3 reasons why the new 'Mario Kart' is the worst game in the series (and 3 reasons why it is the best)

With the launch of Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, the vast majority of gamers settled for the Mario Kart World that came included with the console. After all, paying 90 euros for a game is something that, at first, most of us reject (unless it’s a Zelda, a GTA, or we’re loaded with money). However, what should have been the Tetris of Switch 2 has fallen a bit short. Yes, of course it’s fun. It’s a Mario Kart, after all, […]

With the launch of Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, the vast majority of gamers settled for the Mario Kart World that came bundled with the console. After all, paying 90 euros for a game is something that, at first, most of us reject (unless it’s a Zelda, a GTA, or we’re loaded with money). However, what should have been the Tetris of Switch 2 has fallen a bit short. Yes, of course it’s fun. It’s a Mario Kart, after all, but with glaring errors that are impossible to overlook, which for many have turned it into the worst game in the entire saga. Are you coming to see if it’s the best they’ve ever made or the title from hell that some claim it is?

Worse: Unimaginative clues

We all remember authentic conceptual wonders like the Tic-Tac Clock, the Coconut Center, or the Sunny Airport. However, in Mario Kart World there are no thematic tracks, beyond sand or water: no matter how well-designed the courses are, nothing stands out because there is a lack of imagination and, why not say it, ambition. In the end, each of the tracks seems the same as the previous one, and they seem to have been afraid of success. The final result makes it impossible to remember a single one, no matter how many hours you put into it. What a shame.

Better: Non-repeating Circuits

That said, to Caesar what is Caesar’s: it is impossible to get bored because, unlike other Mario Kart sequels, learning the circuits is much more complicated. After all, most of the tracks, instead of repeating over and over, continue moving forward all the time, preventing you from repeating strategies and providing much more fun, longer races, and secrets to discover in the form of shortcuts. Future games in the saga should take note!

Worse: There are no major advances

It is impossible for Mario Kart World to have everything that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had, of course: 24 cups, 96 races, 42 characters… But the worst part is that it feels like a step back. There are no advancements of any kind and the gimmicks from other games in the series are not deep enough. There is no gameplay daring: at a basic level, it’s more of the same, with nothing that can surprise a player who is not an expert: the new items are more annoying than anything else, and I wish it weren’t so. It’s a shame.

Better: Interconnected Circuits

That said, there have been people thinking and with the intention of creating the most interconnected game in the entire saga. In each cup, instead of putting four circuits taken from here and there, there is both an aesthetic and gameplay connection, because it is set on an island: the sandy part, the water part, the countryside… This also opens up possibilities for the future with its inevitable DLC, and gives the feeling, as they intend at Nintendo, of playing in a complete world, with its open world and everything. That is not necessarily good.

Worse: The open world is incomplete

And the open world is completely empty. Yes, you can do a couple of challenges, but they would be more fun if you didn’t have to search for them on a gigantic map filled with absolute nothingness. Great idea to create different themed routes, but next time, if you want to include a free mode… could we have something to do in them, please?

Better: A New Way to Run

Indeed, there are no gimmicks (like flying, going underwater, or having a partner in the car), but the more veteran and competitive players will have a blast climbing the rails, gaining speed, finding secret shortcuts, and learning when and how to jump to maximize speed. Mario Kart World is not the game that casual fans wanted, but it is certainly the one that competitive players deserve. From there, you decide if it convinces you or if you better switch to Pokopia.

The release date for one of the most fun Nintendo games is already set

Nintendo has officially announced the arrival of Splatoon Raiders, a spin-off of the acclaimed Splatoon franchise, which will be released on July 23, 2026, on the Nintendo Switch 2. This new title, available in digital format, deviates from the multiplayer focus that has characterized the series to offer an experience centered on an exciting single-player mode. Sometimes you just want to be alone In Splatoon Raiders, players will take on the role of a mechanist exploring the enigmatic Spiralita islands, where they will join the members of the Surimi Clan: Megan, Angie, and Rayan. Unlike the previous installments […]

Nintendo has officially announced the arrival of Splatoon Raiders, a spin-off of the acclaimed Splatoon franchise, which will be released on July 23, 2026, on the Nintendo Switch 2. This new title, available in digital format, deviates from the multiplayer focus that has characterized the series to offer an experience centered on an exciting single-player mode.

