excited to try multiplayer with friends tonight and some of the other modes.

@nocdaes Yeah that would be cool to be able to drive through a gate on the track or something to start a single race. Then if you want to just practice you can drive around the gate or something?

Feels like something that could maybe be added in an update maybe.

Will get this in the next few months but the grand prix mode is worrying me. I was brought up on Super mario kart and there should be 3 laps on every grand prix cup. WTF were they thinking?

It’s gold. My nine year old daughter and I have been laughing our butts off. The racing is much the same as the last one, albeit beautiful looking and buttery smooth. But the free roam is where we’re having the most fun - especially loving the ocean wave areas!!

Not gonna lie I'm a little underwhelmed by it. I don't want to be but I think I am.

The intermission courses should only be for Knockout Tour, it is actually crazy to me that they are being used in Grand Prix. Played through the whole mode and forgot most of the tracks because you only do 1 lap. It's madness.

Also how on earth does Online not have 3 lap races only? Nintendo seem to think that intermission sections are some revelation instead of the mostly straight lines they are. Truly crazy that two thirds of an Online race are driving to the track.

Then the open world is so empty of things to do. The only rewards are stickers and costumes. The latter of which most characters do not have.

I have to be real and say that this game feels like it's misguided and half baked. And given how long it's been since 8 I find that very disappointing.

Like you made a cool open world and instead of filling it with fun unlockables and races you just unlock stickers, that is hugely unsatisfying. Stickers you can't even see half the time given how frantic the races are.

I'd be giving this game a 6/10 so far because it has the potential to be so much more and when the messaging behind the $80 price tag hinted that Nintendo think they have made something truly worthy of that I have to be real and say they haven't, not even close.

@SuperRetroArt
"After half an hour's play you've seen and done everything the game has to offer"
This is an obvious lie

So, I finally figured out how to do 3 laps in any course. VS, don’t select “connected”, pick your first course, pick it again so you don’t have to travel between tracks (I just assumed that it was asking me to select all of the courses I wanted to play up front…whoops). So, that helps. But Grand Prix was getting very old very fast having to race in a straight line and the course as an afterthought. It’s a fine option in addition to classic play, but not instead of classic play. If Nintendo could offer a patch to allow a “legacy Grand Prix” and an “open world Grand Prix “ in single player, multiplayer, and online, my experience would be so much better. Sounds like free roam needs a lot more stuff to do (hopes that comes in a future patch…a story mode might also help). The courses (when I get there), graphics and music are all great!

I’ve played a few hours now. Was bored at first, thinking it was just shiny graphics… I was wrong.
There is so much polish, nuance, and love in this game! So much to discover, explore, and enjoy!

I’m a grown man in his 40s, and I feel like a kid again, smiling and laughing more playing this than I have any other game in a good while.

Well done, Nintendo - you’re crushing it lately!

I haven't played any Mario Kart since the Wii U version, so it's been a blast being terrible and trying out all the modes!

I even tried some online play, which is something I hardly ever do, and I got a huge kick out of the elimination mode!

Can't wait! Getting my hands on this Monday.

it's very beautiful the game video mario kart 8 deluxe and mario kart world tour it's beautiful the game video

It takes a while to get used to not knowing the courses after a decade of having every turn memorised!

Seems like I should stick to playing mk8d until they sort out the mess that is world, surely they should address the issues in the first month....

These early takes give the impression that this game should be getting a lukewarm review, but everyone involved is determined to avoid that.

"I must say, I was a little disappointed with the open world when I first dropped in. But then, during the course of completing a P Switch challenge, I spotted a Peach Medallion, another P Switch, and two block s. I am going to 100% this game and it is going to kill me."

I'm sorry... What??

"Breath of the Wild this ain't, and while I don't think it needs to be that, there's something... missing in the open roads. Instead, what it is is a lush landscape that allows you to just drive around and soak in all the details and challenges that Mario Kart World has to offer. There are some killer sunsets in this big landscape, let me tell you, and perfect photo opportunities. As a self-proclaimed sucker for photo mode, this could be dangerous for me."

