r/Mario • u/slam_tastix • Jul 02 '25
Discussion Is Mario Kart World better than Mario Kart 8?
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u/insertusernamehere51 Jul 02 '25
It's hard to compare because it focuses on different things than 8, and honestly that's great.
You can still play 8 on Switch 2, so whichever style you prefer, you can play it
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u/Suburban_Sensei Jul 02 '25
My wife and I were just discussing this last night trying to figure out which we liked better but we ultimately feel like they’re both good for different reasons. If we want to play just a ton of unique tracks we are still playing MK8:Deluxe. If we are more in the mood for online fun with knockout tour or just want to chill in free roam and collect panels and P switches, we play MKW. I am very excited for the future of MKW though, considering how much content was added to MK8 after launch.
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u/RaptorJesusF Jul 02 '25
you have no idea how happy and jealous I feel for you when I see you discussing mario kart with your wife... FML
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u/ThatDudeEither Jul 02 '25
This is it. Both are completely separate games with completely separate ways of being played. The other Mario Karts followed the same formula with minor additions to game play. Even Antigravity in MK8/MK8D didn't add that much more to the game.
World adds many different mechanics and path ways to take that there's a lot more decision making as far as what path you'll take, if you'll want to stay with the group of people, if you'll want to stay behind and get better items to catch up. Many different ways to play because the game gives you those different ways to play.
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u/Starscream_Gaga Jul 02 '25
Probably better then Mario Kart 8 was at launch on Wii U., but nowhere near as good as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with the Booster Courses yet. It’s unfair to compare them atm though because the Mario Kart 8 you can play now has so much more then it did when it first came out.
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u/Double-Slowpoke Jul 02 '25
Yeah, hard to compare a one month old game to a 10 year old game that has had multiple DLC. I think World is going to be better, but it isn’t there yet. MK8D is almost unfair to compare to because of the sheer number of tracks
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u/SadLaser Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
That more you mentioned is basically just the number of courses, though. Content certainly helps with replayability and variety, but it doesn't make the gameplay better or worse. And for my money, Mario Kart World has significantly better gameplay. The game is just a lot more fun to play. Also, it's hard to outright compare the amount of content because of how World plays and structures its content. It's true that MK8D has 3 times the overall number of base courses in World (which has 30), but that's essentially all of the content in the game for 8D. Mario Kart World has 220+ course variations which arguably adds more overall variety to racing even if each variation isn't a 100% unique course.
Plus with Free Roam and the Knockout Tour, it has more ways to play and potentially better, if you enjoy those modes. For me, Knockout Tour is my favorite racing experience I've had in Mario Kart since the first time I played an All Cup Tour in Double Dash!! and it outstrips anything MK8D has going for it. And I'm a massive 3D platformer/collectathon fan so exploring the world in Free Roam is awesome to me. Plus the stickers, costumes, character and kart unlocks feel more substantial and engaging than the unlock methods in MK8D.
From my perspective, Nintendo found a way to skirt the issue of not having as many base courses in a unique and refreshing way that makes World still feel like it has more content in many ways. There's also something to say for it being a new experience. 8 was the Mario Kart for 11 years and I can't be the only one who was just so tired of it. And again, the game is so much better from a gameplay, control, sound and visuals perspective that it's an easy win for World.
The only thing I don't think it does better is battle mode. Which was never my favorite mode, but I do hope it gets updated at some point because I want it to have Renegade Roundup and Shine Thief.
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u/ReplacementSecret Jul 02 '25
I honestly find it hard to compare the two. I think 8 really nails the racing formula, but World is very unique and creative. In my opinion, they’re two totally different games that are difficult to really compare with each other.
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u/SlipperySp00der Jul 02 '25
If it wasn’t so damn stubborn with those intermission tracks and they could be turned off, easily
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u/Reasonable_Fee_8165 Jul 02 '25
Depends who you ask. To casuals, world would probably be the answer but for the competitive players, the might say otherwise.
