As the latest game in one of the biggest series Nintendo has ever put out, Mario Kart World is a big deal.

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What fans previously dubbed 'Mario Kart 9' was officially unveiled to us in early April, and it's set to be the biggest one yet.

One of the launch titles coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 on release day, let's check out everything you need to know about Mario Kart World.

Mario Kart World release date

Mario Kart World will release on 5th June 2025.

This date coincides with the official release date of the Nintendo Switch 2 console.

It's hardly surprising that the game is a Switch 2 launch title as the series has traditionally been one of Nintendo's best sellers across all platforms.

This is especially true given that the game was first teased during the Nintendo Switch 2 first-look trailer.

Can you pre-order Mario Kart World?

Mario Kart World is currently available to pre-order.

Depending on where you're buying from, here are the best places to pre-order Mario Kart World:

UK

You can also get a slight discount on the game if you purchase it as a bundle with the Nintendo Switch 2 console at Argos for £429.99.

USA

Mario Kart World gameplay

Mario Kart World brings a huge number of changes to the series, the biggest of which is that the game is now open-world for the very first time.

Mario Kart World appears to take place on an island split into a variety of biomes with various races to complete across it, as well as secrets to find and missions to complete.

While Mario Kart World allows you to drive off-road, exploring the world in between circuits and driving from one to another, there are still Grand Prix races to complete as well.

Players have eight sets of races to complete, and completing all of them will unlock a "colourful new course", which we imagine is probably going to be Rainbow Road.

The game also features a day/night cycle, so races will take place at a different time of day depending on when you're playing it.

You can also now customise your racers, with a variety of costumes that can be unlocked by finding food items scattered across the entire map, with each costume corresponding to the specific item of food.

The roster itself has been increased, too. Including all the costume variations, there's now a whopping 84 characters to choose from, including new ones like Goomba and Cow.

As for the racing, there are all sorts of changes that have been made to spice up the gameplay, including new items, obstacles and even mechanics, with wall riding, charge jumping and rewinds now available.

Mario Kart World trailers

The Nintendo Switch 2 running an unannounced Mario Kart game.
An unannounced Mario Kart game being played on the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo

Mario Kart World first became a hot topic of conversation after a short snippet appeared during the reveal trailer for the Switch 2.

At 1 minute and 41 seconds, you can see Mario and numerous other Nintendo characters racing around a track set in the desert.

This was followed up with a full trailer in the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct that took place on 2nd April 2025, officially confirming the name and release date, and showing off some gameplay.

While it's not a trailer, we also got a 15-minute presentation on the game's new features which you can watch below:

Check out more of our Nintendo Switch 2 coverage:

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Authors

Jon NicholsonFreelance Writer

Jon Nicholson is a Freelance Gaming Writer, specialising in the Call of Duty franchise. He previously worked for Gfinity, GGRecon and Red Bull writing a variety of gaming news and guides. Alongside his previous work, he's a Freelance News Writer for Esports Insider.

Alex Raisbeck
Alex RaisbeckGaming writer
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