Mario Kart World update finally makes key changes fans have been crying out for

At long last - Nintendo has released an update for Mario Kart World on Switch 2 which has made a number of key changes fans have wanted for a long time.

v1.4.0 brings a number of general changes and issue fixes, with the highlights being that custom items have been added to item rules, players can squad up online and, perhaps most crucially, the intersections between a number of circuits have been changed.

Instead of boring straight stretches, a number of these have been altered to include more twists, turns and features to make racing between each track more exciting.

These are all changes the Mario Kart World community (including indy100) has been crying out for and the update is already going down very well on social media.

On X / Twitter, one said: "Just did a test of the new Mario Kart World patch and I think Nintendo really outdid themselves this time."

Another posted: "Not sure what I was expecting with these intermission changes but it was not this."

One posted gameplay of custom Kamek items and said: "WHAT IS THIS UPDATE LMAOOO."

"GUYS MARIO KART WORLD JUST GOT WAY BETTER!!!" another declared.

One agreed: "Oh my god this new Mario Kart World update is insane."

"Might be the most dastardly thing on me lmao," another said showing gameplay of them continuously using lightning bolts on the opposition.

One declared: "Goated update."

And another agreed: "Nvm the Mario Kart World update is good."

v1.4.0 for Mario Kart World is free for those who have purchased the game and is available to download on Nintendo Switch 2 now.

Mario Kart World v1.4.0 full patch notes

General

• Added "Custom Items" to the item rules.
  • This is a feature that lets you set which items appear.
  • This is supported in "VS Race", "Balloon Battle", "Coin Runners", and "Room" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
• Made it so that music track name and source title of the track that is playing will be displayed on the Pause Menu.
• Added "Music Volume" to "Settings/Controller".
• Made it so players who gathered in a "Room" of "Online Play" can participate in "Race", "Knockout Tour", and "Battle".
  • Up to 4 players can participate in "Race", "Knockout Tour", and "Battle".
• Made it so you can join in with friends who are playing "Knockout Tour" from "Friends" in "2p", "Online Play" as well.
• Added "Restart" and "Next Race" in the Pause Menu for "VS Race" in "Single Player".
• Made it so you can select "Photo Mode" from the Pause Menu in "Race against Ghost" in "Time Trials".
• Changed the course layout of below courses for "VS Race", or "Race" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
  • Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "DK Spaceport".
  • Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "Crown City".
  • Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "Peach Stadium".
  • Race that heads from "Whistlestop Summit" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
  • Race that heads from "Desert Hills" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
  • Race that heads from "DK Spaceport" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
  • Race that heads from "Crown City" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
  • Race that heads from "Peach Stadium" to "Koopa Troopa Beach".
  • *Changed it so that, in all races heading toward "Koopa Troopa Beach", including the above courses, you will cross the finish line after two laps once you arrive at "Koopa Troopa Beach".
• You will now dash when riding on Manta Ramp's back.
• Made it so that player will not hit Dragoneel when transformed into Bullet Bill
• Made it so the player cannot use a second Boo while already using a Boo, when holding two Boos.
• When Dash Food is taken by someone, shortened the time until that Dash Food reappears.
• When a coin placed on water is taken by someone, shortened the time until that coin reappears.
• Made it so the player cannot use a second Boo while already using a Boo, when holding two Boos.
• When Dash Food is taken by someone, shortened the time until that Dash Food reappears.
• When a coin placed on water is taken by someone, shortened the time until that coin reappears.

• Fixed an issue where the dash time was not correct after a Charge Jump.
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through a wall when being stomped on from above by a vehicle driving on the road.
• Fixed an issue where a player would be squashed when touching a Thwomp that had landed.
• Fixed an issue where a Bullet Bill would not be displayed after using it.
• Fixed an issue where a character would be blurry even when making "Focus" "Character" when taking a photo in "Photo Mode" on the Pause Menu.
• Fixed an issue where the screen would look distorted if entering a pipe at the same time as joining a Free Roam in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where player could not get in a UFO when multiple players tried to get in a UFO at the same time in Free Roam in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where a friend’s information would not be updated when looking at the list of friends in "Friends" in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where there would be a communication error when looking at a group ID in "View Room Info" when participating in a group in "Friends" in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where a player’s place would go down if retiring during "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where a player that is seen when spectating looks like they are going off the course over and over during "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
• Fixed an issue where the player’s own character or vehicle would change when starting "Online Play" or "Wireless Play" again after quitting a game after "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
• Fixed an issue where a player would get stuck on a wall when using a Bullet Bill while falling off the course in "Sky-High Sundae".
• Fixed an issue where a Bullet Bill would go outside the course when using it on the final curve in "Boo Cinema".
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through a bulldozer in "Toad's Factory".
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a spotlight in the race that heads from "Toad's Factory" to "Bowser's Castle" when transformed into Bullet Bill.
• Fixed an issue where if the player used a Bullet Bill or Spiny Shell in the first curve of "Desert Hills", it would get stuck on a rock.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a tree when using a Bullet Bill on "DK Pass".
• Fixed an issue where, when the player was small because of Lightning, they would slip through the wall on the final curve of "DK Pass.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a billboard when transforming into Bullet Bill in the race that heads from "Crown City" to "Desert Hills".
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the ring of stone when using a Bullet Bill or Mega Mushroom while falling in "Great ? Block Ruins" right before the final curve.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on the ground on the meadows near "Big Donut".
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the wall if rewinding after wall riding in the special room you can go to from a pipe in "Shy Guy Bazaar".
• Fixed an issue where the player would still fall into the lava even though they have "Smart Steering" ON in "Dry Bones Burnout".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when using a Bullet Bill while rail riding in "Wario Stadium".
• Fixed an issue where the player would not be able to glide if getting on a glide panel while gliding in the race that heads from "Wario Stadium" to "Airship Fortress".
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on the ground while heading from "Wario Stadium" to "Airship Fortress".
• Fixed an issue where the vehicle would float up from the rail when the player did a rail ride after a wall ride in a bike-type vehicle in "Wario Stadium".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when using a Bullet Bill on the shortcut while heading from "Dandelion Depths" to "Cheep Cheep Falls" in the "Ice Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course while gliding, while heading from "Dandelion Depths" to "Cheep Cheep Falls" in the "Moon Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
• Fixed an issue where a green shell would get stuck on the ground while heading from "Airship Fortress" to "Dry Bones Burnout" in the "Heart Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when they transformed into Bullet Bill on top of a building in "Crown City" in the below races:
  • Race that heads from "DK Spaceport" to "Crown City".
  • Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "Crown City".
  • Race that heads from "Faraway Oasis" to "Crown City".
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Elsewhere from indy100:

• Metroid Prime 4 review verdicts are in and fans are crestfallen: 'Not what I was expecting'
• How does Assassin's Creed Shadows really run on Nintendo Switch 2?

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