‘Mario Kart World’ For Switch 2 Improves On The ‘Forza Horizon’ Open-World Playbook By Letting You Race As A Cow

For over a decade now, the “Forza Horizon” series has owned the open-world racing genre. It’s been the go-to franchise for those looking to cruise aimlessly around a scenic locale, spending hours in a constant drift without ever regaining traction. It seems Nintendo took note of Turn 10 and Playground Games’ success in the segment, though, because the latest “Mario Kart” entry brings the same features to the new Switch 2. 

“Mario Kart World,” the official title of the new game, connects classic and new tracks from the series into a single unified open world. This even includes racing between tracks, turning race series into unified endurance competitions that take place all across the map. Up to 24 players will compete in races at once, double that of the outgoing game. “Mario Kart World” even improves on the “Forza” formula in some interesting ways — most importantly, letting you play as a cow riding a Motocompo-inspired tape deck motorcycle. Moo-tocompo. 

It appears from the trailer that players in “World” won’t be limited in the karts they choose to explore the open world with. There are standard karts, buggy-style offroad karts, even what appears to be a ’90s F-150–esque truck with rally lights. Different karts also come with different outfits in “World,” and I would like to personally extend my thanks to whoever decided Peach should ride a Honda XL 600LM-inspired dual sport in Daisy Dukes and a cropped pink jacket. Absolute fashion icon. That’s exactly how I would dress for motorcycling if crashes weren’t real. 

The Switch 2 releases on June 5 for $449.99, with “Mario Kart World” priced at $79.99. The game can be bundled with a Switch 2 for $499.99, a marked increase from the $299.99 “Mario Kart 8” bundle for the outgoing Switch. That’s more expensive than a $299 Xbox Series S and a $59.99 copy of “Forza Horizon 5,” and only about $20 less than a $449.99 PlayStation 5 with a $69.99 copy of “Gran Turismo 7” — a bundle that would include my personal 2024 Game of the Year, “Astro Bot.” 

Nintendo’s latest kart racer expands the series in some very interesting ways, but only time will tell whether the company has priced itself out of its own game. With competitors offering more choices in racing games for the same or less money, it remains to be seen whether Nintendo’s pricing gamble here will pay off. If you’re on the fence about preordering, though, just remember — prices sure aren’t going down as tariffs loom.