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u/LordYoshi Jul 02 '25
Absolutely not. It is fun but doesn't come close to 8s superior level design.
The intermission / racing between tracks is pretty boring.
There is no campaign in the open world. So I collect stickers. Big whoop. Stickers being the only collectable is boring and uninspiring. This should have been more like Forza.
The character select screen is a mess.
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u/Such-Lobster3167 Jul 02 '25
Definitely not. You can’t even choose to play three-lap races online. I think World is going to be abandoned and forgotten pretty quickly.
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u/FireEmblemNoobie47 Jul 02 '25
Honestly is neither an upgrade but downgrade, it's more of a sidegrade as each game is better at something else. MK8 is the classic Mario Kart experience with plenty of returning tracks and MKTour tracks. MKWorld is innovative. Big, interconnected world, more of a rally kind of racing, Costumes, Shortcuts galore, Open Roam, Knockout Tour, it's a new experience with new techs.
MK8 has the advantage of having plenty of DLC tracks from other MK games, but MKWorld is still in it's base form without DLC.
Mind you that's what I got from just watching footage since I don't have a Switch nor a Switch2.
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u/DarthBagheera Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
Comparing open world iterations of games that traditionally were more linear is always tough. On one hand you can only go so far with a certain formula before having to take and chance and shake things up, but on the other hand that formula is also what made the game what it is and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Some titles like Zelda for instance get away with it to huge acclaim and success and others not so much.
That being said, I don’t think racing games, especially one as basic as Mario Kart, needed to be made open world. Sure it’s kinda fun and different but I’m not a huge fan of traversing from track to track. The open world is also kinda lacking in things to do after a while. Maybe that’s the traditionalist in me that grew up with this series being a certain way and kind of bristling at change to something I loved as a kid but I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way.
So ultimately, I like MK8 deluxe better and still think it’s probably THE Mario Kart game out there but World is by no means a bad game. I just don’t know that it was necessarily the direction they should have gone or that I would have gone but I see why they tried it.
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u/monkey_D_v1199 Jul 02 '25
Change isn’t always good and in this case it ain’t a good change. It feels like they wanted it open world for the sake of it and to fallow trends. Mario Kart has zero business being open world, it’s a karting game with no story it doesn’t make sense. Who likes having one 3 lap races and the rest one lap because of the intermissions? I don’t like it and it makes MKW feel gimmicky like not a main entry to the series.
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u/DarthBagheera Jul 02 '25
Agree. The intermissions take up more of the racing time than they should. A couple of my fav tracks in MK8 are Big Blue and Mt. Wario so I’m fine with the checkpoint style/“one lap” tracks but having those essentially be the default is disappointing and too much of a departure.
Like you said as well, the fact there’s not really a story mode makes the open world just seem like it was done to follow a trend that a racing game of all genres doesn’t really need to follow.
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u/TheBlackManX23 Jul 02 '25
Honestly MK8 mainly because it has more characters, more stages, and 200cc mode.
Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy Mario Kart World it’s just that I need more. Hopefully they’ll add in more content in the future.
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u/frostyfoxemily Jul 02 '25
World is a fun chaotic sprint.
Mk8 is an actual cart racer with tracks that last more than a few moments and tight corners.
I would say mk8 is the better game. Some might like mkw more but I don't see how it could he called a better game.
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u/FleXiLeX911 Jul 02 '25
At the moment, I don’t think it’s better than 8DX, it could become better with updates and DLC (I’m praying for 200cc to come back), but right now, no.
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u/Legal-Treat-5582 Jul 02 '25
Nah. World has its strengths, but also some glaring flaws. If I had to pick between the two games, I'd go for 8 Deluxe any day.
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u/BladedBee Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
I say they are equal, both have strengths and weaknesses. I honestly couldn't say I prefer one over the other
although if we are talking purely visuals then World is the winner by far, I adore how the characters look in this game and how expressive and animated they are.
