Mario Kart World’s map is not the canon version of the Mushroom Kingdom. Read on to learn more about how the developers approached the creation of their new map and what the game’s day one patch contains.
Mario Kart World's Map is Not the Canon Version of the Mushroom Kingdom
Interconnected Map Designed Specifically for Racing
Mario Kart World features a never-before-seen map that compiles classic locations in the Mario universe. However, Producer Kosuke Yabuki stated that this was not the canon version of everyone’s beloved Mushroom Kingdom.
In an interview with The Verge on June 3, Yabuki said that the interconnected map is designed specifically with racing elements in mind. He explained, "As you travel through this world, you will see things that remind you of the Mushroom Kingdom. Elements like the question mark blocks or warp pipes. In terms of world design, I would say this world was designed for Mario Kart World. If you look at the height of a mountain, or the length of a desert, those were all things that we decided specifically for this title."
Yabuki noted that they were not concerned about implementing real-world patterns for a town or an island, but rather creating a world dedicated to highlighting the enjoyment of racing. He also mentioned that making any changes would create this ripple effect that required the team to consider all angles, as everything in the game is interconnected.
"This means that in the end terrain design is actually quite a difficult task, because if you change one thing, you have to adjust many more," he elaborated. This made them rethink certain elements, especially with the racer count going from 12 to 24, and forced the team to "reconsider all elements from their fundamentals" to incorporate these changes.
Day One Patch Now Available
Ahead of its release, Nintendo posted the patch notes for Mario Kart World’s first update. Ver. 1.1.0 will enable CameraPlay, the new feature introduced for Switch 2 that allows players to generate a live feed of themselves to the game. This will require Nintendo’s new Switch 2 camera, which is sold separately.
Furthermore, the patch opens up the game’s online and LAN play, as well as the ability to upload and download ghost data in Time Trials. It also increased the number of characters you can select from the start and removed the time limit for choosing courses when playing Wireless Play or LAN Play.
Fans are excited to explore Nintendo’s new iteration of the Mario Kart series and ride around the interconnected map of the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario Kart World is set to release on June 5, 2025 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
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Mario Kart World’s designers had to rethink everything to make it open world
Latest update: Ver. 1.1.0 (Released June 4, 2025)
