Nintendo is celebrating the launch of the Switch 2 with a brand-new, Switch 2-exclusive Mario Kart title.
Familiar at first sight
So far, it's been like this: Nintendo has added a fresh new feature to each new installment in the racing series, duplicate items, and a whopping 96 tracks. Mario Kart World on Switch 2 offers a freely drivable world—the name itself is a hint. This pre-launch racing raises high hopes for a Forza Horizon set in the plumbing universe. But don't worry: Mario Kart retains its core competencies! There are all sorts of familiar and tried-and-tested game modes for solo players and offline and online multiplayer fans: the Grand Prix, Time Trial, Versus Races, and Battles. New additions include free-roaming in the open world and the Knockout Mode, which sits inconspicuously between the time trial and the classic competition for points and trophies.Fresh approaches in the Grand Prix
A wide selection of characters vie for your attention. New additions include. Think Grand Prix, you choose a driver, a suitable vehicle, and then one of the seven initially available competitions.
Bowser Jr., who previously only appeared in other Mario titles is ready. The first race follows the same pattern: drive three laps in a circle, give each other a hard time with turtle shells, bananas, power stars and turbo mushrooms, and then collect the points. Okay, Nintendo doubled the field of drivers to 24 characters and added grinds, wall rides, and a rewind function as the icing on the cake. Up to this point, Mario Kart World feels all too familiar—and admittedly a bit boring.
The jam-packed starting field in Mario Kart World includes 24 drivers. From race two onwards, there are some big surprises. Nintendo doesn't immediately send you back to the circuit. Instead, you and your alter ego race along a stage in a kart or motorcycle to the track, which marks the climax of the furious racing. And that's fresh! After eight installments in the series in which you always and exclusively drove in circles, the A-to-B races are a fresh, unused experience.
The KO Tour as a secret highlight
If you want more of that, you'll find it in the KO Tour. These are XXL races lasting more than ten minutes, which are a true celebration of such stage races!Only 7th place! Things are getting tight in the knockout round until the next checkpoint. Thst's the highlight: Every few minutes, you'll reach a checkpoint where the four slowest riders fail. Only the top four ultimately qualify for a final sprint.
A full yet empty open world
You'll race down the highway without a speed limit – the open world in Mario Kart World is beautiful and huge! You'll also find coins, challenges, and ?-plates everywhere, which contain mini-missions or collectibles.
In the open world, you'll find many varied missions. Here, Yoshi dodges undead turtles on his way to the goal.
Years of fun are guaranteed
Personally, I find it difficult to specify a game's half-life. Whether someone enjoys a game for six hours, three weeks, or five years depends largely on personal preference. For Mario Kart World, however, I'm happy to go out on a limb and predict years of gaming fun, just as all its predecessors have offered.Up to four players battle for top positions in Mario Kart World excels in multiplayer mode, both offline and online. The selection of tracks, (unlockable) characters and vehicles, and game settings is extensive. In addition to the Grand Prix, the freely configurable Versus races and—depending on your taste—the battles, in which you can, for example, pop other players' balloons, are also impressive.
Online, the races are really hot – and you can even feel like this snowman in the scorching desert. All of this is presented with brilliant sound and razor-sharp 4K images at 60 frames per second – with very rare drops in frame rate. Nintendo clearly delivers!
My Conclusion
A game with an aggression factor, believe me, I've experienced it, but it's more than just a racing game. Nintendo offers more than just mere fan service. The familiar game modes feel fresher thanks to great design decisions, the Knockout Tour stands out as a highlight, and even the somewhat disappointing open-world mode offers hope that Nintendo will soon breathe some life into it! This title also sets a new standard for multiplayer fun. The stage races and circuits, for up to four players on one console and 24 drivers on a local network or online.Of course, Bowser is waiting for his next challengers. Well then, I wish you all a good trip!!!!