Sometimes you feel like being alone

In Splatoon Raiders, players will take on the role of a mechanist exploring the enigmatic Spiralita islands, where they will join the members of the Surimi Clan: Megan, Angie, and Rayan. Unlike previous installments of Splatoon, which have focused almost exclusively on competitive combat, this game promises an enriched narrative and mechanics that allow for the use of a varied arsenal. Players will be able to upgrade their weapons, as well as have automatic turrets and area attacks to survive the hordes of enemies.

For those collectors, Splatoon Raiders will also feature three exclusive amiibo of the mentioned characters, which will provide an additional appeal to fans of the saga. With this move, Nintendo aims to expand its universe while maintaining the essence of the series, but exploring new facets that could attract both new players and the many followers of Splatoon.

In addition to the single-player mode, the title will allow the option to play in cooperative mode with up to four friends, suggesting a shared experience that will follow the colorful and dynamic footprint that has defined Splatoon since its inception. Without a doubt, Splatoon Raiders is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases within a catalog of video games that already includes recognized titles like Mario Kart: World and Donkey Kong: Bananza.

The Game Awards crowned the game of the year last night amid huge controversies

Last night was the Game Awards, a gala that aspires to be the Oscars of video games. And among all the announcements made, of which we have highlighted the most important of the night, they also gave out a few awards. Giving them different weight and importance, it still isn’t the Oscars, but it has become the big gala of video games. And it is also an awards show where it is easy to attend to discover what is being cooked up in the industry at all levels. Before diving into the big winners and losers of each category, it is important […]

Last night was the Game Awards, a gala that aims to be the Oscars of video games. Among all the announcements made, of which we have highlighted the most important of the night, several awards were also given. Giving them different weight and importance, it still isn’t the Oscars, but it has become the major gala of video games. And it is also an awards ceremony where it is easy to attend to discover what is being cooked in the industry at all levels.

Before diving into the big winners and losers of each category, it’s important to provide a brief summary. Knowing how many nominations each of the involved parties had is essential.

The big favorite of the night was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. With 13 nominations, the French game had a hard time not leaving as the big winner of the gala, especially when no one had received so many nominations in the history of the Games Awards. Following closely were Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Ghost of Yotei, with 7 nominations, and Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 6 respectively. Among the surprises were Split Fiction, which only had 4 nominations, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Silent Hill f, which only managed 3.

How did it turn out for everyone? With few surprises, to be honest. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was the biggest winner with 9 statuettes out of the 13 that could be won, leaving no room for anyone else. In that sense, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Ghost of Yotei are the big losers of the night, as they went home empty-handed despite all their nominations. A big disappointment for Sony.

Creators, players, and online

Among the most unique categories are those of esports and creators. Here, Counter-Strike 2 stood out particularly. Winning both the award for best esports and having a Counter-Strike 2 team, Team Vitality, win the award for best esports team, Valve has been the big winner in this category. Although there were no surprises, Jung “Chovy” Ji-hoon took home the title of best esports athlete for League of Legends after an excellent Worlds.

For his part, MoistCr1TiKaL has won the award for best content creator of the year. With tough competition from Kai Cenat, it is quite likely that being a much more likable figure in public outside of the streaming fandom itself has had an impact.

Among the awards separated from the rest of the categories, Wuthering Waves won the Players’ Voices largely due to the rewards offered by Kuro Games for players to vote for their game. In the most anticipated game category, GTAVI won, much to absolutely no one’s surprise, and for best adaptation, the second season of The Last of Us took home the big prize. Similarly, Doom: The Dark Ages achieved its only award by winning innovation in accessibility for its numerous difficulty options.

