All Mario Kart World Game Modes

Here are all the Mario Kart World game modes that you can play with your friends or your family on the latest Nintendo Switch 2.

Mario Kart World Game Modes (Image via Nintendo)
All Mario Kart World Game Modes (Source: Nintendo)

Nintendo’s latest $80 Switch 2 exclusive, Mario Kart World, brings brand-new features and game modes. With tons of characters and Switch 2’s new gen power and display, Mario Kart World is set to roam around the world with its advertised free roam feature mode. But, there are other modes too!

Here are all the Mario Kart World game modes for your friends and family to play.

All You Need To Know About Mario Kart World Game Modes

 Mario Kart World Grand Prix Mode
Rainbow Road Track in Mario Kart World (Source: Nintendo | Nathaniel Bandy/YouTube)

Grand Prix

You can play a similar Grand Prix mode from the previous game in Mario Kart World. You and your friends will race on 4 tracks, gathering points for your positions on every track. But a significant change has been brought about in track-to-track racing. 

Now, given the open world concept, you will travel to various tracks, all while you’re also completing your laps. This gives you an immersive experience, where the tracks will be dynamic graphically and gameplay-wise. Plus, you can now race with up to 24 players in one lobby, so the race will turn out to be more chaotic and fun.

Knockout Tour

Mario Kart World Knockout Tour
The Knock out Tour is a long race (Source: Nintendo | @RetroArchive on YT)

Knockout Tour is the mode where you will race across multiple racetracks, and those in the bottom 4 will be eliminated after every track. The tracks are now seamless and will follow a rally system, instead of cups, like the Grand Prix mode. In total, you will be playing across 6 tracks every race. And the last race will be a lap on the final track among the top 4. The mode follows a checkpoint system, where your position will decide whether you are qualified for the next track or not.

Free Roam

Mario Kart World Free Roam Game Mode
Collect ? Panels in Free Roam (Source: Nintendo | @RetroArchive on YT)

A non-traditional way of racing, free roam mode allows racers to drive freely through any chosen racetrack, both on-road and off-road. There are several missions, objectives, or collectibles that you can find while you drive around the track area. There will also be other bot racers on the track as well, and the missions are similar to the Nintendo DS’s version of Mario Kart. Objectives and collectibles include Peach medallions, P switches, and ? Panels that players can find in the track. This mode does not have any active racing on the tracks, so players can casually roam around in their vehicles.

Battle Mode

Battle Mode in-game
Pop balloons of your opponents (Source: Nintendo | @ModernXP on YT)

Battle Mode is an umbrella term for multiple game modes in Mario Kart World. Time Trials, VS Mode, Balloon Battles, and Coin Runners are included in Battle Mode. Time trials are won by a racer having the fastest time on the track. VS mode is where you can play either locally or online, and players will be able to manipulate different settings of the game to cater to their needs.

In Balloon Battles, you attempt to pop your opponents’ balloon that is behind the racecar, and the last one standing wins. You pop balloons by using items spread throughout the tracks.

Coin Runners is a mode where racers will collect as many coins as possible and win. This mode has a round-based system and can be played to unlock new vehicles. You can also steal coins from other racers by using items and stunning them.


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