Mario Kart World
Updated: 12/11/2025, 8:06:21 AM Wikipedia source
Mario Kart World is a 2025 kart racing game developed by Nintendo EPD for the Nintendo Switch 2. As in previous Mario Kart games, players control Mario characters as they race against opponents. World introduces an open-world design and mode, off-roading techniques, an elimination mode, and unlockable costumes for the playable characters. Races support up to 24 players, twice as many as previous Mario Kart games. EPD began developing Mario Kart World for the Nintendo Switch in 2017, shortly before the release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Feeling they had already perfected the core racing gameplay, the team introduced open-world elements; the title Mario Kart World was chosen over Mario Kart 9 to signify the new approach. Development moved to the Switch 2 in 2020 due to hardware limitations. The soundtrack, composed by a team led by Atsuko Asahi, features over 200 tracks, including rearrangements of themes from across the Mario franchise. Nintendo released Mario Kart World on June 5, 2025, as a launch game for the Switch 2. It has sold over nine million copies and received positive reviews, with praise for its gameplay and improvements over previous Mario Kart games, but criticism for certain design choices.
Infobox
Tables
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | 86/100 |
| OpenCritic | 97% recommend |
| Publication | Score |
| 4Players | 8.5/10 |
| Destructoid | 9/10 |
| Digital Trends | 4/5 |
| Edge | 8/10 |
| Eurogamer | 4/5 |
| Famitsu | 9/10, 9/10, 9/10, 9/10 |
| Game Informer | 8.25/10 |
| Gamekult | 7/10 |
| GameSpot | 9/10 |
| GamesRadar+ | 4.5/5 |
| GameStar | 85/100 |
| IGN | 8/10 |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 17/20 |
| Nintendo Life | 9/10 |
| Nintendo World Report | 8/10 |
| PCMag | 4.5/5 |
| The Guardian | 5/5 |
| Video Games Chronicle | 4/5 |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2025 | Gamescom | Best Gameplay | Nominated | |
| Most Entertaining | Nominated | |||
| Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game | Won | |||
| Golden Joystick Award | Best Multiplayer Game | Nominated | ||
| Console Game of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Thailand Game Awards | Best Sports Game | Won | ||
| The Game Awards 2025 | Best Family Game | Pending | ||
| Best Sports/Racing Game | Pending | |||
| 2026 | 22nd British Academy Games Awards | Family | Longlisted | |
| Multiplayer | Longlisted |
References
- Additional development support by Monolith Soft, 1-Up Studio, and Bandai Namco Studios
- Japanese: マリオカートワールド, Hepburn: Mario Kāto Wārudo
- Score based on 131 reviews
- Score based on 141 reviews
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-switch-2-exclusive-mario-kart-world-every-playable-character-and-outfit-revealed
- GameSpothttps://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-world-hands-on-the-conservative-switch-2-gets-a-bold-sequel/1100-6530583/
- TechRadarhttps://www.techradar.com/news/live/mario-kart-world-nintendo-direct-live-switch-2
- Eurogamerhttps://www.eurogamer.net/mario-kart-world-announced-as-switch-2-launch-title-complete-with-24-player-races-new-modes-and-more
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-switch-2-mario-kart-game-officially-revealed-as-mario-kart-world
- Forbeshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/04/02/nintendo-reveals-mario-kart-world-for-switch-2-heres-the-trailer/
- Eurogamerhttps://www.eurogamer.net/heres-how-mario-kart-worlds-grand-prix-and-free-roam-modes-work
- Restarthttps://www.restart.run/articles/mario-kart-world-s-open-world-knockout-mode-and-more-major-changes-on-switch-2
- GamesRadar+https://www.gamesradar.com/games/racing/mario-kart-worlds-retro-courses-have-been-reimagined-so-dont-expect-your-muscle-memory-to-carry-you-through-the-switch-2-racing-game/
- Game Informerhttps://www.gameinformer.com/nintendo-direct/2025/04/17/mario-kart-world-modes-and-courses-detailed-free-roam-features-missions
- GameSpothttps://www.gamespot.com/articles/battle-mode-is-back-in-mario-kart-world-two-minigames-confirmed/1100-6530930/
- Mario Kart Worldhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250416860422/en/Mario-Kart-World-Direct-Revs-up-New-Details-on-the-Biggest-Mario-Kart-Ever-Coming-to-Nintendo-Switch-2-at-Launch
- Nintendo Lifehttps://www.nintendolife.com/guides/mario-kart-world-how-to-unlock-mirror-mode
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/mario-kart-worlds-free-roam-mode-is-an-open-world-road-trip-you-can-take-with-friends
- Mario Kart 9https://www.theverge.com/news/671611/mario-kart-world-9-nintendo-explanation
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-reveals-silly-sketch-of-mario-kart-world-cow-that-led-to-the-games-best-new-character-becoming-playable
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/mario-kart-world-began-development-on-switch-1-and-suffered-performance-struggles-until-switch-2-delay-offered-ray-of-hope
- GamesRadar+https://www.gamesradar.com/games/super-mario/mario-kart-world-started-development-as-an-og-switch-game-in-2017-but-went-open-world-because-mk-8-deluxe-perfected-the-formula-that-wed-been-following-for-25-years/
