In the world of Mario Kart, a banana peel often serves as your last line of defense against impending defeat. By holding down the L button, you can drag this protective item behind your kart, shielding yourself from threats like turtle shells. However, given the speed and chaos that define the game, it’s all too easy for your finger to slip, leading to an accidental release of your precious defense item. Personally, I find that I unintentionally drop my “ass protection,” a term my pals like to use, roughly 5-10% of the time. Based on this estimate, I can say that red turtle shells will hit my kart around 5-10% less often in Mario Kart World, the anticipated kart racing title and launch game for the Nintendo Switch 2.
During today’s Nintendo Treehouse livestream, it was revealed that Mario Kart World introduces a significant change: players no longer need to hold any buttons to keep items trailing behind their karts. As explained by the stream hosts, items will automatically adopt a defensive position upon collection, providing an ongoing shield against your rival racers.
This update also allows players to frequently activate items without having to worry about releasing the defensive one behind them, addressing a common frustration from earlier Mario Kart titles. It raises the question: why hasn’t this functionality been standard practice all along?
Mario Kart World is set to launch exclusively on the Switch 2 on June 5.
After experiencing the thrill of racing in Mario Kart World, I’m convinced that the 24-player Knockout Tour represents a groundbreaking shift in racing dynamics.