Mario Kart World Update 1.2 Increases Race Speed and Lap-Type Course Frequency

On July 29, 2025, Nintendo released version 1.2.0 of Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2, introducing gameplay adjustments, system enhancements, and bug fixes across multiple modes, including new rule settings, item balance changes, AI behavior modifications, and corrections to course-related issues. The update was made available for download the same day and applies to both single-player and multiplayer content.

One of the primary changes in the update is the increased frequency of lap-type courses appearing in the selection screen when choosing the next course in “VS Race” and wireless races. This follows earlier updates that changed how course selection worked, including modifications to the Random option in VS mode. Previously, this option gave players access to three-lap tracks, but a prior version reduced its effectiveness in skipping “intermission tracks” in favor of traditional racing.

The version 1.2.0 patch also introduced adjustments to item probabilities and behavior. The likelihood of receiving a Triple Dash Mushroom when in lower positions has been decreased if the race item rules are set to anything other than “Frantic.” The probability of receiving a ? Block has been increased under those same non-Frantic conditions. Additionally, the Coin Block item is now available to racers in first place. The homing capability of the Boomerang item has also been reduced.

Further gameplay additions include a “No COM” rule in single-player VS Race mode, which lets players compete without computer-controlled opponents. A “Mushrooms only” item rule has been added to both single-player and multiplayer VS Race options. Players participating in Time Trials can now choose “View Replay” after downloading ghost data. In “Online Play,” “Wireless Play,” and “LAN Play,” players now have the ability to select whom to spectate in “Knockout Tour” and “Balloon Battle.” A timer displaying the waiting time until the next race or battle begins has also been added to these modes.

Additional interface and quality-of-life changes include adjustments to CameraPlay functionality. The game will now retain the camera cursor’s position and size in Multiplayer and Online Play until the game is closed. These settings will return to default if the number of players is changed. In “Free Roam,” once all P Switches, ? Panels, and Peach Medallions have been collected, the colors of the corresponding numbers will change to reflect completion.

A wheel-spinning animation has been introduced for scenarios when players press the acceleration button (A) too early at the start of a race. This animation does not result in a speed penalty.

Computer-controlled racers have been made weaker in all game modes except “Battle.” This change was included without additional elaboration in the patch notes.

Alongside the gameplay changes, the update also implemented fixes for a range of issues reported by players, which includes display errors, such as incorrect point totals in Wireless Play team races and rate fluctuations in wireless mode, as well as performance bugs like vehicles floating in midair after jumping off half pipes, improper use of Dash Panels in Online Play, and incorrect driver posture following a Rewind exit during wall-riding. 

Track-specific bug fixes were applied to numerous courses. These include gliding issues, terrain clipping, and improper collision responses in “Bowser’s Castle,” “Sky-High Sundae,” “Airship Fortress,” “Choco Mountain,” “Whistlestop Summit,” “Moo Moo Meadows,” “Dry Bones Burnout,” “Shy Guy Bazaar,” “Wario Shipyard,” “Acorn Heights,” “Starview Peak,” “Rainbow Road,” “Wario Stadium,” and “Dandelion Depths,” among others. Specific problems addressed include Bullet Bills taking racers off-course, disappearing Peach Medallions in “Free Roam” during Rewind, and green shells getting stuck on wooden planks between certain map transitions.

While version 1.2.0 does not introduce any gambling-style systems, previous entries in the franchise have included such features. On May 17, 2023, a lawsuit was filed in Washington State against Nintendo concerning Mario Kart Tour, a mobile game separate from Mario Kart World. The complaint stated that the game’s “Spotlight Pipes” system permitted users to purchase Rubies to obtain randomized in-game upgrades. The lawsuit claimed that a minor spent over $170 through a linked credit card and described the system as containing “dark patterns.”

In response, Nintendo removed the Spotlight Pipes system in or around September 2022 and replaced it with the “Spotlight Shop,” where items are available for fixed prices. There are no reported gambling-style systems, loot boxes, or randomized purchases in Mario Kart World, and version 1.2.0 does not introduce such mechanics.

Mario Kart World was developed by Nintendo EPD and released on June 5, 2025, as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. The game supports open-world driving, off-road mechanics, a 24-player race limit, and includes new modes such as Knockout Tour and Balloon Battle. The soundtrack, composed by Atsuko Asahi, includes over 200 tracks, including rearrangements of earlier Mario franchise music. 

The game was initially conceptualized for the original Nintendo Switch in 2017 and transitioned to Switch 2 development in 2020 to take advantage of updated hardware. According to sales data, 82% of Nintendo Switch 2 owners in the United States purchased Mario Kart World. Nintendo has not announced future content or feature updates beyond those in version 1.2.0.

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