Summary
When it comes to open-world games,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand its successor,Tears of the Kingdom, have undoubtedly had a strong influence on the genre’s direction. When the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017,Breath of the Wildquickly became the open-world standard, offering players a level of freedom that almost every otheropen-world gamehad failed to achieve. Since then, many other games — like FromSoftware’sElden Ring, for example — have usedZelda’s open-world formula as a springboard, and that now includes the Nintendo Switch 2’s ownMario Kart World.
Nintendo has refrained from callingMario Kart Worldan “open-world game,” and to some extent, it makes sense, as there are artificial boundaries put in place to ensure players can’t just go anywhere they want in the game. That being said,Mario Kart World’s Free Roam mode still offers players an expansive world to explore that is filled with a wide variety of activities to complete, collectibles to find, and many other secrets to uncover. Despite not being a true open-world game,Mario Kart Worldstill takes some valuable cues fromZelda’s revolutionary open-world formula, and it’s much better for it.
Mario Kart World’s Free Roam Captures What Made Zelda’s Open Worlds Work
Free Roam Guides Players by Visual Cues
One of the main things that madeZelda: Breath of the Wildsuch a standardwhen it comes to open worlds is how it handles exploration. Whereas most open-world games before it would litter their maps with objective markers and icons,Breath of the Wildlargely foregoes that by putting that responsibility in the hands of the player through curiosity-driven exploration. Rather than telling players where to go,Breath of the Wildgives them an open invitation to explore if they wish, as map markers have a tendency to put too much pressure on players and therefore become more of a checklist than a world of opportunities.
Despite not being a true open-world game,Mario Kart Worldstill takes some valuable cues fromZelda’s revolutionary open-world formula, and it’s much better for it.
In the same way,Mario Kart World’s Free Roam mode neglects to give players objective markers of any kind. In fact, it’s a bit more minimalistic than evenBreath of the Wild, as it almost refuses to hold the player’s hand at every turn.Mario Kart World’s UIis essentially non-existent, with nothing but a small mini-map to help players orient themselves. This might sound a bit overwhelming for those who need more guidance, but since gameplay progression inMario Kart Worlddoesn’t rely on its Free Roam mode, there’s less pressure from the game to complete and collect everything.
In place of a compass or map markers,Mario Kart World, likeBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, lures players in through visual cues. Players may see something shining in the distance, like a medallion or a pile of coins, and then be drawn to it for the simple reason that it looks enticing. Giant blue P-Switches also litterMario Kart World’s Free Roam mode, offering challenging missions for players to tackle that can unlock special rewards upon their completion.
Dynamic Music and Emergent Gameplay Bring the World to Life
Mario Kart Worlddoesn’t shy away from copyingBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom’s approach to musicand emergent gameplay, either, and one could argue it even does the music part better.Mario Kart World’s adaptive music system means that the music will change depending on the context of the game’s current scenario. For example, once night falls inMario Kart World’s Free Roam mode, the music might shift from an upbeat rock song to a slow, smooth jazz track to accompany the calmness of the night.
Breath of the Wild’s iconicemergent gameplaycan also be found inMario Kart World, as players can encounter random events if they are keen on exploring every inch of the world. One of the most prominent examples of this is in how players can stumble upon other NPCs racing one another on the world’s various interconnected tracks. Ultimately, this helpsMario Kart World’s Free Roam to feel like a living world, just asBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom’s Hyrule does.
Mario Kart Worldmay not feature the sprawling, physics-driven freedom ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom’s Hyrule, but its Free Roam mode taps into the same sense of curiosity and wonder that made those open worlds so memorable. By guiding players with visual cues instead of UI clutter and offering just enough unpredictability to reward exploration, it captures a spirit that goes beyond simple track racing. For longtime fans and newcomers alike,Mario Kart World’s Free Roamproves that even a kart racer can offer something more than laps and leaderboards.
