Mario Kart World Just Got A Game-Changing Update

Mario driving a kart with gameplay from the Boo Cinema course and the Cow behind him in Mario Kart World.Custom Image by: Katarina Cimbaljevic

By Ewan Moore Published 53 minutes ago Ewan is Deputy Editor for ScreenRant's gaming section. He still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase, and knows more about The Legend of Zelda and Doctor Who than is probably healthy. Ewan oversees the content operation of ScreenRant's gaming output, working with a talented team of writers and efitors to cover everything from the latest GTA 6 news to the indie games you need on your radar. Former Editor of GAMINGbible, Ewan also has words at Kotaku, Den of Geek, NME, and UNILAD. He's appeared on various podcasts, including VGC's and BBC's Let's Talk About Tech. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Just in time for Christmas, Mario Kart World has received a genuinely staggering update that makes some substantial changes to the game.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launch game left us mightily impressed when it released earlier this year, but Version 1.4.0 takes an already brilliant game and makes it even better.

Mario Kart World Version 1.4.0 Is Packed With Changes

You can download it now

Luigi Toad and Bowser Jr in Mario Kart World.

The new update is available now, and is absolutely packed with changes. Key features introduced in version 1.4.0 include changes to course layouts, a "custom items" option when making your own rules, and some balancing tweaks for items. All this on top of a ton of general fixes.

Here are the full patch notes for Mario Kart World Version 1.4.0

General

Added "Custom Items" to the item rules.
- This is a feature that lets you set which items appear.
- This is supported in "VS Race", "Balloon Battle", "Coin Runners", and "Room" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
Made it so that music track name and source title of the track that is playing will be displayed on the Pause Menu.
Added "Music Volume" to "Settings/Controller".
Made it so players who gathered in a "Room" of "Online Play" can participate in "Race", "Knockout Tour", and "Battle".
- Up to 4 players can participate in "Race", "Knockout Tour", and "Battle".
Made it so you can join in with friends who are playing "Knockout Tour" from "Friends" in "2p", "Online Play" as well.
Added "Restart" and "Next Race" in the Pause Menu for "VS Race" in "Single Player".
Made it so you can select "Photo Mode" from the Pause Menu in "Race against Ghost" in "Time Trials".
Changed the course layout of below courses for "VS Race", or "Race" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play". *Changed it so that, in all races heading toward "Koopa Troopa Beach", including the above courses, you will cross the finish line after two laps once you arrive at "Koopa Troopa Beach".
- Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "DK Spaceport".
- Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "Crown City".
- Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "Peach Stadium".
- Race that heads from "Whistlestop Summit" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
- Race that heads from "Desert Hills" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
- Race that heads from "DK Spaceport" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
- Race that heads from "Crown City" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
- Race that heads from "Peach Stadium" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
You will now dash when riding on Manta Ramp’s back.
Made it so the player will not hit Dragoneel when transformed into Bullet Bill.
Made it so the player cannot use a second Boo while already using a Boo, when holding two Boos.
When Dash Food is taken by someone, shortened the time until that Dash Food reappears.
When a coin placed on water is taken by someone, shortened the time until that coin reappears.

Fixed Issues

Fixed an issue where the dash time was not correct after a Charge Jump.
Fixed an issue where the player would slip through a wall when being stomped on from above by a vehicle driving on the road.
Fixed an issue where a player would be squashed when touching a Thwomp that had landed.
Fixed an issue where a Bullet Bill would not be displayed after using it.
Fixed an issue where a character would be blurry even when making "Focus" "Character" when taking a photo in "Photo Mode" on the Pause Menu.
Fixed an issue where the screen would look distorted if entering a pipe at the same time as joining a Free Roam in "Online Play".
Fixed an issue where player could not get in a UFO when multiple players tried to get in a UFO at the same time in Free Roam in "Online Play".
Fixed an issue where a friend’s information would not be updated when looking at the list of friends in "Friends" in "Online Play".
Fixed an issue where there would be a communication error when looking at a group ID in "View Room Info" when participating in a group in "Friends" in "Online Play".
Fixed an issue where a player’s place would go down if retiring during "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play".
Fixed an issue where a player that is seen when spectating looks like they are going off the course over and over during "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
Fixed an issue where the player’s own character or vehicle would change when starting "Online Play" or "Wireless Play" again after quitting a game after "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
Fixed an issue where a player would get stuck on a wall when using a Bullet Bill while falling off the course in "Sky-High Sundae".
Fixed an issue where a Bullet Bill would go outside the course when using it on the final curve in "Boo Cinema".
Fixed an issue where the player would slip through a bulldozer in "Toad's Factory".
Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a spotlight in the race that heads from "Toad's Factory" to "Bowser's Castle" when transformed into Bullet Bill.
Fixed an issue where if the player used a Bullet Bill or Spiny Shell in the first curve of "Desert Hills", it would get stuck on a rock.
Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a tree when using a Bullet Bill on "DK Pass".
Fixed an issue where, when the player was small because of Lightning, they would slip through the wall on the final curve of "DK Pass.
Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a billboard when transforming into Bullet Bill in the race that heads from "Crown City" to "Desert Hills".
Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the ring of stone when using a Bullet Bill or Mega Mushroom while falling in "Great ? Block Ruins" right before the final curve.
Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on the ground on the meadows near "Big Donut".
Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the wall if rewinding after wall riding in the special room you can go to from a pipe in "Shy Guy Bazaar".
Fixed an issue where the player would still fall into the lava even though they have "Smart Steering" ON in "Dry Bones Burnout".
Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when using a Bullet Bill while rail riding in "Wario Stadium".
Fixed an issue where the player would not be able to glide if getting on a glide panel while gliding in the race that heads from "Wario Stadium" to "Airship Fortress".
Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on the ground while heading from "Wario Stadium" to "Airship Fortress".
Fixed an issue where the vehicle would float up from the rail when the player did a rail ride after a wall ride in a bike-type vehicle in "Wario Stadium".
Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when using a Bullet Bill on the shortcut while heading from "Dandelion Depths" to "Cheep Cheep Falls" in the "Ice Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course while gliding, while heading from "Dandelion Depths" to "Cheep Cheep Falls" in the "Moon Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
Fixed an issue where a green shell would get stuck on the ground while heading from "Airship Fortress" to "Dry Bones Burnout" in the "Heart Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when they transformed into Bullet Bill on top of a building in "Crown City" in the below races:
- Race that heads from "DK Spaceport" to "Crown City".
- Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "Crown City".
- Race that heads from "Faraway Oasis" to "Crown City".
Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Just In Time For Christmas

We love to see it, we really do

It's great to see Mario Kart World getting such a big update so close to Christmas, especially as I suspect more than a few young gamers will be waking up on December 25 to find a Nintendo Switch 2 under the tree.

There are definitely still some tweaks I'd love to see come to Mario Kart World, including the option to plan my own Knockout Tour routes across the game's open-world map. But this will more than do for now.

9.4/10

9/10

Mario Kart World

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Racing Open-World Placeholder Image

OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 97% Released June 5, 2025 ESRB Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact Developer(s) Nintendo Publisher(s) Nintendo Multiplayer Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer

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Genre(s) Racing, Open-World Powered by Expand Collapse

Gaming
Mario Kart World
Nintendo Switch 2

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