Mario Kart World’s Huge Update Just Changed Everything—Speedrunners Are Shaking Up Records!
Mario Kart World’s Big Update: What You Need to Know
Mario Kart World just got its first major update, and it’s packed with changes that aim to make the game more enjoyable for everyone. From tweaking the AI to adjusting race types and even some sneaky momentum boosts, Nintendo is clearly listening to player feedback. But not everything is as straightforward as it seems.
- AI (COM) has been made weaker outside of battle mode
- More lap-type courses appear in VS Race and wireless races
- New options like “No COM” in single-player VS Race
- Changes to items, including boomerang homing and mushroom drops
- Hidden momentum boost when landing from tricks shakes up speedrunning
- Various bug fixes improving overall gameplay
Weaker AI and New Race Options
Since launch, players have felt the AI—called COM in Mario Kart World—was almost too good, with a rubberbanding system that felt like cheating. Nintendo responded by making the AI weaker in all modes except battle. Plus, you can now play VS Race in single-player mode without any COM opponents, giving you full control over the challenge.
More Lap Races, But Not Too Many
One hot topic has been race selection. Players often voted for “random” just to get traditional 3-lap races, avoiding the long open-world straightaways. Nintendo’s latest patch increased the frequency of lap-type courses in VS Race and wireless matches. However, player testing suggests this increase is modest, keeping a balance between open-world exploration and classic lap racing.
Item Tweaks and Helpful Additions
Several item-related changes arrived with the update. The boomerang’s homing is now less precise, and triple dash mushrooms are less likely to appear when you’re in a low position—unless you’re playing on frantic difficulty. Meanwhile, ? blocks are now more common outside frantic mode. Also, a new animation warns you if you hit the acceleration button too early at the start of a race, preventing wasted speed from premature starts.
Hidden Momentum Boost Shakes Up Speedrunning
One of the most significant yet unlisted changes affects momentum after landing from tricks. According to top Mario Kart World speedrunner svcTyler, this tweak grants a huge momentum boost that “completely trivialized every currently existing world record in the game.” This change could revolutionize how hardcore players approach speedruns, though casual players might barely notice it.
Check out svcTyler’s video showcasing the momentum differences:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeT-NV0hkXk
Bug Fixes and Quality of Life Improvements
Alongside gameplay tweaks, the update fixes a slew of issues—from incorrect rate displays in wireless races to various collision and glitch problems on multiple tracks like Bowser’s Castle and Choco Mountain. The game now remembers camera settings in multiplayer, lets you view replays after downloading ghost data, and adds options to choose whom to watch in online battles.
Final Thoughts
This update clearly aims to balance Mario Kart World for both casual and competitive players. While some fans miss the old, tougher AI, others will appreciate the smoother, more approachable gameplay. Plus, the hidden momentum change could shake up the competitive scene entirely.
Whether you’re here for the casual fun or chasing world records, this patch has something for you.