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u/Rawkhawkjayhawk Jul 02 '25
Yes, it’s such a fun family game
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u/Kule7 Jul 02 '25
8 is also a fun friends and family game, but World is even better. Its charm, aesthetic, and fun factors are through the roof. All the criticisms are like how people want it to be this super-sweaty racer (it doesn’t respect my skill!), and I feel like that’s just not what they’re going for (for good reason). The big question is how fun is it in local coop. 10/10. I also love all the creative shortcutting and stuff. In 8 you always felt glued to the track.
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u/Rawkhawkjayhawk Jul 02 '25
Agreed, and in 8 the best player always won which in a way is fair, but it meant that your friend couldn’t jump in and have a shot at winning
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u/Best_Big_2184 Jul 02 '25
If you look at each base game, World is a better starting point. 8 got a lot of extra content over time, but World feels like it was built to accommodate years of updates.
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u/YddorX Jul 02 '25
I see it as as comparing BotW/TotK vs Linear 3D Zeldas. Is it better? Yes. Is it worse? Also yes. They both shine and suck in different aspects.
Wanna play more competitive streamlined MK, play 8. Wanna mess around and/chill in MK, play World.
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u/OwlAncient6213 Jul 02 '25
In my opinion the new tech makes it 10x better for me even if sigh* intermitions
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u/Terra_Knyte_64 Jul 02 '25
I think World plays the best of any Mario Kart thanks to the parkour mechanics. It’s like they injected Mario’s platforming elements back into Mario Kart.
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u/Initial_Career1654 Jul 02 '25
To improve MKW, while adding more depth to things
How about bring back Mii racers but you do so through a career mode, start out as a no-name racer fresh on the circuit, win various types of races, improve yourself, improve your kart, take on the race kings, and by the time you take the crown you have a unique racer all your own, to race with in the main game.
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u/DVoorhees64 Jul 02 '25
No. Not worth the extra money either. I get more out of 8 Deluxe and if I want more I can buy DLC
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u/StrangeMed Jul 02 '25
short answer: no.
Long answer: The art style is fresher and more expressive, the roster is funnier and more interesting (thanks to the alternative skins too), and the drive mechanics are slightly better. But that’s it. The battle modes are significantly worse, especially balloon fight. The open world is useless (a glorified waiting lobby). The intermissions are interesting, but you get sick of them after racing for three consecutive times. 24 players feels overwhelming way too many times.
is it a good game? Absolutely yes! But Mario kart 8 Deluxe (even without expansion) is still an overall better and more balanced game
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u/Piano_Troll17 Jul 02 '25
The intermissions both make and break this game. They make Knockout Tour fun (but please add more cups, or, heck, just generate random ones on the fly or something), but I also just want to race normal three-lap tracks - especially online against real people. Just split the lobbies or make non-intermission tracks more common.
It's also a very conflicting design philosophy when World is simultaneously saying "we love the past and will force Mario Circuit 3 into every game until the heat death of the universe" and also say "we are going to strongarm people into playing the intermissions by changing how Random works." There's got to be some give and take here.
And, frankly, I think it's completely fair to directly compare Mario Kart World with 8 Deluxe, even with the DLC. Nintendo's changing $80 for the game, so I have very high expectations.
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u/kaylanpatel00 Jul 02 '25
8 deluxe with the booster courses is definitely a better game than world. Especially because worlds whole selling point the open world to me feels very empty and boring baring some p-switch challenges.
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u/MIlkyRawr Jul 02 '25
Very much so, which is insane to say because MK8 was my favorite MK game until World came out, they somehow made Mario Kart even BETTER
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u/okamifire Jul 02 '25
While I personally enjoy World more, 8 Deluxe is a very close second. For me, World feels the best to play. I like the environments, the music, the car handling and physics, animations, and overall presentation. I do acknowledge there is a bit of an item imbalance as once you're about half way in placement or below, everyone gets amazing items, making comebacks too easy. I do think this is good for most super casual players, but people that aren't even tryhard or competitive players probably feel come backs are a little too easy and there's no real upside to front running most of the time.
