Mario Kart World Debuted on Switch 1

The producer of Mario Kart World disclosed that the game was initially crafted for the Nintendo Switch. Dive into this article to discover the game's origin story and the adaptations made during its transition to the Switch 2.

Mario Kart World Developer Insights

Prototyping Began in 2017

Mario Kart World marks the latest chapter in the beloved racing-kart series, set to debut alongside the Nintendo Switch 2. Development of this game began back in 2017, concurrent with the work on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

In the May 21 edition of Nintendo's "Ask the Developer" series, the team behind Mario Kart World provided a deep dive into the game's creation process. Producer Kosuke Yabuki mentioned that the prototype was developed in March 2017, and by year's end, the project was in full swing. He noted that the team had honed the series' formula with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and aimed to elevate it further.

Yabuki also shed light on why the new installment isn't titled Mario Kart 9, as many anticipated. He explained that the goal was to transcend merely adding more courses and truly innovate the series, hence opting for the fresh title, "Mario Kart World." He added, "So, we'd already added ‘MARIO KART WORLD’ to the concept art from the early stages of development."

Shifting to Switch 2

Programming Director Kenta Sato revealed that the idea to shift development to the Switch 2 surfaced in 2020. At that point, the team had a preliminary understanding of the next-gen console's capabilities, but it wasn't until they got their hands on actual development units that they could proceed confidently. "Until then, we just had to proceed with development based on provisional estimates," Sato explained.

The team's challenge was to ensure their ambitious vision could be realized within the Switch 2's performance envelope. Sato noted, "Of course, the Switch system's performance is sufficient for developing different kinds of games, but if we had included everything we wanted to in this game's vast world, then it wouldn't have run at 60 fps and would have suffered from constant framerate drops."

With a solid grasp of the Switch 2's capabilities, their concerns dissipated, allowing them to fully realize their creative vision. Sato reminisced, "I remember being overjoyed when I discovered we could express even more than we'd originally set out to."

However, moving to the Switch 2 required an upgrade in asset quality. Art Director Masaaki Ishikawa explained that graphics needed to be more detailed. Far from being daunted, the art team felt a sense of relief knowing they could now push the boundaries further.

The transition to the Switch 2 provided more room for enhancement, allowing them to enrich the game's visual elements, like adding more detailed terrain and richer art, which were previously limited by the original Switch's performance.

Cow Being a Playable Character

Fans were thrilled to see Cow introduced as a playable character in the game's trailer—a first for the series. Previously, Cow was merely a non-playable character, often part of the scenery or an obstacle.

Ishikawa shared that each new Mario Kart game introduces a fresh character to race as. He recounted, "And then one of the designers came up with that silly sketch of Cow cruising along, and I thought to myself, ‘This is it!’ (Laughs) So that's when we realized the course surroundings actually contained a lot of untapped resources." He was pleasantly surprised by how seamlessly Cow integrated into the game, sparking ideas about including more NPCs as racers in future titles, enhancing the interconnected world concept.

Beyond Cow's inclusion, the developers meticulously crafted various aspects of the game to achieve an interconnected world. They emphasized diverse foods to enrich the world's variety, made adjustments to karts to handle different terrains, and continuously refined the tracks.

With all these exciting updates, fans are eagerly anticipating Mario's return in this expansive new racing world. Nintendo is set to launch one of its flagship franchises on the Switch 2, signaling a strong start for the new console.

Mario Kart World is slated for release on June 5, 2025, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. Stay tuned for more updates by checking out our article below!