What to Expect from the Mario Kart World Direct

Mario Kart World was one of the standout reveals of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, both for all the right and wrong reasons. Mario Kart World‘s $80 price tag is unprecedentedly high, not just for Nintendo but for the video game industry as a whole, and it’s rightfully upset a lot of fans. But the game itself has received a much warmer welcome.

Along with the footage shown in the Switch 2 Direct, Mario Kart World has also received a few dedicated Nintendo Treehouse livestreams, where fans were shown some extended gameplay sequences. 24-player lobbies, open-world free roam, and connected track layouts are just some of the new features coming with Mario Kart World. But there’s a lot fans still don’t know about the next Mario Kart entry, and hopefully all will be revealed during Mario Kart World‘s Direct on April 17.

Mario Kart World Could Be the Series’ Own Zelda: Breath of the Wild

If Mario Kart World’s new open-world structure works, Nintendo may adopt the format long-term, just as it did with Zelda after Breath of the Wild.

What Fans Should Expect from the Mario Kart World Direct

A Comprehensive Breakdown of Game Modes

Mario Kart World will feature three distinct game modes on launch: Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, and Free Roam. These game modes are probably the aspects of Mario Kart World that fans currently know the most about, with both entire matches of Grand Prix and Knockout Tour being played in full via Nintendo Treehouse streams.

That said, fans should still expect an overview of each of these game modes during the upcoming Mario Kart World Direct, just to give fans a clear idea of exactly what they can expect from each one. Fans might also get a better look at Mario Kart World‘s Free Roam mode, and more specifically, what players will actually be able to do in it. For instance, hands-on previews have mentioned finding character-specific coins while exploring, but it’s unclear what role these will play.

A Comprehensive Look at Items

A total of 28 items have been spotted in Mario Kart World‘s pre-release footage, most of which come from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a handful from Mario Kart Tour and Wii, and a few are entirely new. If Mario Kart World‘s Direct is truly going to be the deep-dive that Nintendo has promised, then it’s possible fans will get a comprehensive look at every item the game has to offer, potentially with a few excluded to surprise fans on launch day.

A Comprehensive Look at Customization

One area of Mario Kart World that fans are still a little unclear about is customization. In the trailers and Treehouse streams, fans were shown various Mario characters picking up a glowing bag-shaped item, consuming the food inside, and suddenly changing outfits. It’s unclear how these outfits are unlocked or if they’ll have any effect on gameplay.

It’s already been confirmed that players will no longer be able to swap the chassis, wheels, and glider of their karts. Instead, Mario Kart World will just have players choosing a character and choosing one whole kart.

A Full Roster Breakdown

Over 50 characters have been spotted in Mario Kart World‘s trailers and streams, 20 of which are brand-new to the series. It doesn’t seem as though Nintendo wants to keep the roster a secret, so it’d make sense for fans to get a full breakdown of the game’s line-up during the Mario Kart World Direct.

A Course Overview

Much like items and characters, Nintendo has been pretty open about Mario Kart World‘s courses, showing a handful in action during livestreams and showing the names and icons of many more during trailers. Fans might get a full breakdown of Mario Kart World‘s tracklist during the upcoming Direct, including plenty of new courses and a handful of old ones that have likely been reimagined to fit with the game’s larger lobby size.