Mario Kart World Review – The Ultimate Ride Reimagined

It finally happened—Mario Kart World has zoomed onto the Nintendo Switch 2, and it’s more than just a graphical upgrade. It’s a full-on reinvention of the series that still manages to stay true to what fans love most. In this Mario Kart World review, we’re diving deep into the gameplay, graphics, music, story, and multiplayer chaos that makes this new entry one of the best yet.

Gameplay: Classic Chaos Meets Open World Freedom

If you’ve played Mario Kart 8 or Mario Kart Wii, you’ll feel right at home drifting around corners, collecting coins to boost your max speed, and blasting opponents with red shells and banana peels. But where Mario Kart World flips the formula is in its open world structure. Don’t expect Forza Horizon-style realism—this is more like a supercharged version of Diddy Kong Racing, complete with interconnected tracks, side quests, and exploration.

One of the coolest features? Track voting in online mode now flows naturally into the geography of the world. If the next track is close by, racers actually start the next race by driving to it in real time. That small touch adds a huge sense of immersion and makes the entire world feel alive. After two console generations of Mario Kart 8, this fresh gameplay evolution was long overdue—and boy, does it deliver.

Graphics: Smooth as Rainbow Road (When You Don’t Fall Off)

Let’s just say it: the Switch 2 finally brings 60+ FPS to Mario Kart, and it feels so good. The smooth performance makes every drift, boost, and shell impact feel snappy and satisfying—even online. No lag, no stutters—just pure, unfiltered fun.

The world itself is stunning. It’s not just polished; it’s full of life. Imagine the charm of Super Mario Wonder—the quirky animations, the vibrant environments—but applied to every inch of a massive karting landscape. There are so many tiny details that you’ll crash into walls just admiring them. (Trust us, it’ll happen.)

Music & Sound: Nintendo, Drop This Soundtrack on Spotify Already

Seriously. The soundtrack in Mario Kart World is incredible. From underwater theme remixes to throwback tracks from Mario Paint, every beat is reimagined with gorgeous instrumentation that makes it feel brand new and nostalgic at the same time.

On the sound design front, Nintendo nailed it. The comedic chaos of a shell hit, the satisfying roar of a mushroom boost, the echo of tires squealing through a tunnel—it’s all perfectly tuned. Hats off (or should we say Mario hats off?) to the audio team.

Story & Singleplayer: Nothing New, But Still Fun

Let’s be real—Mario Kart isn’t known for storytelling, and that hasn’t changed here. You’ve still got your classic cups at 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc, and the goal is to earn gold. There are some side quests in the open world that unlock characters and karts, but they’re mostly generic.

Would a light campaign or narrative have been cool? Absolutely. But we get it—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The real stars are the tracks themselves, and thankfully, there are a lot of good ones.

Multiplayer: The Best It’s Ever Been (Almost)

Online multiplayer is a blast. Up to 24 players per race now crank up the intensity to another level. The chaos is real, but surprisingly well-balanced. We even got hit with a blue shell in 3rd place once, which is wild. It’s a more unpredictable—and more fun—online experience.

The standout mode? Knockout Tour, a battle royale-style race mode where the slowest players get eliminated each lap. It’s a pulse-pounding new way to play that fits the franchise perfectly.

That said, Nintendo still hasn’t figured out how to make online matchmaking with friends easy. You can’t just form a party and race with randoms—you have to awkwardly join your friend’s session mid-race and hope there’s room. It’s a baffling oversight in an otherwise brilliant multiplayer package.

Final Score: 9.2/10

Mario Kart World Is the Fresh Start We Needed

Mario Kart World delivers everything longtime fans could ask for—a perfect blend of the old-school formula with a bold, new open-world twist. The visuals shine, the music slaps, and the online gameplay is the most exciting it’s ever been. Aside from a few missed opportunities in the single-player and friend matchmaking departments, this is hands-down the best Mario Kart since Double Dash.

If you’ve been waiting for a reason to dust off your drift skills, Mario Kart World is it.