With Nintendo’s Switch 2 in the wings, the global brand took to its popular YouTube channel for a 15-minute Mario Kart World Direct.

Nintendo of America’s short but stacked presentation drew fans in the hundreds of thousands; the 15-minute broadcast teased tempting new content coming to the beloved franchise.

While President Trump’s tariffs threaten the new console’s U.S. debut, gamers remain generally optimistic about its arrival, albeit with some justified pricing concerns.

If you couldn’t make it to the show, here’s a wrap-up of what you missed:

‘Mario Kart World’: The Basics

Unlike any other franchise entry, Mario Kart World promises just that: an open world players can traverse. Players can open their maps to locate their next course and drive right to it themselves.

Races take place during both daytime and nighttime, across familiar and new courses.

Four players can participate using one system, and users only need one Switch 2 GameChat camera for all four users.

Attaching the USB-C camera means putting you and your friends right in the game. The new hardware identifies all four racers’ faces, displaying their real-time reactions as you sling shells and take the lead. (Don’t let your smug, ultra-competitive friends know about this!)

Familiar Faces Join Franchise

We’re all familiar with the franchise’s core cast: the beloved pair of plumbers, the always adorable Princess Peach, and fan-favorite Yoshi.

New additions, however, are joining the ranks: Goomba, Spike, Cow (as seen in cult fave course “Moo Moo Meadows”), Lakitu, and others.

Game Modes

Players will be able to enjoy two unique styles of gameplay: Grand Prix and Knockout Tour.

While the former resembles the four-stage cup races we’ve come to know and love, the latter looks to be a no-holds-barred elimination gauntlet.

Grand Prix

24 racers. The most in franchise history. This could make races more thrilling than ever, or cause unbridled chaos.

In this all-new Grand Prix mode, which still comprises four courses, drivers must pull up to their next race rather than selecting “Next” from a menu screen.

According to the Direct, racers must conquer the Grand Prix to get access to Rainbow Road.

While the presentation shows that races become more challenging as drivers progress, Nintendo makes no mention of CCs. Consider my brow raised.

Knockout Tour

In this mode, players must place to stay in the race.

Matches become more challenging as gamers progress, as expected. But the presentation frames tangible checkpoints as the catalyst for increasing difficulty levels.

Free Roam

As an unnamed fish in Spongebob Squarepants famously yells, “That’s what we’ve been waiting for! It’s what we wanted all along!”

Attempt big jumps, sightsee, curate clean in-game shots using Photo Mode, and traverse the borders of a sprawling map. The latter could be a real time sink for completionists like me. If I didn’t touch everything at least once, did I really play?

Roamers can uncover hidden interactibles throughout the map, including P switches, panels, coins, and more.

Photo Mode

Channel your inner photog with Photo Mode, a feature commonly found in sprawling RPGs.

Snap solo shots, capture mid-jump airtime, and take some memorable pics when playing online with friends.

Challenge Modes

VS Race

Players can opt for the classic ruleset or tailor the competition for personal preferences in the all-new VS Race.

Try your hand at different courses not found in the game’s two primary modes, and call on some friends to flesh out a stacked, four-team challenge fully.

Balloon Battle

This competitive elimination game has been a franchise staple since Super Mario Kart slid onto the scene in the 1990s.

Coin Runners

A minigame featured in Mario Kart entries Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, players’ goal is to gather as many coins as possible in a short amount of time.

Bump friends away from the coin you KNOW you saw first, shoot ’em with driver-seeking red shells, and claim your rightful spot on the podium.

Time Trials

A standard inclusion in most racers, kart or otherwise, Time Trials bring out the most competitive players.

Complete tracks without competitors to polish your gameplay. Download ghost data from players anywhere and do your best to beat their completion time.

All-New Items

• Coin Shell. Throw this bad boy to materialize coins, but don’t let rivals snag ’em before you do.
• Ice Flower. Freeze opponents. Yeah, that’s kind of it. Why hasn’t this been done yet?
• Hammer. Wield the Hammer Bros.’ signature weapon, launching it ahead and blocking opponents’ path with a hard-to-avoid obstacle.
• Mega Mushroom. TOAD WIN. TOAD CRUSH UNDER WHEEL. WAHOO.
• Feather. A cute callback to the Mario games of yore, use the feather to catch some air. Strategize, using it to avoid obstacles and simplify access to detours.
• Kamek. Oooh, spooky! Call on Kamek to transform opponents and utilize other magic effects.

The same Mario Kart logic applies: lower-ranking players get better items. If history is any indication, first-place players can expect to see more coins and nanners.

Neat New Tricks

Charge jumps for eye-popping airtime. Like rock to scissors, a hammer won’t stand a chance against the Gs players are about to pull. Leap over opponents and other hazards, grind on power lines, and execute a Pro Skater-like wall ride. Nailed combos could mean access to hidden paths.

Calling it now: the game’s new Rewind capabilities are gonna evoke some strong feelings. Mess up a jump? Skip back a few seconds and try again. Strategize, improve, reattempt, but bear in mind that other players keep driving while you stay back.

Smart steering, motion controls, and auto-acceleration are included, but not much mentioned otherwise. Fingers crossed for some improved accessibility features!

Online Play

Roam around a cute and explorable lobby while waiting for friends to join.

If you’ve got a friend who tells you they’re on their way when they haven’t left the house yet, check your in-game map to see what your friends are up to. Join their activities, and race or roam the map together.

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