Review – Mario Kart World

The premiere of brought with it one of the most anticipated and ambitious releases, with the title that promises to redefine the Karting and Mascot Running concept. The challenge was great, after all to overcome Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s ​​thunder success, which sold eight times more on the switch than in Wii U, becoming a reference for a whole generation of players, can be a hard time to win. However, the result of this new generation start to Nintendo’s hybrid console is an extremely charismatic, fun and well -worked game, even if it is still conservative when working on its open world proposal.

From the beginning, what jumps into the eye as we play Mario Kart World is its ambition. The game considerably expands the traditional formula, with a world that can connect all the tracks and allows free exploration in much of the scenario. Races can now have up to 24 players simultaneously, which raises chaos and fun to level never before seen in the series, as well as modes that seek to keep the player as much time as possible, such as the fun elimination and the hundreds of unlockable.

The highest place on the fun podium

Maintaining classic gameplay, so appreciated by fans, Mario Kart World can add new mechanics to innovate gameplay and renew fans’ interest. An example of this is the simple ability to slide, with grind in handrails and rails, walking through the walls, and jumps (including a new item) to look for shortcuts or dodge obstacles. The cast of characters was significantly expanded, focusing on franchise assistants, and with many items to customize with thematic clothing according to the races. All this with a lot of charisma that, since Super Mario Wonder, has been able to differentiate itself by bringing life to the game and not just technical evolution.

When we look at Mario Kart World, it is undisputed that the main news is the open world. Although Nintendo insists on not calling the “open world” game, as we know other games and genres, you have access to the vast map that allows you to explore different regions, discover secrets and participate in missions spread across the scenario.

This mode is unprecedented in the series and allows the player to simply drive freely, finding collectibles and challenges along the way, which are related to unlocking game modes, kart stickers, characters, and laundry for corridors. The elimination mode, another news of this edition, comes with the proposal to bring to the races the dynamics of the Battle Royale, making each dispute more unpredictable and exciting for demanding that you always stay at the front.

The processing power of the new console allows visually, Mario Kart World has a considerable leap compared to its predecessor. The scenarios evolve each lap and are rich in detail, with dynamic lighting, climate effects and time changes, making each track and each map a unique visual experience.

Everything around you seems alive and can interact with you, contributing or disturbing your journey to the arrival line. Running in the midst of the 360º charisma, with 4K graphics and up to 120 fps in some modes, gets emotional when you get the way to Rainbow Road, which returns fully rethought for this game. Not to mention the possibility of you getting in photo mode to make beautiful catches over the races and recording iconic moments.

Mario Kart World’s soundtrack is another high point, with over 200 songs, including classic the series arrangements of the series, which will make any long -standing fan thrill with some fan service, making the auditory experience unique. Music production has gained more nuances compared to previous titles, balancing frenzy and melody, making each race even more engaging by noticing that background music follows the moments throughout the scenarios and evolves as you advance.

Grind without losing the charisma

When you finish all the championships you will realize that you still have a lot of game ahead, as Mario Kart World offers a generous amount of extra content, including new characters, vehicles, items and clothing, obtained by consuming items in Yoshi cafeterias, ensuring additional hours of fun for those looking to complete everything. The unlocking system is progressive, encouraging the player to explore and experiment with different game modes, either by exploring the open world, running in the championships, surviving the elimination or worrying about collecting coins in the multiplayer.

Despite the many hits, Mario Kart World is not immune to criticism and its open world proposal, albeit interesting and very potential to expand, it seems somewhat empty and uninvial, especially when compared to games like Forza Horizon or Burnout Paradise. Missions and collectibles help fill the space, but the feeling of surprise and discovery that characterizes the best titles of the genre is lacking. Navigation through the map can also be confused, absence of clear markers or even the way you interact with the world to know which way to go.

Mario Kart World is a milestone for the franchise because it is a game that can raise the quality standard and innovation of the series, delivering a visually stunning experience full of content and renewed mechanics. Even if it’s not the game everyone wanted to release a console, it comes as a clear evolution to the franchise and ensuring fun, innovation and a new way of playing Mario Kart. Still with space for many DLCs and long life, he certainly sets himself as one of the best releases of the year and one of the most important titles for this Switch 2 start.