Mario Kart World |OT| See that mountain? You can drive to it.

I have to admit, I started out by just doing Grand Prix to unlock stuff and learn the tracks and I really wasn't feeling it

But then I started doing Knockout Tour and it all fell into place

It's clear that Knockout Tour is the signature mode of this game, the semi-open world design which seamlessly integrates the tracks centers around the idea of players doing a road trip except it's Mario Kart

Mario Kart as a road trip is a genius idea and honestly I'm unhappy I have to go back to Grand Prix to finish unlocking characters lol
 
Unknown Soldier said:
I have to admit, I started out by just doing Grand Prix to unlock stuff and learn the tracks and I really wasn't feeling it

But then I started doing Knockout Tour and it all fell into place

It's clear that Knockout Tour is the signature mode of this game, the semi-open world design which seamlessly integrates the tracks centers around the idea of players doing a road trip except it's Mario Kart

Mario Kart as a road trip is a genius idea and honestly I'm unhappy I have to go back to Grand Prix to finish unlocking characters lol
Click to expand...
Yeah, knockout mode is definitely where it's at. I sort of resisted it at first, as an old boomer-ass millennial… I didn't want to enjoy a pseudo "battle royale" kind of game mode. But honestly, it's perfect.

The first 3 or 4 eliminations are so chaotic that it's honestly a toss-up whether or not you'll make it. But the further it goes on, and the fewer racers there are, the more it's about your actual skill. Once you get to the last four racers, there are no excuses, you just have to perform. The game heavily nerfs items in those last two rounds, so you truly need to rely on your skill in order to win. It's awesome.

I won my first knockout race, but haven't been able to snag another since. But every time I've made it past the final 8, I've felt like it was my fault I didn't proceed.
 
Dacvak said:
Yeah, knockout mode is definitely where it's at. I sort of resisted it at first, as an old boomer-ass millennial… I didn't want to enjoy a pseudo "battle royale" kind of game mode. But honestly, it's perfect.

The first 3 or 4 eliminations are so chaotic that it's honestly a toss-up whether or not you'll make it. But the further it goes on, and the fewer racers there are, the more it's about your actual skill. Once you get to the last four racers, there are no excuses, you just have to perform. The game heavily nerfs items in those last two rounds, so you truly need to rely on your skill in order to win. It's awesome.

I won my first knockout race, but haven't been able to snag another since. But every time I've made it past the final 8, I've felt like it was my fault I didn't proceed.
Click to expand...
Nintendo basically looked at their hare-brained idea "let's throw something quick together for NSO subscribers" that became F-Zero 99 and realised "holy shit we actually have something going on here let's make a whole game which uses this concept" and that's MKW Knockout Tour
 
ok here's my early review after one day of play:

9/10 Mario Kart, excellent launch title.

I might not have been so happy with it if I hadn't read of the mixed/negative takes in the thread before I got to play though.

See, I was hoping/coping this was intended to be a system selling BotW level game changer where all of the great stuff from Mario Kart 8 was there merely as a foundation to springboard into some crazy new open world experience where all kinds of cool content was blowing everyone's minds... and my imagination for just how amazing an open world mario kart could be is pretty fantastical. I was thinking of things from games like Diddy Kong Racing, like you're finding keys and secret levels when exploring the world and having boss fights even though it's a freakin' kart game.

In Reality they did the regular mario kart thing excellently but extra stuff beyond that is pretty filler. At least from my day one impressions, the open world doesn't have much reason to really even be there, I'm doing the little p-switch challenges and it's fine but its completely unnecessary.

Graphics are gorgeous. I'd heard some ppl complaining about the visuals which I thought was pretty surprising when mk8 looked great even on old hardware, but it makes sense after setting up my switch 2. When configuring hdr nintendo says to adjust the image until the left pattern is visible and the right pattern is invisible, but doing that everything looks very drab. The darks aren't dark enough and the highlights aren't bright enough. After doing tests, I found adjusting so that the left symbol was as light as it could be while still looking crisp and sharp, and right symbol was still visible but soft, gave a much better result. Now the colours contrast nicely and Mario Kart looks very vibrant. Everyone's tv is different I guess but I can totally see some ppl carefully following nintendo's instructions to the letter and getting a gray looking game as their reward.

