Mario Kart World’s Free Roam Mode Is an Open World Road Trip You Can Take With Friends

During today’s Mario Kart World Direct, we finally got more details on the game’s brand new Free Roam mode, including a bit about how multiplayer it will be (very) and what you’ll be doing while driving around Mario Kart World’s…well, world.

Though we went hands on with Mario Kart World last week, we didn’t really get a proper look at Free Roam mode or what it entailed until today. Free Roam is a new feature to Mario Kart World, where you’re literally able to go anywhere on the game’s big, Forza Horizon-like world map. Unlike past Mario Kart games which have their race tracks separated out and only enterable when you’re racing, Mario Kart World scatters them across an open world, meaning you can drive from track to track in certain game modes and goof off in the spaces between.

When you’re not racing, Free Roam mode is a way to essentially have a little adventure. The world contains all sorts of hidden collectible goodies, like coins and ? panels, though we’re not sure just yet what collecting those actually does. There are also P-Switches scattered around, which can be hit to activate a small challenge such as collecting some blue coins.

Additionally, Free Roam mode allows you to activate a Photo Mode any time to take photos of your racers in various poses and angles. And Free Roam isn’t just a solo mode, either. You and your friends can drive around together in Free Roam, take photos, complete challenges, or just hang out. Free Roam supports up to four players roaming together on the same system via split screen, or up to eight total via local wireless play (two per system).

We saw a number of other details about Mario Kart World today in the Mario Kart World Direct, including new characters, courses, and modes. You can catch up on everything announced right here.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.