This is a flagship game for the launch of a new system, and I'm supposed to be excited about...photo mode?

I love Mario Kart and I'm ride or die for Nintendo, even when they make mistakes, but C'MON. This sounds like a higher-resolution version which at best, adds nothing of substance to a game which was already fine. (I say "at best" because it seems like this may actually be a significant step back in some ways. Grand Prix mode sounds like it's been ruined.)

The more I read about this, the more it sounds like it needs significant retooling by Nintendo.

I think Metroid Prime 4 is going to be the first game which actually justifies purchasing the new system, and Mario Kart can wait until they release an "ultimate" version that includes the inevitable DLC alongside all of the tweaks and improvements which seem to be sorely needed.

I love most of the new tracks and Knockout Tour as well as Free Roam are winners, but I dislike that so many online races have intermissions.

@Troubbble I think everyone is trying to justify that they had to spend $80 USD haha. They don't want to it that the game is not worth what Nintendo's charging.

Still no score after three days? That's ridiculous lol. Is there a financial disincentive against giving it a less-than stellar grade? If so, wouldn't disclosing that in the article be the ethical thing to do?

Reading that review I think I am not interested in it at all.

(Really doesn’t seem like a £75 game).

The PC version of All Stars Racing Transformed is my gold standard of games like this and what do. (I played the entire single player without getting bored before even touching the online).

I have bought my nephew a switch 2 with this but I am genuinely not bothered. (If Donkey Kong is not perfect I can see me waiting quite a while.)

I just played one Grand Prix on the first cup available last night, and my impression is that the tracks were kind of dull and mostly looked alike, save for the last leg of the last track. Of course, they were designed to fit the same regional theme, but still. And the tilt steering felt sluggish at times. We'll see as I get deeper into the game.

This game is excellent. I've been having a ton of fun just driving around.

@nessisonett Yep, I've made peace with waiting a while to get a Switch 2, there's nothing else on it that I desperately want to play at launch, but I can't help feeling a bit of envy over this one game...

oh I just saw that there is a classic gp mode.. just press + on the track selection screen!

@BlaizeV just discovered there is a classic mode.. press + in the lobby

@USWITCH64 apparently it is possible, gam explain just posted a video that you should press + In the lobby... (my kids took my switch 2 to their mum , so I can test... )

@Euler it's day two... I hope most games get played more before there are reviews.....

I am genuinely surprised how good this game is! The movement is so much fun, the AI is clever and acts organically, the distribution of items is well balanced. Finally, you get many green and red shells even when in place 2 or 3.

And the soundtrack is phenomenal.

This is an experience. I am just noodling around in free roam ( As Cow) and yeah I am in love with this game. I got a feeling it’s gonna be like six months before I even race. I am following Mario everywhere and hitting him when I can. I am not usually mischievous in games as it isn’t my nature but this just has me wandering around and messing with NPCs because the level of detail is great. The world is a character in and of itself… so much to look out for that it almost feels wasted in a racing game. The music direction is so soothing. I am going to hope Nintendo puts the OST on CD. This is gonna be an evergreen.

This is probably one of the worst Mario Karts in forever. There is no thrill or excitement when racing, the tracks are too wide which makes drifting boring, and some tracks are so short all of sudden you're on the last lap. No one should dare spend $80 on this game. Game looks fantastic but there is no sense of speed in this racing game. Is it me or does 150cc feel like 100cc? I'm having an okay time trying to gold everything but man what a disappointment so far.

@BlaizeV racing feels so damn slow to me. MK8 right now is the perfect MK game to date.

I think MK8 is better, had better track designs. This game feels a bit all over the place in grand prix mode and free roam could have been a structured adventure.

Knockout mode is amazing though and I have no idea why but the tracks feel much better in that mode.

Prob an 8/10 for me - it's still Mariokart, still makes me smile and multiplayer is fun as hell, but just feel a bit of disappointment with some of its choices.

The stand out moment for me so far, was driving around in free roam, and I noticed a UFO abducting stuff. So I went to see if I could be taken by the light. Sure enough, I got abducted, but I soon overcome my captors and took control of the spacecraft.