Anyway all the characters look awesome, their poses and karts and bikes and alt costumes are all great, the new tracks are great, and the music is especially impressive. It's just a love letter to Mario fans, I felt like every classic Mario song got mixed in there somewhere, even obscure ones. There's a part where I'm zooming down an ice mountain with bob sledding penguins and it's playing the classic penguin slide race music from Mario 64, that was rad. There's a donkey kong track with diagonal girders and barrels flying everywhere. There's ghosts that aren't boo, they look like the ones that used to fly around in a circle pattern in the ghost houses from mario world, I love cool retro stuff like that.

Anyway, I'm really loving it so far. But having been forewarned that the open world was kind of a weak part of the experience, there was still something that was a bit of a nasty surprise though. It's the way retro tracks are incorporated. See because of the (pointless) open world, you kind of start somewhere else in lap 1, and then in lap 2 you're like "hey, I recognize this! It's Peach Beach!" and then in lap 3 it's like "no, actually I think this somewhere else now." I don't think it's properly respectful to classic tracks to include them in that way. Like, if you're crossing your fingers that your favourite old track will make it into the new mario kart, you're not wanting it to just be partially there as part of something new. I mean, there's updating a bit, and then there's transforming it so much it's something else. I guess I want the new tracks to feel like new tracks and the old tracks to feel like the old tracks.

So is it better than Mario Kart 8? Well.... no. Mario Kart 8 has like 100 tracks, many of which are acknowledged as among of the greatest of all time. But World has a cow that eats burgers. Who knows how much cool stuff is coming as extras later? I still gotta play more to say how good it is anyway. I've heard a lot about knockout mode being awesome so gotta try that when I go online.
 
Hero of Spielberg said:
I'm liking what I'm reading here tbh. Do people think the Switch 2 is worth getting for this game alone right now?
Click to expand...
Will obviously depend on how much you enjoy Mario Kart and its online multiplayer.

For me it's well worth it. I've been waiting for this game since 2014 and I'll be playing it for the next 8-years just like I did MK8D I imagine. It's great.
 
Last edited:
Hero of Spielberg said:
I'm liking what I'm reading here tbh. Do people think the Switch 2 is worth getting for this game alone right now?
Click to expand...
Well, the Switch 2 will never be cheaper, and (if you live in the US) it's likely the economy isn't gonna be any better in the next few years, so you might as well buy the console now.

At least you can get MKW for $50 with the bundle right now, which probably won't last past 2025.
 
So open world is useless in this …. Hmmm

Sounds like Starfield moment for Mario Kart.

Strong fundamentals but main draw turned out to be not so well developed.

Still looks fun though.
 
vaibhavpisal said:
So open world is useless in this …. Hmmm

Sounds like Starfield moment for Mario Kart.

Strong fundamentals but main draw turned out to be not so well developed.

Still looks fun though.
Click to expand...
Wait what? Who's saying the open world is useless? I'm personally loving it.

Granted, the free roam mode is hella chill. It's not like Horizon where it tries to funnel you into high octane races or challenges. Instead, it's just some dank-ass music while you wander around, and some random challenges to beat.

But that's not why the "open world" model is so good. From what I can tell, no one is really talking about why this game is so good as an "open world". I'll try to explain, though.

In between ever standard racetrack is essentially a secondary track that gets you to your next "main" track. But the thing is, every "in-between" track is just as well-designed and fun as the bespoke tracks. And the crazy thing is that those "in-between" tracks are different depending on which tracks you're going to and from.

Ugh, it's hard to explain. But like, when playing standard VS mode, for example, every single track has about 6-10 different racetrack options. Either you can do a standard 3-lap race, or you can go from the first track to a second track, with an interstitial racetrack in between.

Yeah, I'm still not explaining it right. Maybe someone else can explain it.