A game that has eclipsed all others

Entering the major categories, it is evident that there is a clear winner above all others. That does not take away from the fact that there have been some quite interesting awards. Mario Kart World won best sports game, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles won best strategy game, and Donkey Kong Bananza won best family game.

In the field of action-focused games, Hades 2 won best action game and Hollow Knight: Silksong won best action-adventure game. The highly questionable Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves won best fighting game, not without controversy.

As no surprise to anyone, ARC Raiders won the award for best multiplayer game. And its main competitor, Battlefield 6, won best sound design, rightly taking the award from Expedition 33. In the impact games category, the interesting South of Midnight won, and No Man’s Sky won for best support. Additionally, The Midnight Walk won best VR game and Umamusume: Pretty Derby won best mobile game, resulting in a well-distributed set of secondary awards.

But at the end of the day, there was only one big winner. A game that took it all. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won the awards for best role-playing game, best indie game, best indie debut, best soundtrack and music, best art direction, best narrative, best direction, and game of the year. Accumulating all the technical awards, except one, and all the big awards, becoming the grand prize of the year according to the Game Awards. Even if there has been some controversy over whether it should be considered an indie game or not.

With this, the Game Awards concluded, much less distributed than usual, although with great announcements and a clear winner. Something that gives us a clear perspective on the situation of the mainstream video game industry.

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The updates for the two best-selling Switch 2 games come with major improvements

It is clear that the Switch 2 has enjoyed a strong initial boost thanks to Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. And now both titles have received recent updates that enhance the gaming experience and address issues raised by players. Things to polish The 1.3.0 version of Mario Kart World includes several significant improvements in Free Roam mode. Now, players can enjoy this mode with a second player, allowing for friendly races even in full games. Additionally, the update makes it easier to collect items, as players will now receive notifications about which items […]

Things to Polish

The version 1.3.0 of Mario Kart World includes several significant improvements in Free Roam mode. Now, players can enjoy this mode with a second player, allowing for friendly races even in full games. Additionally, the update makes it easier to collect items, as players will now receive notifications about which items they have already found on the map, thus optimizing the exploratory experience.

Likewise, frustrating bugs that affected the ranking system and caused crashes in Bowser’s castle when using the Bullet Bill have been fixed. These corrections, while not drastic changes, significantly improve the quality of life of the game, ensuring a smoother experience for users.

On the other hand, Donkey Kong Bananza has also received its version 2.0.1, although with more limited fixes. This update resolves an alignment issue with the character Pauline’s voices depending on the system language. Players will also see a fix for a bug that prevented them from claiming a disc as a reward for finding all the balloons in the Bananza Rehearsal mode.

Recently, a video from Mario Kart World has shown NPCs carrying out car thefts, adding a touch of humor to the gameplay. Meanwhile, Donkey Kong Bananza released a new DLC titled Emerald Rush, which allows players to enjoy the roguelite mode and keep playing indefinitely, adding even more value to the gaming experience.

Everything we know about the new racing game from Nintendo that aims to dethrone Mario Kart World

Although currently Mario Kart is Nintendo’s iconic racing game, it is not the only one. It hasn’t even always been the most popular and relevant. There was a time when the company’s premium racing game was F-Zero and the one that received favored treatment was this one. But those are no longer our times and unfortunately, we have to settle for things like F-Zero 99. Fortunately, creators like Masahiro Sakurai can do whatever they want within Nintendo, including a kart game that is not Mario Kart, and thus Kirby Air Ride was born. Kirby […]

Although Mario Kart is currently Nintendo’s iconic racing game, it is not the only one. It hasn’t even always been the most popular and relevant. There was a time when the company’s premium racing game was F-Zero and, the one that received favored treatment, was this one. But those are no longer our times and unfortunately, we have to settle for things like F-Zero 99. Fortunately, creators like Masahiro Sakurai can do what they want within Nintendo, including a kart game that is not Mario Kart, and thus Kirby Air Ride was born.

