Mario Kart World launching today alongside Nintendo Switch 2
Where’s the GT crew? Standing in line to pick up a Nintendo Switch 2! We’re as excited as you, and there’s plenty of reasons why, not the least of which being the newest installment in Nintendo’s raucous roller, Mario Kart World. New game consoles are always an absolute blast, so let’s join the celebration and discover what’s under the hood and a bit behind the wheel on Mario Kart World.
The Joy-Con 2 controllers are snapped in place, the bigger, bolder screen is lit up, and Mario and friends are revving their rides for the biggest Mario Kart yet. It’s official: the Nintendo Switch 2 system, the Mario Kart World game and over 20 titles are now available to power up your play.
It’s crazy to think that it’s been EIGHT YEARS since the launch of the wildly-successful Nintendo Switch, but the wait is finally over. While we did trek out to the Nintendo Store in NYC for a hands-on event (thanks to Jackson Lustberg for his hands-on coverage, which you can read right here: we’ve had to wait to finally get our hands on it once again. With a wealth of new features, it’s worth diving under the hood to hear all about them:
Nintendo Switch 2 builds on the foundations of the Nintendo Switch system, and delivers a multitude of new features and enhancements, including:
- New social capabilities with the built-in mic and the new online feature GameChat, where up to 12 friends and family can play games and talk like they’re all in the same room, even when they’re miles apart. You can also video chat with up to four people if you connect a compatible USB-C camera, such as the Nintendo Switch 2 camera (sold separately).
- Powerful CPU and GPU capable of enhanced visuals and performance.
- A large 7.9-inch built-in LCD screen that displays in full HD at 1080p.
- Joy-Con 2 controllers that magnetically attach to the system. New mouse controls are also possible by sliding them across surfaces, such as a tabletop or even your lap in compatible games.
- 256 GB storage capacity – 8 times that of Nintendo Switch (a portion of which is reserved for use by the system).
- USB-C ports on the top and bottom of the system, and a freely adjustable stand for playing and charging in tabletop mode.
- Crisp audio quality and spatial 3D sound in handheld and tabletop modes.
- A new dock that enables the Nintendo Switch 2 to output video at up to 4K resolution or play games at up to 120 fps in supported games on compatible displays or TVs.
- Variable refresh rate (VRR) technology, available in handheld mode, helps games move seamlessly by preventing frame skips and flickering.
- Accessibility features to support a wide range of gameplay styles.
Free updates to enhance the gameplay experience on the Nintendo Switch 2 system will also be available for select Nintendo Switch games2. By connecting your Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet and performing a system update, you can download free updates for selected games that may improve graphics or add support for various features. These features include GameShare3, where, with a Nintendo Switch 2 system, you can share supported games with friends and family — even if they don’t have the game, and everyone can play together. The contents of these free updates will differ depending on the game. For more information on the free Nintendo Switch 2 updates for select Nintendo Switch titles, please visit the Nintendo website.
In addition to GameChat and existing online features with a Nintendo Switch Online membership, today Nintendo Switch 2 owners with a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership gain access to upgrade packs4 for both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom games. These upgrade packs allow players to enjoy the enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of both titles at no additional cost if they have the Nintendo Switch version of the games.
Additionally, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members who have a Nintendo Switch 2 system can access the new Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics library, featuring F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and SOULCALIBUR II at launch today, with clearer image quality and higher resolution than the original releases. Plus, a dedicated wireless controller designed after the original Nintendo GameCube controller will be available for purchase by paid Nintendo Switch Online members5.
Nintendo Switch 2 is now available at a suggested retail price of $449.99 in the United States. Also available today is the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle6 at a suggested retail price of $499.99 in the U.S., which includes a system and a digital version of the Mario Kart World game. For more information about Nintendo Switch 2 and accessories, visit Nintendo.com.
Today, Nintendo launched its first brand-new gaming platform in eight years with Nintendo Switch 2, and the latest Mario Kart game for consoles in over a decade with Mario Kart World. Nintendo Switch 2 brings to life new ways to connect and play with friends and family with new features and reimagined online capabilities such as GameChat1. Mario Kart World allows players to hit the road in a vast interconnected playground where the world is their racetrack. Further, the Nintendo Switch 2 launch lineup features acclaimed titles from Nintendo’s global publishing and development partners, such as Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6, Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and more. Together, these new experiences mark a leap forward in Nintendo’s mission to deliver smiles to people the world over – All Together, Anytime, Anywhere.
The great news is that we have these games and several more already being reviewed by the team. Whether it’s as brand new adventure or an improvement to an existing title, we’ll have all you need to know soon enough – stay tuned. Let’s kick off that list with a brand new launch trailer from Nintendo themselves that showcases a few of these titles.
If you’re curious as to whether this newest installment of Mario Kart World is for you, we’ll we’ve got that info as well. There are two versions of the launch console box – one with just the console, and the other with Mario Kart World as a pack-in, so it’s worth taking a moment to see what’s going on with this racer.
Mario Kart World delivers frenzied Mario Kart racing like never before, as well as a series-first: a vast interconnected environment to explore and race across. Players looking to hit the road with Mario and friends can experience:
- Up to 24 drivers at once – the most in Mario Kart history – race across courses.
- Reimagined returning modes like Grand Prix competition, where the paths between courses are part of the race, too.
- Knockout Tour, a new game mode where checkpoints eliminate drivers if they can’t keep up with the pack.
- Free Roam mode, another new game mode, where players can explore, see the sights and more, solo or with friends online. There are hundreds of single-player missions to complete in Free Roam, too.
- Plus, look forward to hectic faceoffs in the Battle mode!
- Multiple ways to play together with friends, locally7 or online8. This includes local split-screen for up to 4 players on the same system, local wireless play, and competing or exploring with people from around the world (or friends) in online play.
- Using the new GameChat feature on Nintendo Switch 2, players can talk with friends around the world while playing online. Plus, see their live expressions in-game with the new CameraPlay feature by connecting a compatible USB-C camera to the system (sold separately).
Packed with races to win and ways for players to explore at their own pace, Mario Kart World can be enjoyed by both longtime fans and newcomers alike. Mario Kart World is now available in stores, on Nintendo eShop or at Nintendo.com at a suggested retail price of $79.99.
And yes – of course we’ve got a trailer for that as well!
We have a LOT of ground to cover, and with Summer Games Fest kicking off in just a few days, so stay tuned. We’ll have plenty of news, previews, hands-on and reveals to share – we’re just getting started.
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