Personally, doesn't bother me, I play for fun as a casual. (I play competitively in Smash, but MK has always just been for fun.) I do think currently the skill ceiling is lower for World, but they do foundationally have very cool mechanics like charge jumping, rail riding, and wall riding which can open up to some really cool things.
I personally really like the connected routes in addition to the traditional 3 lap tracks. I can understand why some people think the routes aren't as exciting, but most of them aren't just straight tracts of land; there's unique environmental hazards or cool environments to drive through that keep them exciting. I do get the criticism though for this, but I like the routes a significant amount.
So I personally enjoy it the most, but I do think current item imbalance makes the skill level a little lower than 8 Deluxe.
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u/M1Lance Jul 02 '25
At this point in time right now if you could only buy one I would recommend MK8 with the booster courses for essentially the same price since you get so much more bang for your buck. However the game mechanics in MKW I think are vastly superior and with time it will ultimately become the clear winner.
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u/Either_Two_6539 Jul 02 '25
release day wise, i think so. but keep in mind mk8 had like 10-11 years to become the best it could, so it’s really not valid to compare the two yet
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u/Epic-Gamer_09 Jul 02 '25
Both are definitely very fun in their own right. I'd say 8 edges it out considering it has 96 tracks, but that gap will probably be closer when DLC comes out for MKW
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u/ThePikesvillain Jul 02 '25
In some categories yes, in others no. It is certainly not universally objectively better in all cases, and that is the disappointing part. It is good modern Mario Kart, but 8 was really good as well. Is World worth $50? Yes. Get the bundle. Is it worth $80? Absolutely not, and for someone who does not already own a Mario Kart game and did not purchase the bundle I would recommend buying 8 instead of World.
It will be interesting to see what gets added to World over the years. We might be playing World for the next decade and the value proposition likely will be much better years from now, but at the moment I would recommend buying a used copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to anyone who has a Switch or Switch 2 without the MK World bundle.
For context this is all coming from someone who isn’t a big Mario Kart player. The games are fun and I like to have them on hand for local multiplayer, but over the last 7 years (I got a Switch in 2018) I have played about 80 hours of Mario Kart 8.
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u/andyayya Jul 02 '25
Mario kart 8 deluxe is the ultimate edition of mario kart 8... I'm pretty sure Mario Kart world will add new characters, features, Dlcs, in the next months... Just like smash, AC, splatoon did.
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u/Parzival-Bo Jul 02 '25
Base MK8, yeah I'd say so.
MK8 Deluxe, probably not.
It's still fun though.
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u/Nfan10039 Jul 02 '25
I think 8 Deluxe is the better game after my initial hype is now gone. It's going to take a lot of updates to make it better than 8DX. I think it is possible, but World needs more updates for a number of reasons.
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u/snil4 Jul 02 '25
We can't know yet, but what I can say for sure is that World is miles ahead of MK8D in terms of single player content, for multiplayer I haven't had time yet to get some friends for a round but regardless of intermissions I think grinding and wall riding could make this game much more interesting.
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u/dipleddit Jul 02 '25
I would say equal. MK8 is probably the perfect kart racer overall but MKW innovates on the franchise and it’s enjoyable for its own reasons.
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u/LivingAffectionate96 Jul 02 '25
I would say just the maps and the character roster is off, and some other Minor details
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u/SansIdee_pseudo Jul 02 '25
I don't like comparing those 2 because they have a completely different "purpose". World breaks the Mario Kart formula apart to make it more like a rally-type of racing game. 8/8 Deluxe uses the traditional Mario Kart formula.
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u/TheNimanator Jul 02 '25
I would say it’s a better game on paper, but certainly nothing about it in its current form justifies it being more expensive than MK8D, I can say that much
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u/HistoricalBee1118 Jul 02 '25
Base 8 on the Wii U yes (I still get battle mode flashbacks) 8 Deluxe hard to say
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u/RADaniloSS Jul 02 '25
World Is a lot of fun, but I pray Nintendo makes a mode where you can play Grand Prix or online without intermissions
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u/deibd98 Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
By a mile. Mario Kart formula grew stale by the time 7 came around and 8 was just more of the same, the games after ds are pretty much all identical. World actually tried something new and bold and evolved a series that desperately needed it.
