Mario Kart World Has a Small But Very Cool New Addition For Younger Players

The sequel will feature an option to automatically use items, joining a list of welcomed assists for kiddos still coming to grips with games.

Nintendo recently held a Mario Kart World Direct, where it revealed a little bit more about their flagship Switch 2 launch game for June It looks good, even if it’s a little strange that I’ve lived long enough for Mario Kart to dethrone a more straightforward Mario platforming game as the way you launch new hardware into the world. Ah well.

Prior to the Direct, I’d asked Nintendo if there were plans to expand on the driving assistant options in Mario Kart World, little ways of modifying how the game plays to make the game scale for younger players. I should have asked about while playing the Switch 2 in New York, but caught up in the moment, that question slipped my mind. 

Nintendo only confirmed the options from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe would be back.

During the Direct, however, Nintendo revealed they are increasing assistant options:

• Smart Steering: Prevents players from falling off the track

• Auto-Accelerate: The cars race at full speed without having to hold a button down

• Auto-Use Item: Items are deployed automatically (unclear if this happens immediately, or if there is any context that prompts the item to be used)

• Tilt Controls: You can tilt the Joy con to steer, instead of using an analog stick

It’s mostly the same, but new to Mario Kart World is “Auto-Use Item.” I feel like any parent who’s watched a young kid play Mario Kart has seen this happen. There is so much going on in Mario Kart—it’s sensor overload on purpose. It’s easy, then, to keep focused on the driving and completely forget you’re supposed to use your items.

So often, I’ll be playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with my five-year-old and realize halfway through the race she’s held the same item box for the entire time. If I’m lucky, I’ll remind her to use her item—or, more likely, just lean over and slap the Joy Con a few times to trigger it being used. (Those buttons are tiny, and I, for one, am thankful the equivalent button on the new Joy Cons will be easier for my children to hit properly.)

This is an excellent addition, and I hope indicative of Nintendo taking this seriously on Switch 2. Comparatively, here’s how the options looked in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 

These options were critical in the early days of teaching my kids how to play games. 

I do not think it's a coincidence Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was such a hit with my children at young ages—the game made them feel welcome, being able to play without feeling frustrated and left out. These days, my oldest plays “normally,” and my five-year-old is probably on the cusp of leaving these options behind. On days where we have a bunch of kids in the house, everyone can play Mario Kart together! It’s a special experience. 

Nintendo does not always hit the mark. See, for example, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, a game that ended up making my youngest feel bad while playing She never returned.

Mario Kart World? It’s clear my house—the whole house—is about to get obsessed.

You can watch the entire clip of Nintendo showing off these new features below:

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Also:

• I have a suspicion my children will spend more time in the open world than races. It looks gorgeous, low stakes, and you can make your own adventure.

• During the pre-order frenzy, I locked down two pre-orders, worried one of them might get cancelled. So far, they’re holding up. I’ll end up selling one to a friend.

• Speaking of Nintendo, where’s the Virtual Game Cards update? Nintendo promised it was coming in “late April,” but we’re running out of late April.