Knockout Tour guide

This is our guide to the Knockout Tour mode in Mario Kart World. Here, we’ve listed every rally and in the coming days, we’ll be providing all the best characters and karts to use to improve your odds of coming in first place across each of them.

Knockout Tour explained

Knockout Tour is a high-stakes elimination mode where racers compete across a series of tracks without a break. After each track in the race, the lowest-ranked players are eliminated. This continues until only the top four remain for a final showdown. It blends the chaos of standard races with the tension of survival, demanding consistent performance across multiple rounds and six distinct tracks.

This mode is available in both single-player and multiplayer formats, meaning you can compete against AI or other humans online. Its structure rewards not just speed, but smart racing: avoiding pitfalls, staying out of last place, and using items tactically to stay alive.

What’s included in Knockout Tour

• Eight Rallies: There are eight distinct Knockout Tours to complete, all with their own assortment of six different courses.
• Speed Tiers: 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc options help you fine-tune the difficulty of any given Knockout Tour

All Knockout Tour rallies in Mario Kart World

Knockout Tour tips

Consistency Beats Flash

You don’t need to win every course on the Tour — just avoid elimination. Finishing in the middle of the pack early on can be safer than risking shortcuts that could knock you into last.

Watch the Minimap

Keeping an eye on the minimap helps you identify who’s in danger of being eliminated and if you’re at risk. Make strategic decisions (like saving items or defending) based on your current placement.

Save Defensive Items

Red Shells and Lightning are more frequent in Knockout Tour — so hold bananas, green shells, or Super Horns for defense, especially in the final stretch of each round.

Prepare for the Long Haul

Knockout Tours can be a real grind. With six courses played out back to back, it’s a long road to the finish line. As a result, don’t burn out by pushing too hard in the early stages. All it takes is one Blue Shell to ruin your day. Play it safe, and play it as a marathon, not a sprint.

Adapt Between Rounds

Each track will demand a different strategy. For example, technical tracks might favor light characters with high handling, while faster circuits benefit from top-speed builds. You’ll want to pick a well-rounded character and kart combo to help you through all six tracks in a Tour.

Useful mechanics for Knockout Tour

• Mid-Race Comebacks:
  • Use mushrooms or Bullet Bills wisely — making a late move from 9th to 3rd can be the difference between survival and elimination.
• Staying Clean:
  • Avoid chaos at the start by steering wide. The pack tends to bunch up early, and getting caught in multiple item hits can instantly put you at risk.
• Elimination Awareness:
  • The end of every track drops multiple racers from the competition. Just because you’re not last, doesn’t mean you’re not at risk of falling out, so be wary of your position at all times.

Here’s some gameplay you can watch before deciding to dive in!

Coming soon:

• Best setups for 50c
• Best setups for 100cc
• Best setups for 150cc
• Best setups for Mirror Mode
• Tips & Tricks
• Mechanics
• Shortcuts
• Lap & Item tactics

Note: We will be updating this guide with more information and tips as time goes on.