Mario Kart World’s Coolest New Features Explained: Items, Tricks, Food, Modes, and More

Nintendo just wrapped up its April 2025 Mario Kart World Direct, revealing details about new items, modes, and more about those strange snacks players can chomp into when the Nintendo Switch 2 launches this June.

Nintendo’s latest entry into its long-running kart racing spinoff series looks like the next big step for Mario and co. That’s thanks in part to a smorgasbord of both new and returning items, while other familiar features have either been given small tweaks or total facelifts. Mario Kart World dived into a solid slice of everything players can expect in its 15-minute presentation, so we made sure to gather the highlights.

Items

The biggest question block hanging over everyone’s heads has had players questioning which wacky items they’ll be able to toss at their friends come June. Nintendo’s got a fittingly wacky answer that includes spins on items and abilities that may be able to be paired with some of Mario Kart World’s new features.

Items like the Bullet Bill and Lightning appear to function just as you remember. The former sends players flying forward at breakneck speeds, while the latter stops and shrinks opponents, though now it also causes it to start raining in the game now that Mario Kart has introduced weather effects. Meanwhile, classic items like the Feather also remain largely unchanged, but now, players can use them to not only hop over some of the many new track hazards but also reach new areas, high-up rails, and even shortcuts.

New items have plenty to bring to the table, too. The Coin Shell is a golden shell variant that leaves a trail of coins for you – and your enemies – as it moves forward through the track ahead of its thrower. Kamek is an especially wild addition, as the Koopa wizard can be spawned to transform each of your opponents into something completely new. Other highlights include Hammers that now stick in the ground for a short time and a slightly tweaked Ice Flower that can seen multiple opponents spinning at a time.

One of Mario Kart World’s more mysterious items are those new food-related abilities. These are called Dash Foods and come in the form of tasty burgers, plates of sushi, kebabs, and more. These are collectibles that can be acquired around Mario Kart World’s giant map and, once gobbled up, unlock new outfits to use elsewhere. In case you were wondering, yes, the Moo Moo Meadows Cow can, in fact, eat burgers.

New Tricks

Tricks have been an important part of Mario Kart since 2008’s Mario Kart Wii, and in Mario Kart World, they’ve been given added importance. You can charge jump straight from the track this time around, allowing you to not only short hop over items but fully clear hazards like other vehicles, too. It should help reach those out-of-reach rails to grind on as well, with additional tricks in the air giving players the ability to gain a bit of extra air.

Tricks will also help players leap toward and latch onto walls, which can be hopped between to find new portions of a track and even some hidden item blocks. Chaining tricks together can be tricky, so if you find yourself missing a particular jump to a high-up ledge, a new Rewind feature will help you turn back the clock for a few moments to hone your skills.

Modes

While modes like Grand Prix and Time Trials are back, Mario Kart World comes with loads of new modes, too. Knockout Tour is one of the more substantial additions, as it allows players to compete to stay ahead of the pack across extended races. Those who fall behind are in danger of being, well, knocked out.

Time Trials are one returning mode that have been beefed up to accommodate Mario Kart World’s improved multiplayer functionality. When hopping online, players will have the option to download data from other racers from around the world. Longtime Mario Kart fans will also be happy to know that fan-favorite modes like VS Race, Balloon Battle, and Coin Runners are back and feature some of those new tracks to fight off friends with. There’s also a full-on photo mode, which can be used to capture iconic moments when cruising around the world.

Of course, Mario Kart World’s biggest new mode is its open-world-inspired free roam feature, which allows players to explore its vast map and all of the tracks it houses. We explained everything you need to know about this major addition to the Mario Kart universe and how you can play it with your friends here.

Mario Kart World launches alongside the Switch 2 June 5. We’re still waiting for Nintendo to set a new date for pre-order options in the US and Canada following their delay earlier this month. Meanwhile, the topic of the console’s price remains one detail that continues to take over Nintendo comment sections. Today’s Mario Kart World Direct was no exception, as players made sure its chat sections were filled with comments like “drop the price.”

For more on Mario Kart World, you can read up on all of the new characters and tracks arriving this June. You can also see how players have been reacting to the title’s controversial $80 price tag and how Nintendo attempted to address it. Finally, for everything else announced during today’s Direct, you can click here.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).