It’s been over ten years since there was a new Mario Kart. At the time, ‘Mario Kart 8’ was high-level stuff. Gravity tracks, a slew of innovative courses, and a jazzy soundtrack made for a genuinely unforgettable experience. However, that was over ten years ago. I was beginning to wonder if there would ever be another one. And here we are.
‘Mario Kart World’ doesn’t resemble any of its predecessors, and this is a very good thing. Rather than merely put out a better version of the same thing, MKW instead kicks in the door and walks into the room with swagger. Playing around with a host of new ideas
For starters, the levels are completely new. I’m not discussing merely new courses. Nintendo has completely revamped the entire racing experience. Levels are no longer set the same way. You race, and about halfway through the entire level, it shifts into something completely different. This is a very welcome change, given that previously the game would at some point feel repetitive. In a way, playing through the ultra-dynamic courses feels a little like playing Wheel of Fortune. You never really know what you will get whenever you play.
Here’s another great feature destined for Nintendo Hall of Fame greatness: Knockout Tour. Its no secret that what makes ‘Mario Kart World’ so worthwhile is how brilliantly it manages to make couch multiplayer genuinely thrilling. I’m happy to report ‘Mario Kart World’ continues this trend. ‘Knockout Tour’ is a wild thrill ride through multiple levels into one grand race. Each lap, players get eliminated, turning the experience into a white knuckle experience. At first, I was so terrible I kept getting eliminated on the first lap, but after a few more tries, I started learning how to get ahead. The suspense cannot be equaled in any other kart racer, and only further cements Nintendo’s reputation as the king of all kart racers.
Then there’s the soundtrack, something that certainly needs to be addressed. In one of the ‘ask the developer’ sessions on the Nintendo website, ‘Mario Kart World’ developers discussed at length the game’s new soundtrack and how exciting it was. I will say that the new soundtrack is unquestionably different than any other. Yet, this isn’t necessarily a great thing. At times, his soundtrack is irresistibly toe-tapping. The rest of the time, it is loud and chaotic, almost as if developers were worried players might be nodding off or something. To be clear, I’m not saying this is bad or impossible to listen to. It’s simply OK. ‘Mario Kart World’ certainly cannot compare to the brilliant soundtracks from ‘The Legend of Zelda’, ‘Super Mario Odyssey’, or ‘Journey’.
There is a brand new feature where players can collect meals randomly dropped around courses. Each meal, from stews to burgers to kabobs, gives your character a brand new look. A bunch of delightfully wacky costumes give each session of ‘Mario Kart World’ a different feel, without offering any new abilities. There is a strange sort of joy to playing a Toad and wearing a burger on your head.
‘Mario Kart World’ is the very first entry that features open-world functionality. If you get tired of pitting yourself against 24 players, then you can kick back and explore a massive open world map. In a way, it feels sort of like a cheap knockoff fusion of ‘Forza Horizon’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto’. It is a lot of fun to drive around and explore, yet ‘Mario Kart World’ does lack the finesse of ‘Forza Horizon’. There is a lot of maps to play with, but not a whole lot to do. There are randomly scattered challenges for players, but these are far and few in between. My biggest concern here is that Nintendo is leaving things open for future DLC expansions.
Speaking of expansions, I have to say I’m really not excited about the prospect. See, ‘Mario Kart World’ already costs an obscene $80 (although by purchasing the limited-time bundle, I got mine for $50). As enjoyable as ‘Mario Kart World’ is, it most certainly isn’t worth the eye-watering price tag. More importantly, I am not happy with the trend Nintendo has started. Already, the new ‘Call of Duty’ and upcoming ‘Borderlands 4’ have been announced at the same $80 price tag. Living in a culture where we are already experiencing economic issues, such blatant greed is simply unacceptable. Times are tough enough.
Overall, I found ‘Mario Kart World’ to be gobs of fun, and certainly does a great job at pushing the series forward. The 4K capability makes the colors vibrant and the details crisp, making for some of the most fun ever in the ‘Mario Kart’ franchise. Nevertheless, the insane price tag is simply unacceptable, and to make matters worse, now other games are following suit. If there are to be future DLC expansions, I am not certain that many of us would be so eager to jump in. Still, when it’s all said and done, ‘Mario Kart World’ is thrilling, wild fun to play.