- Game Informerhttps://gameinformer.com/2025/05/22/mario-kart-world-features-over-200-songs-and-theyre-all-brand-new-arrangements
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/a-new-mario-kart-game-is-seemingly-coming-to-nintendo-switch-2
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/551079/mario-kart-switch-2-release-date-details
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/heres-why-the-nintendo-switch-2-mario-kart-world-and-everything-around-them-is-so-expensive
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/04/psa-mario-kart-world-is-50-bundled-with-a-switch-2-but-80-by-itself/
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/551483/mario-kart-world-roster-drivers-racers-characters
- Game Informerhttps://www.gameinformer.com/review/mario-kart-world/roam-if-you-want-to
- Mario Kart Worldhttps://www.metacritic.com/game/nintendo-switch-2/mario-kart-world
- OpenCritichttps://opencritic.com/game/18333/mario-kart-world
- 4Playershttps://www.4p.de/test/mario-kart-world-test-review-wertung-fazit-das-grosse-highlight-nicht-die-open-world/3326186
- Destructoidhttps://www.destructoid.com/reviews/mario-kart-world-review/
- Digital Trendshttps://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/mario-kart-world-review-nintendo-switch-2/
- Mario Kart World
- Eurogamerhttps://www.eurogamer.net/mario-kart-world-review
- Famitsuhttps://www.gematsu.com/2025/06/famitsu-review-scores-issue-1904
- Gamekulthttps://www.gamekult.com/jeux/mario-kart-9-3050888190/test.html
- GamesRadar+https://www.gamesradar.com/games/racing/mario-kart-world-review/
- Mario Kart Worldhttps://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mario-kart-world-review/1900-6418371/
- GameStarhttps://www.gamestar.de/artikel/mario-kart-world-test,3434411.html
- Mario Kart Worldhttps://www.ign.com/articles/mario-kart-world-review
- Jeuxvideo.comhttps://www.jeuxvideo.com/test/2003483/mario-kart-world-le-jeu-video-le-plus-attendu-de-la-nintendo-switch-2-est-il-a-la-hauteur-de-mk-8-deluxe.htm
- Nintendo Lifehttps://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch-2/mario-kart-world
- Mario Kart Worldhttps://www.pcmag.com/reviews/mario-kart-world?test_uuid=02LlF0iWKsilxYTJVF8uH5y&test_variant=A
- Nintendo World Reporthttps://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/71382/mario-kart-world-switch-2-review
- Mario Kart Worldhttps://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jun/10/mario-kart-world-review-a-riotous-road-trip-for-every-player
- Video Games Chroniclehttps://www.videogameschronicle.com/review/mario-kart-world-review/#
- GameSpothttps://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-world-is-missing-one-feature-people-really-wanted/1100-6532133/
- Kotakuhttps://kotaku.com/mario-kart-world-free-roam-splitscreen-local-coop-1851783697
- IGNhttps://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-fans-upset-over-mario-kart-world-patch-that-makes-a-big-change-to-online-play-thanks-i-hate-it
- Nintendo Lifehttps://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/06/of-course-mario-kart-world-is-being-review-bombed
- Nintendo Lifehttps://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/09/mario-kart-world-has-been-updated-to-version-1-3-0-here-are-the-full-patch-notes
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/12/arts/mario-kart-world-review.html
- Gematsuhttps://www.gematsu.com/2025/06/famitsu-sales-6-2-25-6-8-25
- Gematsuhttps://www.gematsu.com/2025/09/famitsu-sales-8-25-25-8-31-25
- GamesRadar+https://www.gamesradar.com/games/super-mario/nintendo-switch-2-beats-ps4-to-set-sales-record-in-the-us-with-mario-kart-world-cyberpunk-2077-and-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-as-its-best-selling-games/
- Gamereactorhttps://www.gamereactor.es/ventas-espana-nintendo-switch-2-arrasa-en-su-estreno-con-108000-consolas-1435633/
- Nintendo Lifehttps://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/06/switch-2s-best-selling-eshop-games-so-far
- Insider Gaminghttps://insider-gaming.com/gamescom-2025-awards-all-award-winners/
- GamesRadarhttps://www.gamesradar.com/games/events-conferences/clair-obscur-expedition-33-leads-the-golden-joystick-award-2025-charge-for-most-nominations-nudging-out-death-stranding-2-ghost-of-yotei-and-kingdom-come-deliverance-2/
- TheGamerhttps://www.thegamer.com/golden-joystick-awards-2025-all-winners/
- Video Gamerhttps://www.videogamer.com/news/clair-obscur-expedtion-33-wins-first-game-of-the-year-award/
- Polygonhttps://www.polygon.com/game-awards-2025-nominees-list-game-of-the-year/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/gaming/news/bafta-game-longlist-indiana-jones-ghost-yotei-split-fiction-1236604921/
- "Games"https://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/games/
- "開発協力"https://1-up-studio.jp/works/index.html
- "Mario Kart World"https://www.bandainamcostudios.com/en/products/mario-kart-world.html
- Ask the Developer Vol. 18: Mario Kart World — Part 1 - News - Nintendo Official Sitehttps://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol-18-mario-kart-world-part-1/
- "Top Selling Title Sales Units"https://web.archive.org/web/20251104122030/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html