The takeaway is that the open world isn't just some random open field or something. There are paths between each of the 32 tracks that each function as their own section of well-designed racetrack, and they're not linear. So each racetrack has between 5-10 different sub-tracks to get to another bespoke racetrack. If that makes sense at all.

Anyway, it's some excellent design.
 
GigaBowser said:
open world the best part
Click to expand...
vaibhavpisal said:
Is it fun beyond a few hours?

Asking cause impressions online seem different.
Click to expand...
Meh Kinda GIF by Cultura


It's nice to have but I don't feel like I'd miss it if it wasn't here. At least not yet.

The best part about is so far, for me, is what BlackTron BlackTron mentioned somewhere and how the entire open world functions as the online waiting room. So you have a ton of stuff to do between races.

For me, Knockout Tour is the best new addition in terms of modes.
 
Last edited:
Robb said:
Meh Kinda GIF by Cultura


It's nice to have but I don't feel like I'd miss it if it wasn't here.

The best part about is so far, for me, is what BlackTron BlackTron mentioned somewhere and how the entire open world functions as the online waiting room. So you have ton of do between races.

For me, Knockout Tour is the best new addition in terms of modes.
Click to expand...
whhhaaaat? ahaha open world for single player charmpion


f48m2Oi.jpeg



online multi mario kart stress

angryasshit.gif
 
Robb said:
Meh Kinda GIF by Cultura


It's nice to have but I don't feel like I'd miss it if it wasn't here. At least not yet.

The best part about is so far, for me, is what BlackTron BlackTron mentioned somewhere and how the entire open world functions as the online waiting room. So you have a ton of stuff to do between races.

For me, Knockout Tour is the best new addition in terms of modes.
Click to expand...
Knockout mode is so addictive, it's crazy. I got first on my first try, and I've been chasing that high ever since.
 
Dacvak said:
Yeah, knockout mode is definitely where it's at. I sort of resisted it at first, as an old boomer-ass millennial… I didn't want to enjoy a pseudo "battle royale" kind of game mode. But honestly, it's perfect.

The first 3 or 4 eliminations are so chaotic that it's honestly a toss-up whether or not you'll make it. But the further it goes on, and the fewer racers there are, the more it's about your actual skill. Once you get to the last four racers, there are no excuses, you just have to perform. The game heavily nerfs items in those last two rounds, so you truly need to rely on your skill in order to win. It's awesome.

I won my first knockout race, but haven't been able to snag another since. But every time I've made it past the final 8, I've felt like it was my fault I didn't proceed.
Click to expand...
I played a knockout game yesterday where Bowser built up such a huge lead that he was literally out of sight by the halfway point.

There were blue shells aplenty flying off into the distance, but most of the time I couldn't even see the explosions. It gave me rockets in second place on the final section, but Bowser was completely uncatchable.
 
Well I think Iv played enough of it to give my opinion. Overall the game is a step down to MK8.
Online:
I've always had the opinion that if you are a good driver, you should generally be winning more races than not. Wii was a HUGE step down from double dash in that regard but then with 7 and then 8 they got to what I feel was a good compromise. This has gone backwards though. Too many racers, too much shite on the track, and weapons flying everywhere. Might be fun for a while but won't have longevity as a result and boredom/frustaration will eventually kick in.

The tracks are far too wide also with too many long straights. Tracks don't seem to have much identity either. Almost some blend into one. I guess this is the price paid for them to be all interconnected. Also the image just seems washed out to me. Maybe someone with more expertise will explain why. Is it TAA or something that does that? I don't know.

Overall once I've done all the Grand Prix I don't see myself playing it much anymore.
 
dude how goated is this soundtrack

so many great mario songs, but man there's a ton from Yoshi's Island! Not just the ones you'd expect either, there's songs from the opening cutscene and mini-boss fights and stuff
 
Last edited:
I just did a challenge where I
used Crocodiles heads to launch up to and bounce off of note blocks

It's both new yet exactly something that could happen in Mario.
 
