Nintendo Reveals Mario Kart World Game Modes, New Characters, and $80 Price Tag
Nintendo has shared new details about *Mario Kart World*, the upcoming entry in the popular racing franchise launching June 5 exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. During the recent Nintendo Direct, fans got a closer look at the game’s modes, characters, items, and pricing.
At launch, *Mario Kart World* will feature **four main game modes**:
– **Grand Prix** – Classic cup-style racing with point-based scoring.
– **Knockout Tour** – A new elimination mode where players are removed at checkpoints across multiple tracks.
– **Free Roam** – An open-world experience allowing players to explore freely outside of races.
– **Battle Mode** – Includes classic sub-modes like Time Trials, VS Races, Team Races, Balloon Battle, and Coin Runners.
The game also supports up to **24 racers per track**, the largest in series history. Split-screen allows up to 4 players locally, with wireless play supporting up to 8 players.
Nintendo also introduced **new characters**, including Goomba, Spike, and Cow, along with fresh items like the **Coin Shell** and **Ice Flower**, adding new layers of strategy.
However, the game’s **$80 digital price** has sparked some controversy. Nintendo responded by citing the expanded features, including the larger player count, open-world design, and planned post-launch updates as justification for the higher price.
*Mario Kart World* races onto Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
