First off, I want to acknowledge that i am a big fan of the Mario Kart series. I also like that every version of the game brings innovation and changes to the table. Not all changes are good (i didn`t really like the two drivers in Double Dash) but change overall is great to keep things fresh.
The reason why i`m posting here and now is simple: I humbly believe Mario Kart World isn`t great in its current state. It doesn`t feel that far off from a great game but i find myself playing Deluxe 8 more than MK World less than 2 months after purchase.
Here are my biggest issues with the game:
1. RUBBER-BANDING: By FAR, the most annoying concept in any Mario Kart game. Ever notice that the AI is always right there trailing you? Regardless of how good you drove or your speed they are just one blue shell away from passing you and then... slow down to a crawl... There is no valid reason for this mechanic. This brings two core replayability issues
A) Extra pressure on other players: The AI sticking to the lead player makes it very difficult for the people in the middle or back of the pack to catch up without relying on items too much;
B) Invalidates caracters that have high max speed but low acceleration: Whats the point of being the fastest on the track if the AI is always at the same distance? You can`t build a lead to offset the fact that you will eventually be hit and your poor acceleration means you`re actually at a disadvantage.
[PROPOSED SOLUTION] Get rid of this mechanic or lower it`s effect so that players can hardly tell its present. I would recommend scaling AI speed with a constant ratio (based on CC) rather than a dynamic one.
2. ITEMS: There are a couple of issues with some of the items. I get that not all items should have the same impact on the game but some are just not even fun (IMHO).
2.1 Feather: Why does it have to slow the user down? It would actually be great if it gave a tiny boost instead (much smaller than a shroom or lunch). Also, it should probably be a valid counter to Blue shells. In its current state, 95% of the times i get this item, i try and get rid of it as soon as i see an item box coming up;
2.2 Blue shell: The item itself is fine i suppose. But paired with the "Rubber-Banding" effect, this is pretty bad. Considering there is very little items available to the player in first position to defend himself, it isn`t rare to get hit by a blue shell and fall to 8th or 9th spot because you were combo'ed by a series of reds, greens, bombs, etc. The feather should probably defend against the Blue shell.
2.3 Hammer: The concept of this weapon is pretty cool. But the hammers dont stay on the road long enough and it feels like the range is just a little short.
2.4 Coins: I like the concept of coins on the road and their effect on speed but the actual "2-coins" item is so boring and inconsequential. I would remove it from the game entirely. We already have the Coin Box and the Coin Shell. No need to burn a precious defensive option with this item in the rotation.
2.5 Mushrooms: This maybe controversial but i feel mushrooms (triple and golden to be specific) are too strong in their current state. You can easily move up 10 to 15 spots with just one golden or triple shroom. This is absurd and frustrating for the other players who are struggling to keep their higher position but only get access to trash items. I would recommend toning down their effect just a tad bit.
2.6 Triple red shells: Red shells shouldn`t be available in packs of three. Or at the very least, not in the top5 position while the "2 coins" is still in the item rotation. When in the middle of the pack or worse, i find the shells disappear mostly because other racers run into you. But there is little fun in being first or second and receiving 4 red shells over 10 seconds while having a banana and coins to defend yourself.
3- COURSE DESIGN: I personally prefer the "lap based" tracks over the "drive there" ones. Dont get me wrong, I believe having the option available is great and the "knockout tour" mode works very well with the "drive there" tracks. The problem is, the intermission tracks are forced on us pretty much in every mode (Grand prix, online vs, Knockout tour)
[PROPOSED SOLUTION]
A) Add customization option to Grand Prix mode (Lap based OR Intermission based tracks);
B) Add vote option in online lobbies to rule out either type based on racer preferences. In other words, some lobbies could democratically prefer intermission tracks, others lap based ones and the remainder could prefer a mix & match. This would empower players to either stick around in their current lobby or leave and find a different one that is more inline with their preferences.
Just to be clear, the game isn`t bad per say. It`s just not as good as it should be. Some minor balance tweaks and some "quality of life" improvements could go a long way into making this game absolutely amazing!
Thank you for reading and looking forward to feedback and counter-suggestions!
I think you made a lot of great points. The feather during a race is nigh-useless and as you said, it's probably going to slow you down more than anything, with no counter-positive alongside. More actual in-game blue shell counters would be really appreciated, as yeah, each of the other items should have a blue shell killer way out, if you time it just right/use it correctly. Totally agreed about the two-coin 'prize' there are SO many other coins absolutely everywhere.
