After only three hours with *Mario Kart World*, I’m starting to feel like the game should really be named *Mario Kart Knockout Tour*. The new last-one-standing race mode is undeniably the highlight, adding an electrifying layer of tension and chaos to the already unpredictable world of kart racing. It's such a compelling addition that it deserves top billing. That said, Nintendo has chosen to promote the open world as the main attraction for this Switch 2 launch title—an interesting choice given how long fans have wished for a Mario Kart experience beyond traditional tracks. Unfortunately, after spending time in the open world firsthand, I found myself more disappointed than impressed.

When we think of open-world racing games, it’s natural to compare them to *Forza Horizon*. Playground Games has practically redefined the genre, earning critical acclaim and even Game of the Year recognition. Each entry delivers a beautifully crafted world full of challenge, discovery, and excitement. In contrast, my roughly half-hour playthrough of *Mario Kart World* left me underwhelmed. The map may be large, but it feels hollow—lacking atmosphere, engaging content, and meaningful things to do.

Much of my time was spent speeding across flat grasslands, deserts, and shallow seas, searching for something—*anything*—to engage with. There are P Switch challenges sprinkled throughout, which activate short time trials involving coin collection or checkpoint runs. While initially fun, these tasks quickly become repetitive and fleeting, rarely lasting more than 10–15 seconds. They offer little variety or depth, leaving me feeling like I’d already exhausted what the open world had to offer before even scratching the surface. I'm hoping deeper exploration reveals hidden surprises, but based on what I played, that seems unlikely.

Completing these challenges does reward you with stickers for your kart, which is nice, but that’s about all there is in terms of unlockables. It feels odd that progression still hinges so heavily on Grand Prix races when the open world presents such a perfect opportunity to hide rare characters, karts, or unique items. Sure, new outfits can be found by visiting Yoshi’s restaurants scattered around the map, but those same outfits are just as accessible during regular races.

That sense of wonder and discovery you get from stumbling upon hidden treasures—like Barn Finds in *Forza Horizon*—just isn’t here. Those missions, where you hunt down vehicles like buried treasure, are some of my favorite moments in open-world racing. If nothing similar exists in *Mario Kart World* (and my preview event showed no signs of it), then it’s a missed opportunity. Especially coming from a series like *Super Mario*, which thrives on secrets and surprises. The closest thing I experienced was finding a green pipe that simply teleported me 20 meters forward—no hidden areas, no bonus challenges, nothing.

It’s this apparent lack of meaningful progression or substantial activities that makes me question how much time I’ll actually spend outside of races. Peach Medallions do offer some challenge, requiring mastery of rail grinding and wall riding mechanics, but again, they only unlock stickers. There’s nothing wrong with fun-for-fun’s-sake gameplay, but I would love to see a system where these collectibles could be used toward cosmetics or upgrades, similar to *Super Mario Odyssey*’s moon-based economy.

Nintendo Series Tier List

Nintendo Series Tier List

Maybe I’ve just become a grumpy adult in my mid-thirties, but despite my complaints, I should acknowledge that younger players and casual fans will likely enjoy zooming through this colorful world, soaking in its vibrant beaches and cityscapes. And yes, there was a moment—driving into the back of a truck, taking control Cappy-style, and plowing through everything in sight—that reignited that inner child and reminded me of Nintendo’s signature charm. But these moments felt rare and isolated within an otherwise empty playground.

There are other aesthetic touches, like dynamic weather, a day/night cycle, and a soundtrack that shifts with the environment, but none of these added significantly to the gameplay experience. The open world does serve a purpose beyond free roam, however. It cleverly connects race tracks together, allowing for more varied course combinations. More importantly, the new Knockout Tour wouldn’t be nearly as exciting without it. Watching the race wind cross-country through multiple biomes was thrilling—something that wouldn’t work nearly as well if confined to repeated laps on a single track. So while the open world has functional value, its exploratory appeal remains limited.

If you treat Free Roam more like a toy box than a full-scale open world, there’s definitely some charm to be found. Just don’t go in expecting the kind of immersive, expansive experience you might find in titles like *Forza Horizon* or *Burnout Paradise*—especially not at the $80 price point. At the end of the day, the real joy of *Mario Kart World* lies in the racing itself. And with the fresh energy brought by Knockout Mode, this might just be the most exciting entry in the series in years. Perhaps it’s time to shift the spotlight where it belongs.