Mario Kart World Buckle Up, Chaos Incoming!

The Making of ‘Mario Kart World’: ‘We Have to Think About the Chaos’

The wait is almost over, kart racing fans! It’s been eight long years since a brand-new Mario Kart title graced a Nintendo console. But get ready to rev your engines, because Mario Kart World is launching day one on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2!

Unlike 2017’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which was primarily an enhanced version of a previous game, Mario Kart World (arriving June 5th) is a completely new entry in the beloved franchise. It's built from the ground up to take full advantage of Nintendo’s next-generation console. Prepare for high-definition graphics, 24-player races, and sprawling, interconnected environments that promise to redefine the Mario Kart experience.

But as Nintendo veterans know, creating a sequel to such a classic isn't just about adding more content. The team at Nintendo EPD (Entertainment Planning & Development Division) faces the challenge of honoring the series' legacy while simultaneously introducing fresh, exciting ideas. Some of these ideas, producer Kosuke Yabuki reveals, are actually older concepts previously limited by hardware constraints.

Rolling Stone recently spoke with Mario Kart World producer Kosuke Yabuki to delve into the complexities of reinventing this iconic series for a new generation. They discussed designing the game's interconnected world and the critical role of balance in every aspect of the game.

An "Interconnected" World – But Not "Open"

Kosuke Yabuki, a Nintendo veteran since 2005, has a deep understanding of the franchise. He previously worked as a planner on Mario Kart Wii (2008) and directed Mario Kart 7 (2011) and Mario Kart 8 (2014). His vast knowledge is now being applied to shaping Mario Kart World.

Yabuki and his team had a clear vision from the start: they wanted to create something more than just "Mario Kart 9." Their key differentiators were an interconnected world and the ability to host 24 players in a single race, doubling the standard 12.

These ambitions, long held by the team, were previously unattainable due to hardware limitations. "What actually ends up being in the product itself is only that small tip of the iceberg," Yabuki told Rolling Stone. "But we think of the rest of the iceberg as a future treasure that we’re storing for later use."

Here are a few key features of this interconnected world:

• Free Roam: Players can explore the map at their own pace, discovering distinct geographical regions familiar to Mario fans, such as the Mushroom Kingdom and the volcanic areas surrounding Bowser's Castle.
• Course Placement: Dozens of courses are scattered throughout the world, allowing players to explore them outside of races.

Yabuki emphasizes the term "interconnected," clarifying that Mario Kart World is not a fully open-world game like Breath of the Wild or Forza Horizon. "When it comes to Mario Kart World, we naturally didn’t use the phrase ‘open world,’ because, for me, sometimes that definition can be a little bit unclear, ambiguous, and we want it to stay very specific," Yabuki says.

“The beginning of this project really was thinking about that vast interconnected world, and how do we layer on top of that all of the experiences that you’re accustomed to having in a Mario Kart game,” he explains. The development process required a major shift from traditional Mario Kart elements.

Unlike open-world games that may lack focus, Mario Kart World offers a series of detailed locations branching out across the overworld map. The team carefully considered the placement of each course within this network of routes, ensuring that each one is fun and engaging regardless of the direction players choose.

In Grand Prix and Knockout Tour modes, players will journey to their next race destination, making each circuit feel like a continuous gauntlet rather than isolated levels. Versus mode allows players to select geographically adjacent tracks to create their own paths around the overworld.

Balancing the Chaos

The scope of Mario Kart World extends beyond just the game's world; it also includes a significant increase in the number of racers. Doubling the participant count to 24 requires a complete overhaul of the game's systems to prevent the action from becoming overwhelming.

“In terms of balancing, we had to think not of this in terms of just the linear increase up to 24 players because, if we didn’t adjust anything else, you’d be receiving too many attacks and it would be too stressful of a gameplay experience,” Yabuki explains. "So, because of this kind of balance, we had to think about redesigning all elements from the ground up."