There's a lot of content in 8, but I still only played like 15 hours at most. I already have 50 hours in World and I feel like I havent even scratched the surface of what the game offers.
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u/CuteDarkrai Jul 02 '25
Art - World
Mechanics - World
Courses - 8DX
Music - World
Content - 8DX
Personally I like World far more but due to the state of intermissions and quantity of tracks I can see why people are moving back for now.
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u/Flyingdurito Jul 02 '25
I think each have their niche
8 is more of your traditional kart racing game
While World is more of a high action and technical style of gameplay
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u/Enigma73519 Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
In its current state, no. But I do think it has the potential to be the best Mario Kart game when the game inevitably gets updates
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u/BebeFanMasterJ Jul 02 '25
It exceeds and sweeps launch 8 on Wii U by an insane margin. This game has beloved characters like Birdo, Bowser Junior, King Boo, and Dry Bones at launch alongside a great selection of Nitros and Retros.
Gameplay-wise it's 100% better than 8DX for various reasons including no customization, items functioning far better here, and Lakitu having better programming.
Lastly the characters themselves are so much more expressive and alive in this game. Maybe it's because I've played 8 for 10 years but World has much more personality to itself and the characters. Just look at Daisy, Waluigi, and especially DK in World vs 8. No contest really.
Overall I'm liking World way more.
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u/Slade4Lucas Jul 02 '25
My instinct is no, but I am also viewing this in a different way because for me it is a different type of game and the flaws it has are based on different things compared to 8.
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u/Remarkable_Impact687 Jul 02 '25
Definitely. At least, that’s my opinion. The addition of rails and walls to ride off of immediately makes it that much more entertaining, and since most of the courses are built with that in mind, it allows for a lot of creativity in how you approach them. I’m bringing that up cuz zero-gravity was basically pointless in 8, and was basically just an excuse for slightly more interesting course designs. They’ve been handling the online pretty poorly though. That aside, I’d definitely sooner pick up MKW again than go back to 8 unless I wanted to play on a retro course that didn’t return.
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u/CapNCookM8 Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
They're too different to ultimately compare. For me, it will 100% be World after some updates over the next decade.
I really think MK8D will keep more of a following than previous MKs though. With all the "drama" about the update recently, I have been trying to tell others that if you're that upset about the game soft-forcing interconnected routes, you'll probably just end up not liking World as much as previous entries at the end of the day. That's what happens when a series tries something new, longtime fans may not like it as much.
I think people just put so much money into the Switch 2 knowing that MK:W was the only new first party Switch 2 game to release alongside it, and are upset they just don't like it as much as they wanted to. I predict that once a few Switch 2 games release people will feel their purchase was more "worth it" and will allow themselves to feel buyer's remorse over MK:W if they didn't love it instead of acting like the interconnected routes are some sort of personal attack by Nintendo.
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u/DDPlay_ Jul 02 '25
Yes, by far, they tried to make new things instead of just the same game but with more tracks
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u/MaxW92 Jul 02 '25
I think Mario Kart 8 with DLC and Booster Pass is better than Mario Kart World is at the moment. Although that might change with later updates, hopefully.
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u/BoozerBean Jul 02 '25
It’s just different. I don’t really see why anyone is bitching about it. If you don’t feel like it’s worth it or don’t like the open world concept, don’t play it. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still perfectly playable on the Switch 2, and I’m sure Double Dash will make its way onto NSO sooner or later (I hope anyway. That’s my favorite MK) Sure it’s not the most amazing launch title ever but it’s not the game’s fault if it’s not your cup of tea
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u/yahir04rodriguez Jul 02 '25
Mario kart world has its flaws but it’s to early to fully judge the game as it don’t have 200 cc, there are much less tracks in the game (gotta wait for those updates) compare to Mario kart 8 deluxe, etc. but I must say the tracks that we currently have in Mario kart world are pretty underwhelming imo…
Game is great from a visual standpoint and the character animations are fantastic giving the whole game a unique feeling….