Kirby Air Ride is a racing game released in 2003 for the Nintendo Game Cube. Although it was a critical failure and never achieved the sales of other titles from the company, perhaps because it was released almost at the same time as two of the most notable driving games in Nintendo’s history —F-Zero GX and Mario Kart: Double Dash, for many, the two best games in their respective franchises—, it managed to sell over a million copies worldwide. Creating a cult following for the game.

This has allowed for the announcement of a sequel: Kirby Air Riders, in anticipation of Nintendo Switch 2. To tell us everything, they have made a 45-minute Direct to clarify all the relevant details about the game. And we have come to explain it to you in detail.

What’s new

One of the peculiarities of the original game is that it had a single pilot: Kirby. Although it had different colors, what made the difference were the different ships, which defined different ways to play. Sometimes, in an absolutely radical way. These were not just differences in maneuverability or acceleration, but some could be controlled in completely different ways. But in this sequel, they have decided to add a new feature: pilots.

Now, in addition to Kirby, we can choose other iconic characters from the franchise such as King DeDeDe, Bandana Waddle Dee, or Meta Knight, among many others. Each with their own specials that will give them unique characteristics when playing.

Because another addition to the game is that it is now controlled not only with the joystick and one button, but with the joystick and two buttons. We need a second button to activate the special button, which is associated with the character we have chosen. It can involve charging with great acceleration, making particularly intense attacks, or throwing super spicy curry plates to incapacitate the other racers around.

What’s old about it

As in the original game, we will not have a button to accelerate or need to press forward to advance. Our pilot will move forward without us having to tell them to do so. The available button that is not for executing our special is the brake, which will allow us to drift and charge our ship’s acceleration, forcing us to know when to use it not only to avoid losing speed but also to gain acceleration at critical moments. As any veteran player of Kirby Air Ride will know.

In addition, it has been confirmed that the Air Ride modes and urban trials will return. The former are races of up to six people in lavish settings where mastering the characteristics of our pilots and ships will be essential. The latter are a kind of arenas for up to 16 people where we will have to face other pilots while collecting bonuses for our pilot to reach a final arena, where the winner will be the one who achieves the best result in the final trial.

When is it released and what is its price

With a release date set for November 20 and a price of 70 euros, both in physical and digital formats, it is significantly cheaper than Super Mario Kart World. Although with 25 gigabytes confirmed, it is also quite a bit heavier than that one.

What is all that extra space used for? We don’t know, because as Sakurai explained in the presentation, many things have been left unsaid. Extra modes present in the original game have not been shown, the character selection UI seems suspiciously empty, and there is still more than enough time to share even more details about the game. But what is clear is that anyone looking for a kart game that is less of a party game and more of a technical racing game that favors learning and technique above all else, Kirby Air Riders is the title you shouldn’t miss this year.

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Nintendo Switch 2 breaks a record previously set by PlayStation 4

The Nintendo Switch 2 has set a new milestone in the video game industry by becoming the fastest-selling video game hardware device in U.S. history. During its launch month in June 2025, 1.6 million units were sold, surpassing the previous record of 1.4 million units sold by the PlayStation 4 in November 2013, a mark that stood intact for nearly 12 years. The console that has sold the most units in a shorter period of time Mat Piscatella, executive director and industry analyst of […]

The Nintendo Switch 2 has set a new milestone in the video game industry by becoming the fastest-selling video game hardware device in U.S. history. During its launch month in June 2025, 1.6 million units were sold, surpassing the old record of 1.4 million units sold by the PlayStation 4 in November 2013, a mark that remained intact for nearly 12 years.

The console that has sold the most units in the shortest period of time

Mat Piscatella, executive director and video game industry analyst at Circana, highlighted that, in addition to the impressive launch of the Switch 2, consumer spending on video game hardware and accessories reached record figures for the month of June. This demonstrates a renewed interest in the console market, despite previous concerns about potential price increases due to tariff rates.