Yes this feels like an 8 rather than a 9 or 10 it definitely falls flat in places.

While I wasn't really stunned visually, the increased cartoony expressiveness of the characters and animations really brought the game to life for me.

Additionally, Knockout Tour is easily my favorite multiplayer mode to date, making races pleasantly tense and competitive, and I love how it weaves multiple tracks together.

Free roam is a lot of fun, too. Very, very cool seeing how the entire world connects. I don't think it's really meant to be played like BotW, where you spend hours tromping around the wilderness. Every time I boot up the game, it seems to have my racer near a P-Switch, and yeah, I can get addicted to completing challenges.

I was playing with my bf, and after completing a set of races (or a knockout tour, I can't ), me playfully hitting his kart turned into an impromptu battle mode where we jousted across the open world, trying to hit each-other with shells and other weapons.

It's not perfect, but it is a really fantastic Mario Kart game, and the Switch 2 launch really is proving successful for me, between that mega exclusive, the upgraded classics, superb ports like Cyberpunk, and seeing how the system improves older titles (Hyrule Warriors DE is SO good now undocked).

@Blofse You can actually do free roam split screen (although I hope Nintendo updates it and makes it a normally accessible option)
You can select online 2p and then select friends and then you will both be booted into free roam. Same for local free roam. Hope this helps!

@Jeronan I've found very creative p switch challenges so I would hold out a bit longer... Blue coins aren't the majority, trust me!

@Iasaha I will try Free roam again in a while and check it out more.
Maybe it's just bad RNG implementation with these challenges.

I have played a bit of it with my nephew I don’t think it compares well in of content to e.g Smash Ultimate (Nintendo made a big deal about the amount of content justifying a £75 price). It is probably worth £30 to me but no more. For myself if it’s not available at that price I am quite happy to not have it. (Or I would rather have DK at that price presumably if it’s good).

The game looks great, but I'm so over the jazzy music Mario Kart's been featuring since Double Dash. Wish the camera angle could be adjusted to be a bit more top down. Certainly fun, but not the launch game I wanted, or rather need, to make the the new console feel new and exciting.

@foursider the camera can be adjusted.

My score so far - a definite 10/10! So worth $80

My early verdict (after maybe 5 hours?) -

It is a great Mario Kart game no question. If you’re still enjoying Mario Kart 8 you’ll love this one too.

The issue is that it really feels very similar to MK8. I don’t think Nintendo factored in that many many people inevitably grew tired of MK8, because you can only enjoy so much of the same gameplay. And MKW I hate to say is not too different from another round of DLC.

What should they have done differently? Well imo the “character” of a MK game lies in its feel. It was a mistake having this one control that similarly. And it seems their main goal was “24 drivers”, I wonder if anybody else had that on their wish list.

Positives:

• there are great courses, not all of them are as wide as a football field
• the sense of elevation and scope works great sometimes
• knockout Tour is an exciting format
• water is so much more fun than in MK8. I hated the floaty underwater driving, the Wave Race style is way cooler. Oh and good riddance antigrav btw.
• generally a great polished Mario Kart

Negatives:

• you could often mistake it for MK8
• open world is completely forgettable
• little nitpick: why can’t you see stats on the character screen, only after you’ve advanced to the vehicles?
• the music: Someone criticized it for being jazzy again, I’d argue that they lean even further to the tasteless side of Fusion. So much wailing guitar. I adore over the top electronic fusion stuff, but those trade fair guitar sounds have always been a bit yuck.
• oh and regarding the visuals: I think it does show that this was once a Switch 1 project. The floor is still completely flat for example.

Score pending? Clearly reads as a 9 Thanks for the write-up!

Did people really expect this to completely change everything about Mario Kart? That sounds a little delusional, especially with the success of the series. They need to keep everything people love and then add more stuff. I absolutely love the free roam mode, it is much better than I expected based on what we saw on trailers, and by far the best single player content the Mario Kart series has ever had. There is literally nothing to complain about in my opinion, other than the price maybe, but at £40 bundled, I am happy.