Welcome to the fifth volume of the Icebox. It’s crazy to think that I have been writing articles for two and a half years now! With another hot and enjoyable summer behind us, it’s time to get back on the cooling rack. What better way to do that than to talk about the coolest new video games of today?
Remember the whole deal with the Nintendo Switch 2? Well, I pulled the trigger and purchased one for myself. It only took about two weeks of vigorous hunting and a lucky chance-time opportunity at the GameStop in Hazleton, but I got my hands on a console, and I absolutely love it.
Anyway, the big release title of this console was none other than Mario Kart World. I have been indulging in the game quite a bit, especially since Wario is part of the meta. Did you know Wario is the unofficial mascot of Wilkes Esports?
Mario Kart World is a completely new take on the franchise that involves open-world racing, long-distance drives, and built-in ultra shortcuts. It’s a strange accumulation of all of the previous games with lots of new flavors to go with it.
There is a lot to unpack with this game. On the first look, you will notice that it is simply big. There are now twenty-four racers as opposed to the usual twelve. The race courses are super wide and long, most of which go by checkpoints instead of laps. There are lots of different ways to play the game. The new graphics capabilities of the Switch 2 have brought stunning visuals and sounds.
Mario Kart World also features a new art-style that is representative of the new phase of Mario games, which have been softly rebooted since the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. You can see that all of the characters look slightly different, and their voice actors are all brand-new. One particular character that stands out is Donkey Kong. Previously, DK’s design was that of the company Rare. Now, Nintendo has claimed its friendly primate once more with their proprietary, yet classic design.
On the topic of characters, this game has a lot…maybe even way too many. You can play as almost anything that has appeared in the Mario games. There are some questionable choices for the roster such as a cow, the Coin Coffer, and…Cataquacks? Basically, the characters that were once obstacles are now playable. What’s even more perplexing is the lack of previously playable racers like the Koopalings and DK’s friends. Alas, this is a new age for Nintendo. Fun isn’t the only thing on the table. You can expect frequent invitations for something different and silly.
When discussing characters in Mario Kart World, most people just talk about their go-tos on the roster based on who they like. For example, my go-tos are Wario and Donkey Kong. In this game, I also use Goomba quite often. However, Mario Kart games are also known for adding an element of statistical power behind each vehicle and character combination. What are the best options now?
The meta is still developing, so there are a lot of different combinations that work and some are better than others based on the race course. Right now, the meta seems to be the Baby Blooper vehicle. In this game, there are only choices for a character and a vehicle with no other modifications.
There seems to be a lot of focus on the stylishness of this game, which is probably Nintendo’s way of showing off their new console and designs. Characters can pick up different food items that unlock different costumes. Each region on the map is very unique in terrain and weather, and there are loads of amazing scenery.
In terms of gameplay, almost everything is the same. However, you can now acquire mini-turbos by holding down drift. This feature also lets you jump in any direction and gain a speed boost. You can also drive on walls, do tricks off any obstacle including other racers, and you can grind on railings. I bet Mario thought really long and hard about how he could turn a vehicle into a speedrunner and now we have this game.
Indeed, there is a lot to unpack with this game. There are a lot of things I haven’t even discussed in this article. I would recommend giving it a try at the nearest Nintendo Switch 2 demo stand. I eagerly await the different exploitations that speedrunners discover from this particular title.