Mario Kart World Reviews
Mario Kart World revolutionizes the series with a new Free Play mode, a visually spectacular open world, and breathtaking new game modes. Whether it's the ultimate Mario Kart, only time will tell.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Mario Kart World is the most ambitious entry in the series so far, introducing fresh ideas like the standout Survival mode alongside its familiar, enjoyable gameplay. The concept of an interconnected world is a bold move that opens up new exploration opportunities, although the open world itself feels somewhat empty and some features seem a bit undercooked. Despite these flaws, the game delivers a solid and engaging experience that can provide countless hours of fun, especially with friends. It's not quite the ultimate Mario Kart yet, but it's a significant step in that direction.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mario Kart World is the definitive kart racer with its variety of themes, characters, and vehicles as well as the frenzied new Knockout mode. 🏆
Mario Kart World is a stellar launch title, delivering countless hours of on-track fun whether playing solo or with friends. It offers a deep, content-rich experience built for players eager to dive in completely, uncovering every secret, shortcut, and mode until there’s nothing left to discover.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mario Kart World is an incredible and, above all, courageous title . Nintendo could easily have decided to make a traditional ninth installment, perpetuating the previous one's formula and expanding the selection of tracks, drivers, and vehicles in a direction similar to that of Smash Bros. Ultimate (drawing on the past, offering new content, and packing it all in with DLC for the coming years). Instead, the Kyoto giant has decided to change direction, to head into the unknown, to risk disappointing a significant portion of the 60 million paying players who loved Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and to release a launch title for Nintendo Switch 2 that is, simply, unmissable.
Review in Italian | Read full review
All in all, Mario Kart World takes the long-running series into genuinely intriguing territory. Its open world is a joyous thing to explore and race through, while Knockout Tour is a thrilling new addition I can’t stop playing.
"Ambition is vast... but imperfect." Mario Kart World represents a bold leap toward reinventing the series, expanding the world, adding new game modes, and stunning visual and audio enhancements. While ambition sometimes comes at the expense of balance and pacing, the experience remains enjoyable and rich in content. It's not the most polished Mario Kart game, but it's certainly the most daring and innovative in the series' history.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Mario Kart World re-imagines the iconic franchise into something familiar and wildly new. The result is a definitive racer for the new generation, one that might be enough to sell the new system on its own.
The Mario Kart formula has evolved. While the game still seems to have a lot to show, the truth is that Nintendo is going for something different. It's no longer just about racing and destroying your opponent; it's about exploring. Not all players may immediately fall in love with its open world or its new, unwritten rules, but there's something very special about navigating the streets of the Mushroom Kingdom and racing on its avenues.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
There are typically two sentiments about Mario Kart World: It’s overpriced and not worth 80 dollars or It’s the best Mario Kart of all time, but which one is right? Mario Kart World is still Mario Kart, so if you've never connected with the series, Mario Kart World wont be the game to change your mind. It does increase the skill ceiling in a variety of subtle ways while also retaining its signature approachability. With some great new modes, returning core essentials and smart additions to a foundation that's been evolving over the past three decades, it’s hard not to label Mario Kart World the best Mario Kart of all time.
Mario Kart World may not be the revolutionary upgrade fans have wanted, especially after the feature and content-rich Mario Kart 8, but it presents a scale the series hasn't seen yet. Should Mario Kart World add in new racers and even expand its courses, then I think the game will see a long life ahead of it. While the Switch 2 is currently lacking in first party favorites, Mario Kart World is still a no-brainer when it comes to having it for the new console.
Mario Kart World makes some strange choices in leaving its open world a bit empty and the way it links tracks, but the core racing is better than ever and there’s a ton of content to keep players busy until Nintendo further expands the game. Knockout Tour is perhaps my favorite online mode a game has offered in years, even if I do wish it were easier to enjoy with friends. Ultimately, if you’re buying a Nintendo Switch 2 at the moment, you’ll want to buy this game.
Mario Kart World injects fresh energy into the series with its content-rich open world. However, the lack of a story mode is a noticeable drawback, even though the multiplayer still delivers that classic, fun experience.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
"Salty Salty Speedway is calling..."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Mario Kart World is a great entry into the Mario Kart series. The racing feels great, the tracks are engaging and varied, and the music and visuals are all at the high level you’d expect from Nintendo. The big new thing, the Free Roam, feels underbaked and a missed opportunity of the potential it could have been. It could have been transformative but instead sits as an option on the menu in a standard Mario Kart package I’ll unlikely bother with.
Mario Kart World takes the series in a bold new direction that mostly pays off. Each of the tracks has been expertly designed, the new Trick mechanics make Mario Kart more fun than ever, and the soundtrack is almost unbelievable. Nintendo has established the bones of an outstanding product, yet the new intermission tracks and online functionality troubles hold it back from being what it could be.
Mario Kart World introduces significant changes that have been largely well-received. The new gameplay modes, particularly the elimination-based Knockout Tour, stand out impressively. Increasing the player limit to 24 characters was also a brilliant idea. However, the biggest attraction of the new installment, the open world, leaves mixed feelings. As the first exclusive title for the Nintendo Switch 2, the new Mario may not showcase revolutionary graphics, but it sets a great direction for the development of the iconic series.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Mario Kart World accomplishes the task of being a solid baseline Nintendo kart racing game with a few new additions that do try hard to be fun, but weary folks know they can do so much better. Maybe in a couple of years, the game will get more substantial improvements and additions to make its US$80 price tag justified. Right now, you're just paying for a promise of a sublime kart game that's right now fine with a bronze medal.
Mario Kart World might not revolutionize the series, but it doesn’t need to. Instead, it refines what already works while adding enough new features to feel fresh. The Knockout Tour is an instant classic. The free-roam mode adds depth. The visuals and performance meet the expectations of new hardware. And at its heart, World remains the definitive party racer, a game anyone can pick up and enjoy, whether you’re a longtime fan or a first-time player.
It’s hard to top what Nintendo pulled off with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but this feels like a really smart expansion on the core Mario Kart concept. Free Roam could use a little more meat to it, and the game needs some more quality-of-life options, but Mario Kart World offers an excellent starting point for the Nintendo Switch 2 era.