The success of the Switch 2 was also reflected in the sales of its accessories. The Pro Controller, which had a connection rate of 32%, became the best-selling accessory in terms of dollars during the launch month. This means that for every three Switch 2 consoles sold, one Pro Controller was purchased, a figure that highlights the interest in enhancing the gaming experience.

Additionally, 82% of Switch 2 buyers chose to purchase a physical copy of Mario Kart World, highlighting the ongoing appeal of Nintendo’s flagship titles. This figure excludes digital sales, suggesting that interest in this game could be even greater.

The influence of the Switch 2 also extends to third-party games; Cyberpunk 2077, for example, experienced an impressive increase in sales, climbing from 427th to 18th place on the best-selling games list after its release on the console. This indicates that the new platform not only fosters interest in Nintendo games but also revitalizes titles from other developers.

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The former head of Playstation shares his opinion on the 90 euro games for Switch. He finds it justified

The prices of video games have escalated to levels that have begun to generate discontent among players. With the recent release of Mario Kart World, Nintendo has set the price of the physical version at 90 euros, breaking the barrier of 80 euros that began to be established in the industry. This price increase is not limited to Nintendo, as other companies, including Xbox, have already raised the cost of their consoles, games, and accessories, and it is rumored that more brands will follow this trend. Within reach of a few Shuhei Yoshida, former head of PlayStation, has shared his perspective […]

The prices of video games have escalated to levels that have begun to generate discontent among players. With the recent release of Mario Kart World, Nintendo has set the price of the physical version at 90 euros, breaking the barrier of 80 euros that began to be established in the industry. This price increase is not limited to Nintendo, as other companies, including Xbox, have already raised the cost of their consoles, games, and accessories, and it is rumored that more brands will follow this trend.

Within reach of a few

Shuhei Yoshida, former head of PlayStation, has shared his perspective on this matter in a recent interview, where he discusses the value of video games in relation to the hours of entertainment they provide. Yoshida argues that not all games should have a uniform price, as each title offers different value to the player. According to him, the price should be determined by publishers and developers based on the budget and quality of the game.

In a previous interview, Yoshida emphasized that players should not complain so much about video game prices, as long as they are aware of how they spend their money. He suggested that inflation in other sectors has outpaced the price increases in the world of video games, implying that companies have been slow to adjust their prices in response to these inflationary trends.

The controversy surrounding video game prices is clear: while some defend the increases based on the value they offer, other players express their frustration. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be vital to observe how both companies and consumers react to these price changes and what implications they will have for the future of interactive entertainment.

At Nintendo, they believe that you are not hitting enough objects in Mario Kart World and they want to change that

Nintendo has released the first post-launch update for its popular game, Mario Kart World, fixing several bugs that affected the player experience. Although no drastic changes were implemented, the update includes a series of fixes that improve overall gameplay. Changes that not only include that you now eat more shells Among the most significant fixes is the solution to a problem in DK Spaceport, where players sometimes slid through a wall before the finish line. A bug that caused players to be unable to […]

Nintendo has released the first post-launch update for its popular game, Mario Kart World, fixing several bugs that affected the player experience. Although no drastic changes were implemented, the update includes a series of fixes that improve overall gameplay.

Changes that not only include that you now eat more shells

Among the most significant corrections is the solution to a problem in DK Spaceport, where players would sometimes slide through a wall before the finish line. A bug that caused players to be unable to return to their correct position after falling between Airship Fortress and Bowser’s Castle while gliding has also been fixed. To top it off, issues that prevented the use of items during races were also resolved, which can further increase the chaos and fun in competitions.

The update also addresses recurring issues such as game crashes that occurred after competing online or after watching post-race replays. Communication errors that could arise when joining friends in career modes have been fixed, which will undoubtedly make the online experience smoother. A bug that made controls inoperable when selecting a character on the Free Roam map has also been rectified, as well as inconsistencies in score fluctuations in Knockout Tour and Online Play modes.

The voice actor of Mario expressed his excitement about the experience of playing Mario Kart World, commenting that “it’s truly amazing to hear myself” in the game. With these corrections, players can expect a more polished and thrilling experience on the tracks, further reinforcing the popularity of this installment of the iconic racing franchise.

