Nintendo makes a drastic change to Mario Kart World, and fans are furious
The biggest game on Switch 2 is getting a lot of backlash
😡 A recent update to Mario Kart World has left fans furious after changes to the ‘Random’ course selection have had drastic consequences
🎲 Previously, choosing ‘Random’ would usually result in a standard 3-lap race, Nintendo's recent change sees the intermission race type become a lot more common
😤 Fans aren't happy with this change, with one going as far to call the game a "waste of money" and that they would steer clear until Nintendo changed it back
🤷♂️ It isn't clear if Nintendo will revert the change in the future
Nintendo has made a drastic change to the way online VS races in Mario Kart World work, and fans aren't happy with its decision.
A new update for one of the best Switch 2 games has brought numerous fixes, such as where rate fluctuations were displayed incorrectly in both Online Play and Knockout Tour modes, as well addressing an issue where you couldn't recover quickly after falling off the Dino Dino Jungle course.
However, there is a more startling change, simply referred to in the patch notes as "Adjusted courses selected in “Random” when selecting next course in a wireless “VS Race.”
On its own, that sounds quite innocuous, but it has had an unintended consequence for fans wanting to play online in Mario Kart World.
Mario Kart World at Best Buy - $79.99
Mario Kart World at GameStop - $79.99
Before the update, selecting a standard race when playing online provided the option of either an intermission race from a set of three courses or a random race. The random race would usually be a standard 3-lap option, as opposed to being an intermission event, for more of a traditional Mario Kart experience.
According to a lot of fans, the new update has redressed the balance between the two race types, but has gone too far one way. It is now increasingly likely that you'll get an intermission race when you hit random that incorporates a rolling start where you drive across the roads to the track, as opposed to the 3-lap options from before.
Fans aren't particularly happy with this change, especially on the Famiboards forum, where one fan had stated that they were "genuinely having fun playing this game and perfecting the three lap tracks for online" and that Nintendo's change has "just ruined all of that practice".
Another fan also went as far as calling Mario Kart World a "waste of money" since the change, noting that they wouldn't "touch this game until this tone deaf and idiotic decision is fixed". Others are proclaiming Mario Kart World is “dead” because of the change.
It isn't clear if Nintendo will revert back to the old random system in a future Mario Kart World update, although it definitely seems to have caught a lot of players off guard. An ideal solution would likely to be offer a mode for those who want to enjoy 3-lap races only, similar to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and those who prefer the new mechanic where you race between courses.
Nintendo recently confirmed that Mario Kart World won't get legendary characters like Link anytime soon and explained that the Nintendo Switch 2 was a 'ray of hope' for the game’s development.
Mario Kart World’s update is unlikely to deter anyone from picking up a Nintendo Switch 2, as the console continues to sell out. We’re tracking every Switch 2 restock, and believe the next Nintendo Switch 2 restock at Walmart will take place mid-July.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.