Touch fuzZy. get BizZay said:
dude how goated is this soundtrack

so many great mario songs, but man there's a ton from Yoshi's Island! Not just the ones you'd expect either, there's songs from the opening cutscene and mini-boss fights and stuff
Click to expand...
It really is outstanding. I've been playing with headphones and just driving around the world to hear what tracks show up.

Definitely one of the best parts about the game imo.
 
Last edited:
Its not just Mario Kart that has a hazy look. BOTW does too to some degree. Ironically 3D World doesn't when using the auto HDR feature. I don't know what's going on here to be honest. The system generally does not seem to be outputing the image correctly even in SDR. Everything looks more washed out than before.
 
I know i'm going to get dog piled probably but i really don't like the way this game looks. And that's because of one thing that ruins the visuals, imo: The distance haze/fog.

Just about every track, no matter the time of day or weather, is covered by a thick haze that makes the colorful visuals look a lot more washed out than in Mario Kart 8.

Is it a way to cover the open world because of the limited horsepower?

Edit: Seems like i'm not the only one who is bothered by this which means it's definitely an issue. I'm calling it now, when this game gets emulated, the most popular mod will be the one that removes the haze.
 
Last edited:
nkarafo said:
I know i'm going to get dog piled probably but i really don't like the way this game looks. And that's because of one thing that ruins the visuals, imo: The distance haze/fog.

Just about every track, no matter the time of day or weather, is covered by a thick haze that makes the colorful visuals look a lot more washed out than in Mario Kart 8.

Is it a way to cover the open world because of the limited horsepower?

Edit: Seems like i'm not the only one who is bothered by this which means it's definitely an issue. I'm calling it now, when this game gets emulated, the most popular mod will be the one that removes the haze.
Click to expand...
Not trying to be daft, but is it possibly down to your HDR settings? Something is up with the Switch 2 settings at the moment and I had to toggle both the Switch and TV outputs.

The only reason I'm suggesting this is because it looks absolutely incredible for me. Very bright and very clear.

I switched to HDR10 on the Sony OLED and disabled the Switch. It made all the difference. The Switch output was giving it a washed out look.
 
Last edited:
The more I play the more I like it.
I wasn't sold at first. The GP cups were alright, but the knockouts online are fantastic. The open world free roam is actually pretty good. Exploring, collecting and completing challenges adds a lot to the game beyond racing.
 
Robb said:
It really is outstanding. I've been playing with headphones and just driving around the world to hear what tracks show up.

Definitely one of the best parts about the game imo.
Click to expand...
Yeah actually now that I've accepted that the open world isn't gonna be some amazing mindblowing thing, I'm really enjoying the free roam, just cruising around chilling in the open world, watching the day and night cycle go by wondering which awesome song they're gonna play next
 
Robb said:
Meh Kinda GIF by Cultura


It's nice to have but I don't feel like I'd miss it if it wasn't here. At least not yet.

The best part about is so far, for me, is what BlackTron BlackTron mentioned somewhere and how the entire open world functions as the online waiting room. So you have a ton of stuff to do between races.

For me, Knockout Tour is the best new addition in terms of modes.
Click to expand...
i really think its removes the focus of Mario Kart, have played for some hours and i really dont see the purpose of it in the game.

i really prefer the more focused style of MK8
 
If you are playing this with Mario Kart 8 muscle memory you will have a hard time. For one it will be more boring due to how wide the tracks are and two you will just get left behind.

That jump boosting, wall riding and grinding really change the flow of gameplay and all for the better. I am really having a good time with this game.
 
Just basic stuff which could have made the open world go from good to great.

Add events and other typical stuff to the map. No reason the single-player stuff needs to be started from the main menu.

Have everything found visible on the map and easily tracked.

Just basic stuff open world racing games have done the past 20 years.
 
Ogbert said:
Not trying to be daft, but is it possibly down to your HDR settings? Something is up with the Switch 2 settings at the moment and I had to toggle both the Switch and TV outputs.

The only reason I'm suggesting this is because it looks absolutely incredible for me. Very bright and very clear.

I switched to HDR10 on the Sony OLED and disabled the Switch. It made all the difference. The Switch output was giving it a washed out look.
Click to expand...
I don't have a Switch 2 myself, i'm only posting what i'm seeing from every video/image so far, including a full longplay that was posted today.
 
Got all the panels in DK Spaceport but now I wish it tracked P switches, Peach coins and if you've caught Nabbit in each region.

The challenges and free roam are growing on me.
 
Got my first win in knockout online.
Surprised by the lack of consequences, like at least an unlockable would have been cool
 
Lokaum D+ said:
i really think its removes the focus of Mario Kart, have played for some hours and i really dont see the purpose of it in the game.

i really prefer the more focused style of MK8
Click to expand...
I think I'm in the opposite camp. To me it doesn't feel like the open world necessarily adds that much and it leaves a lot to be desired. Like, they have all these characters and obstacles already modeled. I'm not sure why there aren't boss battles and some kind of 'Road Trip' singleplayer mode.

And I don't really understand the addition of the large/timed vehicles either. They add surprisingly little to the game and just seem unnecessary.

It's still all about playing regular races, just like any past Mario Kart. With the addition of knockout tour.
 
Last edited:
vaibhavpisal said:
So open world is useless in this …. Hmmm

Sounds like Starfield moment for Mario Kart.

Strong fundamentals but main draw turned out to be not so well developed.

Still looks fun though.
Click to expand...
Who said this?........... The open world is awesome and I have hardly explored it. There are just so many things to occupy you. I love the bits where you have to chase and hit a NPC with a green shell or catch another Kart... It get's pretty intense as they drive through the traffic. There are also loads of little touches like grids that boost you up in the air to collect coins from buildings etc.. As well as the location "?" dotted around the place... And as I say I have not even scratched the surface as yet or completed any races.
 
Daisy-DLC-1.jpg


Daisy-DLC-2.jpg


Daisy-DLC-3.jpg


Daisy-FP-1.jpg


Daisy-SGB-1.jpg


I know quite a few people are not enjoying Free Roam but I am. I've pretty much unlocked all costumes in it (Can't find Mario and Waluigi's last ones). Also I want the soundtrack so bad.
 
Is there a way to activate the glider is free roam? I clicked on the Bowser icon and there is a P block pretty quick. It starts a go thru the rings time trial. But when I jump off to go thru I just fall in lava. 🤣🤣 I am so bad at this game.
 
I don't understand why Rosalina has 5 costumes and Pauline has 2. At least tell us if more are coming later to make everyone have the same.
 
vaibhavpisal said:
So open world is useless in this …. Hmmm

Sounds like Starfield moment for Mario Kart.

Strong fundamentals but main draw turned out to be not so well developed.

Still looks fun though.
Click to expand...
Knockout, which everyone has been gushing about in this thread, relies on open world

It's more than just free roam

Knockout is the most fun I've had gaming in a long long time
 
Last edited:
They should have put a way to change the order you use items. The Feather is mostly useless if not damaging, but there are those couple scenario where the jump might help you get on a rail, but you never have it at the right moment
 
I collect VHS tapes said:
Knockout, which everyone has been gushing about in this thread, relies on open world

It's more than just free roam

Knockout is the most fun I've had gaming in a long long time
Click to expand...
Cool.

TBH, I dislike all open world activities in Forza Horizon 5 as well. Its just that, driving those cars through that landscape, following race lines even when not racing, that is the draw.

This being a cart racer, it would to put that stuff which makes cart racer fun into the open world.

It depends on design I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Poll
Mario Kart World Metacritic score
Hype  2 3
119
2K
Thebonehead replied
Cows are cannibalsa in Mario Kart World
46
3K
Sooner replied
Is Mario Kart World too casual?
2 3
128
5K
peronmls replied
  • Poll
Mario Kart World VS Sonic Racing Cross World
2 3 4
184
4K
Unknown? replied
Mario Kart World Review thread
Business Analysis Review  2 3
108
2K
nkarafo replied
Top Bottom