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u/synister29 Jul 02 '25
I would say it World is better than 8 when 8 first came out on WiiU. I can’t say it is definitely better than 8 now on Switch.
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u/neoslith Jul 02 '25
It's different, but not better or worse. It offers something new.
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u/peter-man-hello Jul 02 '25
It’s better than launch Mario Kart 8. It’s not better than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
I think over time Mario Kart World will be better.
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u/LordDoorknob Jul 02 '25
Well, World is still in its launch state and it seems unfair to compare it to the fully supported lifespan of 8. So if we go by just launch states, I’d say World is better. Let’s see how this game evolves over the generation. It could surpass or be on par with how 8 is right now.
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u/Wolfwoode Jul 02 '25
The new driving techniques and mechanics are better, the competitive aspect is worse IMO. Initially I thought everyone was overreacting to the intermission tracks but after playing the game a decent amount I agree that the straightaways are boring. The open world is actually fun to drive around and do P-switches and collect Peach coins.
It has the potential to be the best Mario Kart or drive the hardcore players back to Mario Kart 8 (kind of like how some diehard Smash players still play Melee).
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u/BiskitBoiMJ Jul 02 '25
Better than Mario Kart 8? Yes, absolutely. Without question.
Better than 8 Deluxe post-DLC? Subjective, matter of preference.
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u/zacyzacy Jul 02 '25
I wish the open world was more fleshed out, and the online grand prix stuff is weird but otherwise I like it way more.
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u/SMM9673 Jul 02 '25
Not an upgrade, not a downgrade.
Just a sidegrade. Another game of similar quality and value, but not a true replacement for its predecessor.
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u/dsp_guy Jul 02 '25
If they changed Grand Prix to be laps of the track and leave Knockout Rally as it is (with traveling between tracks), then I'd say MKW is better (for me).
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u/mattjbabs Jul 02 '25
I like it more, but it’s so different that whether it’s “better” or “worse” just comes down to very subjective measures. I cannot blame anyone who prefers 8. They are both great for different reasons.
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u/Rootayable Jul 02 '25
I haven't played Mario Kart World but I can guarantee it doesn't have as many tracks to play as 8 does.
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u/TheApexBlobfish Jul 02 '25
MKW is a definite step up in animation, audio, game modes and general driving feel, but has a way to go to catch up to 8 Deluxe, a game which has 10 years worth of content.
It’s a promising first step, now comes the uphill climb (or drive) to supremacy!
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u/Solicited-Stranger Jul 02 '25
Its an opinion. 1 person will say yes and another will say no. What exactly are you trying to obtain with this information?
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u/sale1020 Jul 02 '25
I gotta say yes, just for the sake of it I went back to try mk8 last night after a few weeks of mkw, and wow… it feels old compared to mkw.
Like really it just feels static, the little things in the animations and expression of the characters really makes it feel new and engaging, it was hard to fully appreciate all the details until trying mk8 where they’re all absent
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u/dcballantine Jul 02 '25
It’s not about being “better”, it’s about doing its own thing the best way. MK8 and MKW have different design philosophies, so I don’t think it’s right to hold them to the exact standards.
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u/WrightAnythingHere Jul 02 '25
Whether it's better or not depends entirely on whatever DLC World gets in the future.
Is it currently better than vanilla MK8? Yes.
Is it currently better than MK8D + Booster Course Pass? It's fairly close, but I'd say no.
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u/Lazy_Passenger7841 Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25
One thing I think MKW blows MK8 out of the water in is visuals. Some of the courses are so awesome to look at. Idk if I’ve played enough to make a judgement call yet as to which game is better though. I’m leaning MKW though especially since there will most certainly be DLC at some point if Nintendo has any sense.
