Pick a Mario character and a kart, then race. Courses link together in Grand Prix and Knockout Tour, and the stretches between them count as part of the race. Free Roam is the off-route side of the game, where you can drive away from the race route and explore.
The six modes are Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, VS Race, Time Trials, Battle and Free Roam.
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Release
- Nintendo Switch 2: June 5, 2025
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch 2
Game data
Characters
Some racers are ready from the start, and the rest unlock by clearing a Grand Prix cup or by getting transformed into them by a Kamek item or a Free Roam UFO. Each racer also has a weight class, from Lightweight to Heavyweight. Knowing which route opens a racer tells you what to play next.
Tracks
Mario Kart World's Grand Prix courses also appear in VS Race and Time Trials. Knockout Tour connects courses into rally routes, while some courses double as Balloon Battle arenas. Version 1.8.0 added separate SNES courses that you pick under host tracks, such as SNES Mario Circuit 1 under Mario Circuit.
Vehicles
Mario Kart World vehicles come as karts, bikes, trikes and mobiles on Nintendo Switch 2. Each vehicle's levels show how it rates on road, off-road and water, and some start unlocked while the rest come from coins collected in the game.
Items
Items are the pickups that shake up Mario Kart World races, from shells and bananas to Bullet Bill and Kamek. Knowing what each one does, and where it shows up, helps you read a race before the shells start flying.
Outfits
Each main racer in Mario Kart World has a Default appearance and a set of named outfits to chase. Dash Food sometimes unlocks them, so it's worth eating whenever you come across it.
Collectibles
P Switches
P Switches are blue switches spread across Free Roam in Mario Kart World. Each one starts a short challenge, so Free Roam turns into a set of small goals while you drive. They give you a reason to explore corners of the map you'd otherwise drive past.
Mario Kart World Controls
| Action | Console |
|---|---|
| Steer | Left Stick (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
| Accelerate | Hold A (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
| Rocket Start | Hold A as the countdown shows 2 (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
| Drift | Hold R while steering (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
| Jump Boost | R or ZR at just the right time off a ramp (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
| Charge Jump | Hold A, then R as you drive straight. Tilt the Left Stick and release R for a small jump that way (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
| Rewind in solo races, Time Trials and Free Roam | Down (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
| Open the map in Free Roam | Y (Joy-Con 2 pair or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller) |
Mario Kart World gameplay tips
What each mode asks of you
- Grand Prix: Four connected courses scored as one cup. Points add up across all four, so play the whole cup, not just one race.
- Knockout Tour: Back-to-back courses with checkpoints. Miss a checkpoint's placement cutoff and you're out.
- VS Race: You can customize the race rules and pick your route combinations.
- Time Trials: A solo run for the best time. Online, you can race against ghost times that other players set.
- Battle: Balloon Battle and Coin Runners are in the mix, and Bob-omb Blast joined the mode in Ver. 1.6.0. In Balloon Battle, you're out once all your balloons are popped.
Ver. 1.8.0 (September 9, 2026) added Propeller Rally and Turnip Rally to Knockout Tour, plus ten SNES courses to VS Race, Time Trials and races online or over wireless.
Coins, characters and vehicles
- Coins raise your kart's max speed on the course you're racing. You can carry up to 20, so keep an eye on how many you have.
- Coins also help unlock more vehicles, so grab them in every race, not only the ones you're trying to win.
- Some characters unlock just by playing Grand Prix. The Kamek item can transform you into certain characters during a race.
- Yoshi's restaurants have drive-throughs where you can pick up Dash Food. It gives a short speed boost and may unlock an outfit for the character you're racing as.
Free Roam, P Switches and the map
- Free Roam is where you'll find the P Switch missions and ? Panels.
- Before you head in, open the Map from the main menu. It shows where different characters are, and you can select a character or location to warp there.
- While you're driving in Free Roam, press Y to open the map. Since Ver. 1.3.0, it shows P Switches you've already driven over, and selecting one moves you to a spot near it.
Where to start
- Start with Grand Prix. Its four connected courses teach you the course transitions and race rhythm before a Knockout Tour checkpoint can end your run.
- Hold R while steering to drift and charge a bigger Mini-Turbo. Smart Steering limits your Mini-Turbo to two power levels. Turn it off to unlock a third level once you're comfortable steering yourself.
Techniques worth learning
- Charge Jumps can clear certain hazards or leap onto other parts of the course, so they're worth practicing on the straights.
- Rewind moves only your kart. Opponents keep racing, so use it to undo one mistake, not to reset the whole race.
Playing with friends
- Up to 4 players can share one Switch 2, up to 8 can play over local wireless, and up to 24 can play online.
- Online play requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership.