Mario Kart 9 Set to Debut as an Open-World Game for Switch 2 Launch

Nintendo has officially revealed Mario Kart 9 and it’s actually called Mario Kart World. Players will race across new courses staged all over the world and in a series first be able to drive all around the map in-between races. The game will feature 24 players per match and include new racers like Paulina and new mechanics like consuming food to get mid-race power-ups.

New modes include Knockout Tour where players race to hit check points or risk elimination if they don’t reach a high enough placement (Fall Guys much) and Free Roam where drivers can go off the beaten path and snap some photos at scenic spots with a group of friends.

Take a look at the full trailer:

Mario Kart World will feature an overworld map similar to the Super Mario Bros. franchise with players able to explore in-between races. Nintendo promises fans will be able to drive “virtually everywhere” in this very Forza Horizon-sounding sequel to the Switch’s most popular game. There will even be dynamic weather that changes as you play.

Mario Kart World will be available the day the Switch 2 releases, and the game is getting its own dedicated Nintendo Direct later this month on April 17, 2025. The freeform online play combined with the highest number of racers ever in a Mario Kart game should be an interesting test case for all of the Switch 2’s new social functionality, which includes built-in voice chat and even a dedicated Nintendo web cam that’s sold separate. Who’s ready to have work meetings while flying down a new Donkey Kong arcade level?

But Mario Kart World is blazing new ground in less cool ways as well. It will be Nintendo’s first $80 game with the physical version being $10 extra. While the game looks like the best Mario Kart yet, it’s also making fans dread a generation of price hikes for the Switch 2 era.

You’re reading part of Kotaku’s ongoing coverage of the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct. Check our roundup for more news from the showcase including launch games, pricing information, release date, pre-order information, and what that mysterious C button Nintendo keeps teasing actually does.

We’ll be continuing to update stories with news and analysis throughout the day as Nintendo pulls back the curtain on its most anticipated console launch ever. You can find more details about today’s Switch 2 Direct and Nintendo online Treehouse Live demos going on throughout the week here.

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