Mario Kart World walkthrough

Mario Kart World has gone large, featuring an open world, plenty of cups, tons of characters, and even more Karts to drive. So, if you’ve just gotten into the game and don’t know where to start, here’s a full walkthrough on getting started.

Getting started

Once you’re in Mario Kart World, the best thing to do first is to head into the different game modes. You’ll want to play the Grand Prix first, as it’s the most ‘standard’ mode that many will already recognize.

This will have you racing four separate races at whatever speed you choose, 50cc, 100cc, or 150cc. It’s a perfect way to get used to the adventure and driving styles. For the best cup, check out our section below.

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Then, you’ll want to try the Knockout Tour, which has you exploring the map a little more while still racing. It’s not for the faint-hearted and will undeniably challenge your driving skills.

Lastly, once you’ve tried the two main modes, head back into the menu and press + to enter Free Roam. From there, the adventure is yours. Explore, keep racing, or unlock all the hidden easter eggs, Mirror Mode, P-Switches, and outfits.

Best cups to play first

When you first enter Grand Prix, you’ll uncover seven different cups to play. Don’t worry, an eighth is unlocked once you complete all the different cups, featuring Rainbow Road as a reward.

We suggest trying the following cups first:

• Shell Cup
• Banana Cup
• Mushroom Cup

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These three all house the main challenges you’ll face in different races. The Shell Cups’ Crown City will teach you all about tricks and grinding, while Dino Dino Jungle from the Banana Cup will force you to learn how to dodge. Lastly, the Mushroom Cup features plenty of unique tracks as well as the beginner-friendly Mario Bros. Circuit.

From there, complete the rest in any order you choose.

Best beginner characters & karts

Before you dive into the Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, Time Trials, or Free Roam, you’ll be instructed to select a character and a kart. Each character and vehicle have different stats, so there’s an underlying meta you’ll need to adhere to if you want to succeed.

For beginners, we suggest trying the following combinations:

• Peach + Funky Dorrie
• Mario + Standard Kart
• Yoshi + Chargin’ Truck

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For more best characters and kart builds, be sure to check out our rundown of the best combos.

How to unlock all vehicles in Mario Kart World

A decent chunk of ATVs, Bikes, and Karts, are available right from the get-go when first firing up the game, but to have all 40 unlocked, you’ll need to collect Coins dotted throughout Mario Kart World. Luckily, these are found everywhere in-game, and across all six of the games different modes — even Free Roam!

Nintendo / Dexerto

For every 100 you pick up, you’ll be rewarded with a new vehicle at random, up to a maximum of 3,000 Coins at the current cap. Once you’ve reached that cap, you’ll have them all.

A quick way to tell if you’ve unlocked everything is through the game’s vehicle screen. If you’ve still got ones to collect, there’ll be greyed out vehicles with a ? icon, at the far right of the selection menu –but after getting them all, this will disappear.

We’d suggest heading out to the Free Roam Mode if you’re looking to unlock everything as quick as you can, as the game’s highways tend to have cars that have coins trailing behind them (which regenerate pretty quickly, too!) for ultimate farming potential.

Nintendo / Dexerto

How to do tricks

There are multiple tricks you can do in Mario Kart World. If they’re done right, they’ll offer you a speed boost and could win you the race.

Grinding & Wall Riding

Rail Grinding and Wall Riding are the two newest additions to Mario Kart World. To perform them, hold ZR while going straight until your wheels pop. Then, while holding it down, aim towards the wall or railing and release ZR. You’ll jump and perform the trick.

Jump

Jumping is one and the same as Grinding and Wall Riding. Hold down ZR while going straight until your wheels pop and release to jump. Doing so will give you a small speed boost when you land. Of course, you’ll have to time it right.

Drift

Drifting isn’t new to Mario Kart, but it’s extremely important. Whenever you’re turning, hold down ZR and begin to drift. As you power up the drift, the flames will change color on the back of your Kart. There are three stages, each giving a longer speed boost.

It’s worth noting, when you start the game, Smart Steering will be turned on by default, which stops you from using the third level of drift. So, deactivate it if you’re confident enough with your steering.

Drafting

Drafting is a relatively unknown trick, but it’s vital if you need a little speed boost.

If you’re behind another racer, be sure to tuck into their movements and try to stay close behind them. Doing so will allow you to ‘Draft’ and you’ll earn a speed boost so you can fly past them. It’ll be marked by wind encompassing your character.

What to do in Free Roam

While in Free Roam, knowing where to go and what to check out can be a little overwhelming, but there are four types of activities you’ll want to focus on:

P-Switches

P-Switches are a wonderful little challenge for you to explore throughout Free Roam. They’re not easy and will involve you perfecting tricks.

For more information on where to find them, check out our P-Switch location guide.

Question Panels & Peach Medallions

Question Panels and Peach Medallions are two more types of hidden collectible you can uncover in Free Roam. They’ll reward you with Stickers when activated, and usually can be found in pretty hard-to-get places.

Outfits

Outfits are a great thing to look out for in Free Roam. There’s plenty for almost every character, and you’ll be able to use them in any race you take part in.

Check out our guide for where to find all Outfits in Mario Kart World.

Discover hidden Mirror Mode & Easter Eggs

As you’re exploring Free Roam, be sure to check out the hidden Mirror Mode, which, when activated, will mirror the entire open world. If you fit certain requirements, you’ll be able to unlock this mode for races, too.

For more information on how to unlock Mirror Mode, check out our guide.

On top of this, if you happen to find any binoculars from Super Mario Odyssey and other 3D Mario Games, be sure to drive up to it and bump into it. Doing so will let you see the map through the binoculars.