Mario Kart World: Initially Planned for Switch 1

The producer of Mario Kart World has disclosed that the game was initially developed for the original Nintendo Switch. Dive in to discover the fascinating journey of how the game evolved and the adaptations made during the transition to the Nintendo Switch 2.

Mario Kart World Developer Insights

Prototyping Began in 2017

Mario Kart World, the latest installment in the beloved racing-kart series, is set to launch with the Nintendo Switch 2. Interestingly, its development kicked off back in 2017, concurrent with the work on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

In a recent installment of Nintendo's Ask the Developer series on May 21, the team behind Mario Kart World provided insights into the game's origin. Producer Kosuke Yabuki revealed that after crafting a prototype in March 2017, the project officially took off by year's end. He noted that having perfected the formula with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the team was eager to expand the series' scope.

Yabuki also clarified why the new title isn't dubbed Mario Kart 9, as many fans anticipated. He explained that their ambition was to transcend simply adding more courses and elevate the series to new heights. Consequently, they opted for a fresh title, stating, "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 shared that the shift to developing for the Nintendo Switch 2 was considered by Yabuki as early as 2020. Although the team had an idea of what the next-generation console would entail, they didn't receive development units until much later. "Until then, we just had to proceed with development based on provisional estimates," Sato mentioned.

The developers aimed to ensure their vision aligned with the new console's capabilities. Sato elaborated, "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."

Once equipped with detailed knowledge of the Switch 2's specs, their concerns dissipated, and they became confident in realizing their vision. "I remember being overjoyed when I discovered we could express even more than we'd originally set out to," Sato recalled.

However, transitioning to the Switch 2 necessitated enhancing the quality of their assets. Art Director Masaaki Ishikawa noted that the graphics required more detail. Instead of feeling daunted, the art team felt relieved, as they could now implement richer elements like additional trees and more intricate terrain details, which were previously constrained by the original Switch's performance.

Cow Being a Playable Character

Fans were thrilled to learn from the game's trailer that Cow, previously a non-playable character, would now be a racer. In past titles, Cow often appeared in the background or as an obstacle.

Ishikawa explained that each new Mario Kart game traditionally introduces a new character. "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 fit into the game, sparking ideas about including more NPCs as playable characters in future iterations to enhance the interconnected world.

In addition to Cow's inclusion, the developers have focused on various aspects to achieve their vision of a connected world. The emphasis on diverse food types adds richness to the game's environment. Adjustments to the karts to navigate different terrains and ongoing changes to the tracks have been key focuses.

With all the exciting updates, fans are eager to see Mario return in this expansive new racing world. Nintendo is fully committed to the Switch 2, launching one of its most cherished franchises on the console's debut day.

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!