Mario Kart World - June 5, 2025

[bradnoyes]

Yeah, I've had a lot of fun playing with my wife and kids. As a single-player game I'm not that into it. I do like Free Roam when I play it, but it's not something that draws me in. I've never once fired the game up just to play free roam.

Luckily I'm in a Zelda dream right now with Wind Waker and the upgrades for all the Switch titles. This would be one depressing launch if I wasn't have such a great time in all the various incarnations of Hyrule (and Koholint Island).

[dyne]

I'm just tired of the RNG. So much of the experience is luck. I mean it's been awful since the second game and I shouldn't expect change but still.

[RevolverOcelScott]

Originally Posted by dyne

I'm just tired of the RNG. So much of the experience is luck. I mean it's been awful since the second game and I shouldn't expect change but still.

As you said, it's always been RNG, but I dfinitely feel like this one ramped it up to 11.

[dyne]

Originally Posted by RevolverOcelScott

As you said, it's always been RNG, but I dfinitely feel like this one ramped it up to 11.

The SNES game is much more skill based imo. I can ALWAYS go back to that one but none of the later ones.

[JAKS88]

It's a fun game with human players, but the AI seriously kills the fun for me -- especially in Knockout Mode. The rubber banding in 150CC is horrendous in this game compared to the past, and it isn't even skill-based at this point, as even with a perfect drive, they still surpass me in the last lap after the AI always gets 1.) a blue shell, or; 2.) triple red shells every. damn. time. I have never had this issue on previous games, and have enjoyed hundreds of hours of each release going all the way back to SNES, but man this game is frustrating in single player.

Outside of the roided AI, I adore the soundtrack and level designs, and feel the game will be one of the best whenever (and if ever) they fix the cracked out bots.

[logboy]

Originally Posted by dyne

The SNES game is much more skill based imo. I can ALWAYS go back to that one but none of the later ones.

it's a game in which you could get pixel perfect in rotating the track to corner your cart, by repeatedly doing those three laps.

trying to work out MKW, i think what people are playing is a race on the face of it, but not one from which skill benefits. you can learn new skills, especially rails and walls, tricks and shortcuts, but they don't improve racing.

in the end, with the use of items within a race, there's always aspects at play than driving, but the dominance of items and high player numbers takes races into random territory. can never escape people on straight lines. first to last in mere moments, down to the line.

the determination to keep everyone involved means there's no purpose to being better or worse than anyone else, and you don't keep the majority happy you take a huge risk you keep nobody that way.

fwiw, i think the game is designed from the ground up for DLC, and i think it's a mistake for nintendo to diminish the game in holding back content.

i also believe any sense of a game needing improvement or gaining from additional content is a business tactic that looks good in the short term but backfires eventually. it causes discussion that is unproductive and disappointing.

at the moment, i think it's a case of letting people take their own time to realise to what extent there's the appearance of depth and skill, then the shine fades and people find there's no return on the time invested.

[Diesel]

Played online today for the first time and holy cow that junk is insane. 1st to 21st with one red shell hit.

Played about 10 races, finished in the top half in 5-6. Got one win, nothing left to prove

[prkchopexpress]

Originally Posted by JAKS88

It's a fun game with human players, but the AI seriously kills the fun for me -- especially in Knockout Mode. The rubber banding in 150CC is horrendous in this game compared to the past, and it isn't even skill-based at this point, as even with a perfect drive, they still surpass me in the last lap after the AI always gets 1.) a blue shell, or; 2.) triple red shells every. damn. time. I have never had this issue on previous games, and have enjoyed hundreds of hours of each release going all the way back to SNES, but man this game is frustrating in single player.

Outside of the roided AI, I adore the soundtrack and level designs, and feel the game will be one of the best whenever (and if ever) they fix the cracked out bots.

the horn might be the most annoying weapon. it comes out of nowhere. and it gets you in even in lower places. what is the point of using the horn in 11th place? i expect the blue shell on first (even though somehow it hits me even if i am in fifth) but the cpu gets the horn at every spot.

most annoying thing with the cpu…. you cant just race and beat them. you need items. but if you are in top five, you only get coins or nothing items. why am i getting a feather and a coin? no mushroom or red shell? or flower?

or you get three shells, but all the racers are so close together, they are gone immediately before you can fire them. or not being able to slide around the cpu because they have three shells or bananas.

i dont think the game needs to be conquered in the first week. but man… it is absolute nonsense.

on the same race, i got hit by three blue shells, one on the last turn. and if that wasnt enough, a red shell after the blue shell. what is the point. i get hit a by blu shell sometimes after the second wave of items. why are blue shells even available that early? am i crazy, or wasnt it that the blue shell was an item you got in mario kart 64 but the computer never got?

we havent even mentioned the mysterious sneaks where some just gets past you to keep from you getting 1st. do they have a mushroom? how is the cpu doing it?

the game is still fun. but man, if some of this nonsense doesnt suck that fun right out it. love the kart. hate getting kart’ed.

[bradnoyes]

Yesterday was my daughter's 3rd bday and after her little friends went home I brought out the Switch 2 to play some MKW with some of our friends and their kids who are closer to my sons age. This game still shines in a group setting. Everyone was screaming and cheering and having a great time, whether they were playing or watching. The kids and the adults were all into it. It was a nice reminder of why this game is the way it is, and why they are probably right not too mess with the formula.

[TwinCitiesBluFan]

I finally set up my Switch 2 this weekend and, of course, had to play Mario Kart World. I did pretty well playing all the grand prixs against the computer, but when I dipped my toe into online play, I did NOT do well. Guess I'll have to practice more!

[Diesel]

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/20...ll-patch-notes

Mario Kart World: Ver. 1.2.0 (Released July 29, 2025)

General
In the “VS Race” of “Single Player”, added “No COM” to the COM rules.

In the “VS Race” of “Single Player” and “Multiplayer”, added “Mushrooms only” to the item rules.

You can now choose “View Replay” after downloading ghost data in “Time Trials”.

You can now choose whom to watch when spectating in “Knockout Tour” and “Balloon Battle” in “Online Play”, “Wireless Play”, and “LAN Play”.

You can now see the waiting time until the next race or battle starts in “Online Play”, “Wireless Play”, and “LAN Play”.

When using CameraPlay in “Multiplayer” and “Online Play”, the game will now remember the camera cursor position and size until the player closes the game.
If you change the number of people playing, the cursor position and size will return to their original settings.

On the “Free Roam” map, when you gather all of the P Switches, ? Panels, and Peach Medallions, the colors of the various numbers will now change.

Made COM weaker in everything other than “Battle”.

Made homing of Boomerang weaker.

Decreased the probability of getting a Triple Dash Mushroom in the low position, whenever the item rules in a race are anything other than “Frantic”.

Changed it so order of getting ? Block is higher than in the past, whenever the item rules in a race are anything other than “Frantic”.

Made it so there is a wheel spinning animation if the player presses the A button (acceleration) too early when starting a race while driving.
Player will not lose speed even when spinning wheels.

Increased the frequency of lap-type courses appearing in the selection when choosing the next course in “VS Race” and wireless races.

Plus a number of issue fixes (in the link).