I caved and bought a Switch 2. It wasn't even really on my radar, seeing as I didn't really use the Switch much, but after seeing Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart I decided, what the hell. I was able to get one for MSRP. Nintendo games never drop in price and having the console is the only way to play them (I have a feeling Switch 2 emulation is far off), so why not just get one, right?

I have somewhat mixed feelings on Mario Kart World. The racing is really fun, and the graphics look great, but I'm not sure I like how they've put such a large focus on seamless races. Instead of having 4 traditional races in a Grand Prix, on circuits with 3 laps each, the Grands Prix are more like one long continuous race broken up into segments, and the tracks are much wider and more linear. 

Likewise, the main focus of the game is on the new Knockout mode. In this mode, the race starts with 24 racers and you race down linear tracks broken up into sections, and in each section you need to be in a certain position to keep racing, all the way up to the final section where only 4 racers remain. It's fun, but in my opinion the linear, almost highway-like tracks aren't nearly as compelling as previous games' circuits.

There is an open world mode this time around, where you can roam and complete small challenges. I haven't messed with it much yet.

Where MK always shines is in multiplayer. I did one Knockout race online and actually managed to win it, which was a great feeling. Winning Knockout does feel more satisfying than winning the standard shorter races, I have to say.

This is another excellent entry in the series with lots of content. I'm sure they'll be adding more tracks down the line to keep things fresh as well.

Verdict: Endless

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