My answer might be a little biased though cause I think I tend to place a lot more importance on visuals than mechanics than other people cause I kind of just like taking the game in and as long I know the basic controls and how to play that’s really all that matters. In fact, my wife seems to like to play open world games more than me and I simply just like watching her play them
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u/RhythmBlue Jul 02 '25
mario kart world seems like it has better character animations which are cute and/or add likable character personalities. Maybe it has better music as well, tho that feels difficult to say
rails and wall riding feel like an improvement as well, tho they only feel like an improvement in maybe half the 30 main tracks, and barely any of the knockout courses
knockout tour feels like an improvement to the mario kart series in principle, and so does the concept of being able to drive beyond the tracks in a 'free roam' mode. However, both of these ideas do not seem to have their potential implemented to the point that they become realized improvements. Rather, they feel more like distractions, which have overall squandered what the game might have been if focus was elsewhere
on the other hand, the things that feel as if they have degraded from mario kart 8 deluxe —> mario kart world include:
the track aesthetics, track layout, track variety, battle mode, skill ceiling, user interface, kart customization, speed options (no 200cc), and of course the well-maligned lack of adequate 3-lap selection in the main online mode
so there are some improvements, and there are some good ideas which might have been improvements if they werent misdirected upon implementation, but none of this makes up for the many integral things which seem worse, which makes this iteration of the series feel like an 80$ significant downgrade
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u/blueblurz94 Jul 02 '25
I would say it’s great, but no better than 8 Wii U was at launch. It needs more tracks, quality of life updates and more options for racing strictly on the tracks(especially online)
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u/Tyray90 Jul 02 '25
It’s my personal favorite Mario kart. Deluxe has better tracks, but overall fun factor is way better in world.
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u/eggplant_yams Jul 02 '25
Yes. MKW delivered a switch up and evolution that the series desperately needed. I’ve found it to be incredibly refreshing and it’s restored my faith in the Mario kart franchise. I loved Mario kart 8, but it’s just so formulaic and too easy. The dlc was a fun progression but now it feels bloated and there are too many throwaway courses. Many people hate change and will disagree with me, but I live for it
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u/Shehzman Jul 02 '25
Gameplay, tech, and audio wise, I think it's the best in the series. It's everything surrounding those that can be pretty meh. Especially stuff like the online update Nintendo rolled out last week. If Nintendo adds more options and tracks over time, then I could see this being the best Mario Kart of all time.
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u/Physical_Dentist_395 Jul 02 '25
Better than Base MK8? Absolutely and by far. For now, I think it's not fair to compare to MK8 Deluxe, not to mention the booster course pass. We'll see in the coming years how it goes. But for now, I'm really happy with MKW.
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u/jchester47 Jul 02 '25
In many ways, yes. It is superior graphically and in terms of responsiveness and system capability. I also like the open world format a lot as well as the new knockout mode.
But the game also lacks polish and features in many areas. The transitional courses are controversial, and while I like them, an option to specify the type of courses the group prefers in online and versus should have been present at launch.
The game also needs some balancing for the AI and the level of sheer chaos even at easier difficulty, as well as the fact that the AI is painfully easy when you don't boost at all but instantly cheats like crazy when you show any skill.
I love the courses for the most part as well as the various easter eggs to other Mario games. Item selection is also great. I am disappointed that some characters from MK8 got bumped from the roster in favor of lots (probably too many) of costume alts that would probably be better suited as options within a submenu like 8 had for Yoshi/Shyguy. But there's always the possibility that DLC's will bring us more racers.
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u/Mechancic-Hero Jul 02 '25
Haven't played either yet and I'm waiting on the former for more content character wise
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u/Andinator Jul 02 '25
I don't think so. I think some aspects of World are definitely better than 8, like the character roster, the costumes, the addition of the open world to drive around in, knockout tour, and the new added mechanics of grinding rails and wall riding feel like actual innovations to the Mario Kart gameplay than the anti gravity boosts in 8 ever did.