The team is carefully adjusting elements such as crashes, spins, and collisions to ensure that the game remains enjoyable and balanced with the increased number of racers.

While chaos is still a vital component of the Mario Kart experience, it needed to be rebalanced for the expanded scope. The 24-player races promise a new level of intensity and unpredictability, creating thrilling moments akin to a Mad Max climax.

“We have to think about the chaos element, as well. Sometimes, a free-for-all is a really fun experience, too,” Yabuki says. “So, we need to make sure that’s coming across as a fun element where it feels like anything could happen at any time.”

The element of surprise extends beyond just the in-race action; it also applies to the roster of racers. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features 50 characters. Mario Kart World is expected to rival that number, with additional unlockable outfits to customize each racer.

Among the new racers, several favorites have already emerged, including Pokey, Pianta, and Penguin. However, the most viral addition is undoubtedly Cow, previously known as an obstacle on the Moo Moo Meadows course.

Nintendo was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reaction to Cow as a playable character. “Yes, that was a very big reaction to the cow. We were certainly surprised,” Yabuki says. “The reaction really went beyond our imagination in terms of how happy people were and how excited.”

Adding Cow to the roster required some convincing. "I have to say that, in previous Mario Kart titles, we [had] to consider whether or not that character would be able to drive,” Yabuki explains. “Perhaps my old way of thinking was, ‘Well, surely they would need to have hands and feet to be able to drive.’ But I’ll say that’s come a long way for me, and maybe I’ve changed my thinking. So, now even characters like Goomba or Pokey, I think, ‘Okay, sure. They can drive.’”

Breaking Down the Guardrails

To evolve the gameplay for a new era, the team has carefully added depth to the base mechanics while avoiding drastic changes. The new interconnected world offers greater freedom and impacts how the game controls. New systems have been integrated into the game's design, but they are not mandatory for newcomers to learn.

“Mario Kart, as a series, is one of those games where you do expect that the player will play the game quite a lot, so we have to think about all of the different kinds of play styles that players will bring to the game, and also their chance to learn as they see other people doing interesting things,” Yabuki says.

The new abilities center around the Charge Jump move. By holding the right shoulder button (used for drifting), players can crouch and then jump, or flip in a chosen direction. This opens up possibilities such as rail grinding, wall riding, and even deflecting items.

The game remains accessible to new players but offers a high skill ceiling for dedicated fans. “I think there’s a great opportunity for the way they view the world itself to change,” Yabuki says. “They may see a guardrail as an obstacle in the beginning, but as they play more and they become more experienced and learn different moves, they will learn that they can use it to rail slide and all of the things that they can do using those obstacles in new ways.”

As with most Nintendo games, the Mario Kart series offers an open-ended experience that often belies its difficulty. Yabuki focuses on the franchise's past to create new challenges, rather than looking at other games. He aims to pinpoint the purest form of the game and make it accessible to newcomers.

“With the original Super Mario Kart, the idea of having 50cc, 100cc, 150cc [engines], for us, was sort having different difficulty levels,” Yabuki explains. “During development, the way that we developers approach the game is we try to think of 150cc as being the standard. We try to use 150cc to experience these newly designed courses first and make sure that they work at that engine size.”

When asked about the potential implementation of a higher, 200cc difficulty like the one added to Mario Kart 8, Yabuki remained coy. "Some players are really happy with the addition of high difficulty modes likes this,” he says. “However, does that mean we’re going to consider adding engine sizes that are larger than 150cc to Mario Kart World? I’m afraid I can’t say just yet.”

Mario Kart World is shaping up to be a fantastic addition to the franchise, blending the classic Mario Kart charm with innovative new features and a vast, interconnected world. Prepare for a wild ride when it launches on June 5th!

Tags: Mario Kart World, Nintendo Switch 2, Racing Game, New Release, Mario Kart, Nintendo, High-Definition, 24-Player, June 5, Gaming

Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-gaming/mario-kart-world-switch-2-nintendo-kosuke-yabuki-1235350685/