I think everyone wishes there was just more 3-lap action, period.
@BruisedLee That was a lot of effort for something no one at Nintendo will likely ever read LOL.
I do agree with most you wrote. There are things I love about World, but overall, I am very disappointed with it. I much prefer 8. 8 is still peak Mario Kart to me despite it being a tired 10 year old game now.
BTW, you know triple red shells are a thing in every Mario Kart, right?
@BruisedLee You're not alone - I think MKW is definitely a 'pretty good' game but absolutely nothing ground-breaking, and certainly not worth the stand-alone ~$70-80 admission price.
I'm in the UK, and managed to get it as part of the Switch2 bundle. So all-in-all, the game itself was actually only 25 £GBP, which I think was excellent value for money. I put in about 20-25 hours, managed to get 3*** on all 150cc/MirrorMode courses (Grand Prix plus Knockout) and then put it down.
The open-world is mainly busy-work, and absolute insanity that there is no discernable in-game mechanic to keep track of your collectables (!)
My main issue though is the adaptive AI for the CPU drivers, especially on 150cc/MirrorMode. Essentially the 'better' you play (drifting, item use, boosts etc) the AI adapts and just becomes a nightmare. It is actually easier to win by just 'dumbing down' your playstyle and not drifting, using items. Really needs some tweaking.
The online is where this game pops though, and specifically Knockout Tour mode I think. But yeh, for me personally I'd give it a 7-ish out of 10.
So far on S2 I've had much more fun with Tony Hawk, WildHearts, Ninja Gaiden and of course Cyberpunk.
Kunitsu-Gami is also an amazing hidden gem that nobody seems to be talking about!
I've seen so many videos where they come back to the point that it's actually better for your MWK race to do less at almost every given opportunity. Kinda wild.
@vio It may very well be but i figured:
1. There's no harm intrying to make a point - This isn't a stab at Nintendo but rather constructive feedback (hence why there are proposed solutions instead of just whinning);
2. Test the water - If the concerns here mostly resonate with the community, then its not just "ME" that's disappointed.
And yes, i do know triple red shells have been a thing for a long while. As a matter of fact, if i recall correctly, i believe only the original Mario Kart didn't have them (single red shell only). On top of that, the shells "heat seeking" feature was much less advanced back then as reds could smash into walls if you just fired them without lining up the target first. But i digress My gripe with the 3 red shells in this game derives from the fact that the races are absolute chaos already; A combination of 24 players and item accessibility essentially means you can just "dump" your gear in order to cycle through a new batch of items while the people in first and 2nd spot may have a coin and a coin box items to defend themselves.
@CJD87 Haven't looked into the other games yet to be honest. I dont game much on Nintendo outside of Mario Kart I'll have a look tho!
@canaryfarmer I have not seen those videos but most certainly have a glance at noon. If that is accurate, that's pretty bad design
All great points. I'm just not excited for this game. Admittedly, I've been obsessed with Civilization for nearly six months, so when MK was released, I just wasn't in much of a mood for it or anything other than Civ. But as others have noted, it just doesn't feel ground-breaking. It seems like most of the folks who rave about it rate the exploration part highly. And also, for me, the retro tracks are a big part of the enjoyment. I'd rather see them closer to the original than a large-scale reimagine.
And yes, the Feather is a joke. I waste it as soon as I reach the next item box.
@Burning_Spear I've been there too with Civilization, it can be amazingly time and attention consuming. But MK is very different, ideal for casual races if that's what you want, and therefore complementary to these other games like Civ. But as I was saying, I have been there too so I understand what you mean.
I’ve really enjoyed the free roam mode in Mario Kart World, especially using the UFO to explore and unlock characters. It adds a whole new layer of discovery beyond racing, and the use of Kamek orbs on tracks makes the process feel magical and rewarding.
I would love to see some of the background creatures such as Spiny Cheep Cheep, Jellybeam, Ty-Foo, and Dragoneel added as unlockable drivers through this system. They already feel like part of the world’s personality, and unlocking them via exploration and/or race tracks with Kamek orbs would be a great way to celebrate the creativity of the track design.
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Topic: Mario Kart World: My Feedback
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