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Before we only saw this character in the background on some screens, and now he will be playable in Mario Kart World

The cow, a character that previously only served a decorative role in the popular Mario Kart universe, has gained a prominent place as a playable character in the upcoming title ‘Mario Kart World’ for Nintendo Switch 2. This change, which promises to revolutionize gameplay, is due to the vision of producer Kosuke Yabuki, who argues that by breaking with traditional conventions, characters without limbs, like Goomba and Pokey, can also be playable. Muuuuchos will want to play with this character For years, players could only see cows in the background, as an obstacle in the Moo Moo stage […]

The cow, a character that previously only served a decorative role in the popular Mario Kart universe, has gained a prominent place as a playable character in the upcoming title ‘Mario Kart World’ for Nintendo Switch 2. This change, which promises to revolutionize gameplay, is due to the vision of producer Kosuke Yabuki, who argues that, by breaking with traditional conventions, characters without limbs, such as Goomba and Pokey, can also be playable.

Many will want to play with this character

For years, players could only see the cows in the background, as an obstacle in the Moo Moo Meadows stage. However, the idea that this adorable character could drive a kart went from being a fan dream to a reality in ‘Mario Kart World’, a title that will be available from the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. In a brainstorming session among the developers, the cow was envisioned driving a tiny truck, which led to the realization that other background characters could also be included as competitors.

The inclusion of the cow has sparked an overwhelmingly positive response among fans, who have flooded social media with fan art and tributes. Yabuki expressed his surprise at the level of enthusiasm generated by the announcement, highlighting that it has exceeded their expectations regarding the warm reception from the public. We hope everyone continues to choose classic characters like Peach and Mario, he stated, although he also anticipates that many will opt for new characters like the cow and the penguin.

With ‘Mario Kart World’, a range of possibilities opens up for the franchise, and the developers are excited about the new directions the game can take. Although the idea of characters without hands or feet at the wheel may seem absurd, the premise of surprising and entertaining players remains. It is speculated that this new design philosophy will transform the way players experience Nintendo’s already iconic racing title.

Mario Kart World will make use of one of the great new features of Switch 2

Nintendo has taken a significant step in social interaction within video games with the implementation of GameChat in Mario Kart World, a feature that allows players to see their friends’ facial expressions in real time while competing. This new system not only enhances the gaming experience but also aims to intensify the typical emotions of friendly confrontations, taking the competitive dynamic to an unprecedented level. Mario Kart World will make extensive use of GameChat. According to the developers, the fun lies in capturing the reactions of opponents when hitting them with items inside […]

Nintendo has taken a significant step in social interaction within video games with the implementation of GameChat in Mario Kart World, a feature that allows players to see their friends’ facial expressions in real time while competing. This new system not only enhances the gaming experience but also aims to intensify the typical emotions of friendly confrontations, taking the competitive dynamic to an unprecedented level.

Mario Kart World will make extensive use of GameChat

According to the developers, the fun lies in capturing the reactions of opponents when hitting them with objects in the game, merging humor and competition in a format that promises comedic and memorable moments. Kenta Sato, programming director, explains that if all players use a camera, it makes it easier to identify who is controlling each character, but it also allows players to enjoy the comedic expressions that arise during the game, like that “slight look of desperation” that all players will recognize after being caught off guard by a blue shell.

Historically, Mario Kart games only displayed the names of opponents, limiting personal interaction. With GameChat, Nintendo transforms this experience, clearly emphasizing that friendships can witness intense rivalries: “Friendships are not just collateral damage of party games; they are targets that Nintendo aims to impact directly,” commented the development team, suggesting that laughter and frustration intertwine in every match.

The gaming community has responded with enthusiasm to this news, anticipating the reactions and emotions that the use of GameChat will bring during games among friends. Everything indicates that Mario Kart World will not only be a virtual battlefield but also a stage for laughter, jokes, and perhaps a friendship or two put to the test.

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