With the newest Mario Kart boasting a massive roster of characters and an open world to explore, here’s everything new included in the game.
It’s already clear that Mario Kart World is going to be the biggest entry in the series yet and possibly the best too, based on our hands-on session with the game.
Since it’s launching the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World is the perfect pick for the console’s killer app. Especially as its hefty price tag means it’s cheaper to buy it at the same time as the console.
The game has just had a new Nintendo Direct dedicated entirely to it, so we’ve compiled everything you need to know about Mario Kart World, including its playable roster and selection of racetracks.
Every playable character in Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World has the largest roster of playable characters in any Mario Kart games, with at least 50 racers confirmed so far. By comparison, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had 48 characters, and that was only after a lot of DLC.
Aside from a healthy mix of returning and brand new racers, most characters also sport multiple alternate costumes you can unlock.
Nintendo hasn’t revealed the official full roster, but here’s a list of every playable character we’ve spotted in the trailers and footage shared by Nintendo Treehouse (not including the different costume variants).
Returning characters from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe:
- Mario
- Luigi
- Peach
- Bowser
- Daisy
- Yoshi
- Toad
- Toadette
- Rosalina
- Donkey Kong
- Wario
- Waluigi
- Koopa Troopa
- Pauline
- Baby Mario
- Baby Luigi
- Baby Peach
- Baby Daisy
- Baby Rosalina
- Bowser Jr.
- Lakitu
- King Boo
- Shy Guy
- Birdo
- Dry Bones
- Wiggler
New Mario Kart World characters:
- Goomba
- Piranha Plant (not Petey Pirahna)
- Pianta
- Spike
- Dolphin
- Cow
- Hammer Bro
- Chargin’ Chuck
- Nabbit
- Monty Mole
- Pokey
- Para-Biddybud
- Penguin (possibly both Mama Penguin and her baby)
- Sidestepper
- Snowman
- Cataquack
- Fish Bone
- Peepa
- Swoop
- Stingby
- Rocky Wrench
- Coin Coffer
- Cheep Cheep
- Conkdor
How many racetracks are in Mario Kart World?
With seven Grand Prix cups with four racetracks each, Mario Kart World has at least 28 racetracks altogether.
However, considering past games have typically had eight cups, and given the blatant Rainbow Road tease in the Mario Kart World Direct, there’s probably at least 32 racetracks.
In fact, there is footage of an eighth cup that can be seen in this YouTube video from Nindawko, as evidenced by the trophy shown at the 15:36 mark which doesn’t match the symbols of any of the other cups shown in official trailers.
Additionally, a couple of the same racetracks are listed twice, but are believed to offer different routes since they have different icons depending on the cup they’re in.
Plus, almost half of the racetracks – 14 to be exact – are reimagined versions of ones from older games, meaning there are around 18 entirely original racetracks in the game.
As such, here is every racetrack in Mario Kart World by Grand Prix cup as evidenced by official Nintendo footage and preview event recordings:
- Mushroom Cup
- Mario Bros. Circuit (inspired by the Grand Canyon)
- Crown City (inspired by San Francisco)
- Whistletop Summit
- DK Spaceport
- Flower Cup
- Desert Hills (DS)
- Shy Guy Bazaar (3DS)
- Wario Stadium (N64)
- Airship Fortress (DS)
- Star Cup
- DK Pass (DS)
- Starview Peak
- Sky-High Sundae (Switch)
- Wario’s Galleon (3DS)
- Shell Cup
- Koopa Troopa Beach (SNES)
- Faraway Oasis
- Crown City
- Peach Stadium
- Banana Cup
- Peach Beach (GameCube)
- Salty Salty Speedway (inspired by Venice)
- Dino Dino Jungle (GameCube)
- Great ? Block Ruins
- Leaf Cup
- Cheep Cheep Falls
- Dandelion Depths
- Boo Cinema
- Dry Bones Burnout
- Lightning Cup
- Moo Moo Meadows (Wii)
- Choco Mountain (N64)
- Toad’s Factory (Wii)
- Bowser’s Castle
- Special Cup (this is not the confirmed name of the eighth cup but this is traditionally what it’s called)
- Acorn Heights
- Mario Circuit (SNES – believed to be a combination of the three Mario Circuit racetracks from Super Mario Kart)
- Peach Stadium
- Rainbow Road (this is the only course to not have any footage available but it’s a series staple and was teased in the Direct)
31 of the racetracks are re-used for the Knockout Tour mode, which is divided into eight rallies composed of six races each. Some tracks appear more than once in different rallies. For example, Moo Moo Meadows appears in the Golden, Moon, and Heart Rallies, according to the fan-made Super Mario Wiki.
The one omission is Rainbow Road. Based on Nintendo’s teasers, this could be because the racetrack is suspended in the sky and is incompatible with the Knockout Tour mode, since it requires driving from one track to the next with every lap.
What new items are included in Mario Kart World?
While a lot of staple items are coming back for Mario Kart World, Nintendo has highlighted six new ones that will be included, although most of them technically originate from other games. These items are:
- Coin Shell – originally from the Mario Kart Arcade GP games, this is a projectile item that leaves a trail of coins in its wake
- Ice Flower – originally from the Mario Kart Tour mobile game and only usable by specific characters, this lets you throw up to eight icy projectiles to spin out opponents
- Hammer – another item from the arcade games and Tour, this lets you throw multiple hammers at once, that spin out opponents and stick to the racetrack to impede other racers
- Mega Mushroom – originally from Mario Kart Wii and only appearing in the arcade games and Tour, this item temporarily turns you giant and lets you crush any racers you drive over
- Feather – originally from Super Mario Kart and then made exclusive to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Tour’s battle modes, this item returns for regular use in races and lets you hop high into the air
- Kamek – a wholly original item that summons a random enemy type to impede other racers, while simultaneously transforming them into that enemy type
- Dash Food – an item that transforms your character into a different costume variant. The type of food appears to determine what the costume will be. For example, eating sushi unlocks Japanese inspired outfits.
What are the multiplayer options in Mario Kart World?
Mario Kart World has three different multiplayer options. For local play, there is split-screen multiplayer for up to four players on a single console.
There is a local wireless option that supports up to eight Switch 2 consoles. Each one allows for up to two players, meaning local wireless multiplayer can support upwards of 16 players at once.
Lastly, online play allows races for up to 24 players at once. All three options allow for standard races, Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, and Battle mode. Friends will also be able to free roam the open world together in online play.
How much does Mario Kart World cost?
Mario Kart World costs £66.99 digitally and £74.99 physically. There is a bundle that includes the Switch 2 and a digital copy of the game for £429.99, meaning you’re only paying £34 for the game itself. However, the bundle will only be available in limited quantities through autumn 2025.
When does Mario Kart World release?
Mario Kart World launches exclusively for Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
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