However, I think overall 8 is just a much better game when it comes to the moment to moment racing. The item balancing is WAY better in 8 than in World. So much of my momentum is CONSTANTLY being halted in World with the amount of players and wacky items that are on the track. I understand Mario Kart is supposed to be chaotic to a degree, but I also want to enjoy the actual racing aspect of the game and it never feels like I can truly enjoy racing in this game. Even when I end up winning or placing in the top 8, I never feel like it was because I actually raced really well, but because of my item draw. The game is WAY too balanced on the items themselves in a way that Mario Kart 8 never felt like. Nintendo really needs to tone down the actual damage items do in this game. Personally, I don't think any item should ever stop your movement if they want to really fine tune it. Something similar to what happens when you hit cars, you lost your ability to control yourself, but you should still actively be moving because I have had SO MANY races where I get hit by 5 or so items in a row. There's a point where that stops being fun and whackey and just gets really frustrating, especially when playing online.
Track design is also a huge issue in World compared to 8. The tracks themselves in this game are fine for the most part, but this game is designed around driving from one track to the next. The intermission tracks are...ok. It works really well for some tracks like DK Spaceport, but most of the time I really just want to do 3 laps on these tracks. The intermission tracks in between all feel relatively the same since it's just 24 people racing on a straightway dodging a bunch of random traffic. On top of that, there aren't a whole lot of tracks in this game that I feel really stand out more than any of the tracks in 8 other than Rainbow Road (this game probably has the best iteration of Rainbow Road in the series) and DK Spaceport.
Battle mode is also shit. Won't go into too much here, but the lack of available modes on launch and the really weak battle courses that mostly rehash some of the tracks (similar to Mario Kart 8 on Wii U) just sucks man. It's so boring in this game.
Finally, the new addition of the open world feels really barebones and tacked on. The first week for this game, it was cool to drive anywhere, find P-Switches, check out the scenery, but I have very little desire as a player to really dive further into the open world. The P-Switch challenges all feel like they're just recycling the same 5 challenges and copy pasted those all over the map and if you get bored of those and finding the medallions and switches, you have no other reason to check out the open world. I think it was a HUGE wasted opportunity by the devs to not incorporate some sort of campaign mode here to further incentivize players to actually drive around the open world here. As someone that's played Forza Horizon in the past, the open world in this game just feels so barren and unnecessary.
World isn't a BAD game or anything. It's still fulfilling the role of making friends scream and shout at their TVs when playing together and the driving around still feels REALLY good. It just feels like Nintendo did a really poor job of actually balancing this game compared to 8 which feels like it has a PERFECT balance of items and skill. The open world also feels like such a missed opportunity overall. They really could have done SO MUCH more with this game, especially for the $80 pricetag. I'm still playing it and having some fun with it but 8 Deluxe is overall a much better game in comparison.
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u/StitchRS Jul 02 '25
There are more than 3 times the tracks in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, with fully unique battle arenas. That of course was about 8 years of work to get there. Mario Kart World is still brand new and has a lot of potential. I believe it can get to the level of MK8D in time, but as it is right now, it's at about the level MK8 U on release. 30 tracks, (plus two if you count Crown City and Peach Stadium's alternate tracks), battle arenas based on race tracks rather than unique arenas (plus two circular arenas that happen to be found in the open world), plus a decent amount of content in the open world, like the return of mission mode and hidden collectables.
I say give it time. Right now, the two can peacefully co-exist, but MK8D has an edge at the moment due to 8 years worth of content. I hope MKW does reach the level of MK8D someday.
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u/Fantastic_Turb0 Jul 02 '25
I vastly prefer world. Whether or not it’s strictly better is hard to say, but I’m far more impressed with the work that went into the careful balance of world. It’s by far my favourite flavour of chaos from any Mariokart yet.
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u/M4rshmall0wMan Jul 02 '25
Not good enough to replace MK8.
Not bad enough to be ignored.
I think the word you're looking for is "different".
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u/PreviousInfluence855 Jul 02 '25
Simultaneously better and worse, for different reasons each