Mario Kart World Review Round-Up: Bold Evolution or Oversteer?

Sagar Mankar
5 days ago
3 min read

The wait is over—Mario Kart World has officially launched on June 5, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch 2, and the reviews are now racing in. This highly anticipated entry redefines the iconic series with open-world exploration, 24-player races, boat mechanics, rail grinding, and a brand-new Knockout mode—all powered by Nintendo's latest console.

So, how is it faring with critics and players alike? Here's a detailed breakdown of reviews and what you should know before buying.

Mario Kart World: Review Score Highlights

Outlet	Score
Areajugones	9.5/10
Nintenderos	9.5/10
The Games Machine	9.5/10
GameSpot	9/10
Game Rant	9/10
Forbes	9/10
Hobby Consolas	9/10
Siliconera	9/10
Jeuxvideo	8.5/10
Press Start Australia	8.5/10
Dexerto	8/10
Gamekult	7/10
Metacritic	88/100
OpenCritic	89/100

What Critics Are Saying

✅ The Good

Massive leap in content and mechanics: The core Mario Kart experience remains a highlight, with tight controls, imaginative track designs, and a variety of modes. Knockout Tour, a battle royale-style mode with 24 players, is widely celebrated as a thrilling addition. Grand Prix and Battle Mode (e.g., Balloon Battle, Coin Runners) are also praised for their chaotic, fun nature, especially in multiplayer settings.
Visuals & performance: The game is lauded for its stunning 4K visuals, vibrant art style, and impressive performance on the Switch 2, running at 1440p and 60 FPS in TV mode. Tracks like Rainbow Road and DK Spaceport are highlighted for their creativity and visual flair. The soundtrack, featuring remixes of classic Mario themes, is also a strong point.
Content and Variety: The game offers a large roster of characters (including unique additions like Cow and Para-Biddybud), vehicles, and costumes, alongside a vast interconnected world. With plans for future content drops, most outlets believe this is a game you’ll return to for years.

⚠️ The Mixed

Open-world execution: Some outlets found the open-world element underwhelming—with no meaningful activities, repetitive challenges (e.g., P Switch time trials), and collectibles like stickers failing to capture the exploration depth of games like Forza Horizon or Super Mario Odyssey. It’s more of a bonus than a transformative feature.
Local performance quirks: While single-player performance is smooth, local multiplayer with three or four players drops to 30 FPS, disappointing some reviewers who expected better from the Switch 2.

❌ The Not-So-Great

Customization and challenge level: Some critics missed the kart customization options from MK8 Deluxe and felt the base speed levels were too easy.
Content Gaps: Some critics note a lack of single-player depth, such as no story mode or boss battles, and a roster that feels cluttered with costumes rather than new characters. Others mention repetitive track designs (e.g., too many straight sections) and a lack of online Grand Prix mode.
Price Concerns: The $80 price point was a hot point since the beginning, with some reviewers and players arguing it’s not justified by the content, especially given the lackluster open-world mode and reduced kart customization compared to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Overall:

Mario Kart World is widely seen as a strong, polished, and multiplayer-focused entry in the series. The Knockout Tour is a standout mode, and visually, the game’s a real treat. But the open-world mode underdelivers, and that $80 price point has stirred up some fair criticism.

Still, as a Switch 2 launch title, it’s a solid choice—and with the promise of future updates, it could get even better down the road.