Summary
The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived, and while that’s great news for those who have been waiting for it, the console’s debut also means the launch of the highly anticipatedMario Kart World, which marks the first newMario Kartgame in over a decade. In fact, given how much time has passed since the release ofMario Kart 8,Mario Kart Worldhas had a chance to innovate the series' formula in ways not many franchises can on account of tighter release schedules. And innovate, it has, asMario Kart Worldintroduces players to the most expansiveMario Kartentry to date.
With that increase in scope comes a massive amount ofoptional contentfor players to complete — for aMario Kartgame, at least. This content not only includes plenty of races for players to challenge themselves with, but also countless collectibles for them to find, racers and vehicles to unlock, hidden game modes, and much more. However, the catch is that, unlike many modern games that all but hand their optional content to players,Mario Kart Worldrefuses to hold the player’s hand and instead leaves it almost entirely up to them to find and do everything in the game. In the end, this makes Nintendo’s latest entry in theMario Kartseries either a collector’s dream or a completionist’s nightmare.
Mario Kart World Buries Its Best Content Beneath Layers of Discovery
MKW Packs the World With Unlocks That Refuse to Reveal Themselves
Mario Kart Worldisn’t inherently anopen-world game, and its Free Roam mode isn’t technically an open world either. Even so, it is a large game in scope, and with that comes a deceptively long laundry list of activities to complete and collectibles to find.
Mario Kart Worldrefuses to hold the player’s hand and instead leaves it almost entirely up to them to find and do everything in the game.
Firstly, there are a total of 40vehicles inMario Kart World, and although players begin the game with 11, that ultimately means there are still 29 that need to be unlocked by collecting enough coins. Then there are 50 playable characters/skins that can be unlocked, either by completing Grand Prix runs or collecting Dash Food and hoping the RNG is favorable. Stickers are another big collectible item inMario Kart World, and there are over 1,000 of them for players to acquire through various means. Then there are Peach Medallions, ? Panels, hidden courses, and secret modes to unlock as well, many of which aren’t even worth divulging because discovering them by accident is all part of the fun.
Completionists May Find the Lack of Guidance Just as Frustrating as It Is Addictive
Just knowing that there areplenty of collectiblesand activities ahead of them is bound to make collectors salivate. Completionists, on the other hand, might findMario Kart Worldto be a bit more frustrating, as there is almost no form of guidance anywhere to be found in the game, particularly when it comes to its unlockable items and collectibles. Players can’t expect to pull up their map and see where to find certain items and activities, there aren’t any quests or missions attached to them, and the game doesn’t even go so far as to offer a piece of advice about what to do next in order to acquire this or that.
However, this is all part ofMario Kart World’s design to ensure players are motivated by a sense of curiosity rather than simply completing a long list of chores. The latestMario Kartgametruly wants to inspire the wonder that comes with exploring unfamiliar worlds and not knowing what lies in wait around every corner. That’s the dream side of the game, and while it might be a bit harder for traditional completionists to accept, it’s the way of the world inMario Kart World.
