World also introduces Knockout Tour, a non-stop endurance race from one end of the map to another, in which the goal is to remain above a constantly dwindling placement threshold to avoid being eliminated. It’s hands down the best mode in the game and really comes to life online, where races are almost impossibly chaotic.

The new version of Nintendo's classic, available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2, introduces massive multiplayer races and new chat features.

Mario Kart World is dominating the gaming ecosystem right alongside the new Switch 2. Still, some odd design decisions are really making players question what N

There’s an exciting new endurance race that combines several tracks and eliminates drivers after each checkpoint. But it’s a racing world without any oil drips or skid marks.

Typically, the sort of player who can harness this type of advanced play would have an easier time taking on NPC racers, where set programming cannot evolve alongside the changing human understanding of the meta. Instead, many of these hardcore players are reporting that Mario Kart World is unlike anything in the series they’ve ever experienced.

Currently, the Nintendo Switch 2 starts at $449.99 for the base version. There is also a special bundle that includes the game Mario Kart World, which is available for $499.99. The prices are within reason and to be expected, as several enhanced features were added to the console compared to the original version.

Double Dash—the third entry in the series—made for the greatest sequel a kid could ask for. Races were smooth, slipping on a banana peel actually felt dangerous, and passing someone in first place after hitting them with a blue shell was the most satisfying move you could pull off in a video game.

The Tuesday letters page thinks Mario Kart World is a worthy follow-up to Mario Kart 8, as a reader wonders who the main characters are in Resident Evil Requiem.