Mario Kart Worldreally could be the ultimateMario Kartgame. Whether or not you’re onboard with its central gimmick of open-world exploration between tracks, there is still a lot ofMario Kartgoodness to love here. From excellent new characters to a solid lineup of courses to race on,Mario Kart Worldhas taken everything that works about its predecessors and turned it all the way up to eleven. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that this is also the best-looking game in the series, helped by the Switch 2’s impressive specs.
Mario Kart World’smany innovationsare also supported by the features it has borrowed from past entries. For every new course and character,MK Worldhas implemented something that fans simply couldn’t live without. This includes by far the series' greatest feature and what I believe to be the reason it remains a successful franchise today. It is a foundational feature of a lot of Nintendo games, and its inclusion means that the developer shows no signs of giving it up just yet, despite many others having abandoned it a long time ago.
Mario Kart World Features Split-Screen Co-Op
For Up To Four Players
Despite thedisappointingMK WorldDirectnot showing too much of substance, one of the features it did reveal - at least in this format - is thatMario Kart Worldsupports up to four-player split-screen co-op. Of course, we also saw this gameplay in thehands-on Switch 2 previewsand in numerousMario Kart Worldgameplay uploads on YouTube, all of which have given those of us who still love playing with their buddies on the same sofa an insight into exactly how much of the game is playable in split-screen.
FromMario Kart World’sFree Roam mode to its traditional Grand Prix and Battle modes,absolutely everything can be played in split-screen co-op. Of course, all previousMario Kartgames had this functionality, so many may question why this is particularly exciting, even to a split-screen enthusiast like myself. It is largely because the rest of the gaming industry hasseemingly abandoned split-screen, with even landmark franchises likeHalo, which once felt like the pinnacle of split-screen gaming, removing it completely.
With the move to the Switch 2,I somewhat expected Nintendo to move away from split-screen or lower the number of players that could access it. After all, not only are games more demanding on the Switch 2, butNintendo’s many controversial decisionshave led me to lose a lot of faith that it’ll make the right, consumer-friendly choices when it comes to its games. Featuring four-player local co-op inMario Kart Worldnot only assuages me of those fears but also indicates that it is still very much a priority for the developer going forward.
Mario Kart World’s Local Co-Op Will Drastically Improve The Experience
It Is Far More Fun Playing Locally Than Online
Of course, local split-screen co-op has always madeMario Kartbetter.While playing online has its benefits, and is great for those with friends who live overseas or in another state, it doesn’t quite capture the chaos and fun of playing with a friendliterally by your side. Watching as you get hit by a blue shell, a red shell, and then lightning is infinitely more humorous and significantly less frustrating when your friend is laughing at your pain alongside you, or there to give you a comforting hug should you need it.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxebecame my go-to game whenever going to someone else’s house, or if they came to mine, because it is such an easy game to jump into. I can definitely imagine that being the case withMario Kart Worldwhen it comes out, especially as the split-screen co-op modes still benefit from thebizarre Switch 2 features, like having your faces appear above your character as you race around, something that, while completely unnecessary, is the perfect encapsulation of Nintendo at its most fun.
It is worth noting that you will need to purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 camera accessory to unlock the ability to have your faces float around. You just need the one camera, thankfully, and not four pointed at each player’s face. It also doesn’t seem like you’ll need to pay for NSO in order to access that feature in split-screen co-op.
Additionally, the ability to play in four different teams is also available in the split-screen mode, which works perfectly for those playing in groups of four. It may seem like a really small inclusion for those who typically play online or those who don’t really ever utilize the feature, but I couldn’t be happier that it is here.Seeing it be preserved in experiences likeMario Kart Worldis so important, and knowing that those keen to try out thecontroversial Free Roam modewill be able to play it in split-screen is amazing too.
Mario Kart World’s Local Co-Op Will Benefit Free Roam Mode The Most
There Isn’t A Comparable Split-Screen Experience
I thinkMario Kart World’sFree Roammode will benefit the most from local split-screen. I have a lot of fond memories of exploring open areas with my siblings in games likeTony Hawk’s American Wasteland, and I can imagine the experience, while certainly lacking in skateboards, won’t be too different here. Just driving around together in this vast open world, discovering secrets, attempting time trials, and more will be a lot of fun. Of course,it is playable with up to eight people online, but you’re losing the excitement of discovering things together in person when playing that way.
HadMario Kart Worldbeen around when my siblings and I were younger, it would undoubtedly be one of our favorite games. Nowadays,there really isn’t a comparable experience, at least for younger players. While there are plenty of action-focused open-world games that people can explore together, occasionally in split-screen as well, there aren’t many open-world racing games with that functionality. As much as it would be hilarious to watch kids playBaldur’s Gate 3, having something likeMK Worldavailable is a far better and more suitable option.
As someone who wants to have children eventually, I know that an experience likeMario Kart Worldwill be something fun to play with them. Of course, it is also something fun for adults to play too, with the ability to create your own fun and play games like hide and seek - so long as you all promise not to screen watch - a possibility. I’m extremely happy thatMario Kart Worldfeatures split-screen co-op, and I can’t wait to make the most of it when it eventually launches later this year.
