Ask the Developer Vol. 18: Mario Kart World — Part 4

• This article has been translated from the original Japanese content.

• This interview was conducted before the game was released.

In this 18th volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which developers convey in their own words Nintendo's thoughts about creating products and the unusual details they hone in on, we're talking to the developers behind the Mario Kart™ World game, a Nintendo Switch™ 2 game that launches alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 system on Thursday, June 5.

Check out the rest of the interview

• Part 1: Taking it to the next level

• Part 2: A lasting impression

• Part 3: An interconnected world

Part 4: A new generation of Mario Kart

We talked earlier about approachability. The Mario Kart series has also been enjoyed by those who are less familiar with video games. Is there anything you've paid attention to in terms of making this game approachable?

Ishikawa: This extends beyond those who aren't very familiar with video games, but we're making a conscious effort to create courses that are comfortable and satisfying to play. We sprinkled the terrain with what our team has been calling “landmarks,” such as mushroom-shaped mountains. These are designed to be easily recognizable and intriguing, so that players' eyes are naturally pulled toward their destination. We could just have used arrows to point players in the right direction, but that would have just made the world feel cramped. We felt it was important for players to be able to sense which direction they should be heading while racing so that they'd think to themselves, “Looks like a right turn is coming up.”

Yabuki: Everyone kept saying, “We'll put up signs later.” (Laughs)

Jikumaru: But since players are driving around a vast world, we needed a style of signpost that suited the game. Sometimes we needed to clearly indicate the route, for example, “This is a crossroad, but in this race, you turn right,” to ensure players wouldn't get lost. In such cases, we made efforts to vary up the terrain, such as by placing what we call “banked parts” to guide players, so they intuitively understand which way to go.

Players will be racing each other at high speed, so we don't want to add in the distraction of, “Which way am I supposed to go now?” It's something that's been fundamental to the Mario Kart series to date.

Right. So, rather than explicitly showing the way with arrows alone, you designed courses to be intuitive, creating a sense of continuity while still making the driving experience pleasant. But isn't there a difference between where beginners get stuck versus where advanced players get stuck?

Jikumaru: I've been working on the Mario Kart franchise for a long time, so I think I've got a good sense for how advanced players think. But newcomers to the series or those less familiar with video games might get stuck in places that we as developers didn't expect. So, when designing gameplay in any game, not just this game, it's important to have less experienced players test it out. Some members of our development team aren't that good at Mario Kart, so we've marked them out as our “favorites.” (Laughs) We handed the game to a developer with just the right degree of unfamiliarity and said, “Off you go!” We had them play next to us, and we were like, “Oh, so you don't get that. Interesting!” (Laughs)

Sato: Wait... Are you talking about me?

Everyone: (Laughs)

Jikumaru: It's true, Sato-san is one of my “favorites.” (Laughs) In particular, we felt we needed to see people like him play the P Switch Missions (10) that come up in this game's Free Roam mode.

Unlike traditional courses, where we've accumulated a lot of know-how, the P Switch Missions were our first attempt in this game at something like this, so we particularly valued the feedback we got from those who played them. We got people who aren't good at Mario Kart to actually play it, and we were like, “Yep, we thought that part might be challenging!" (Laughs) By repeating this process, we made improvements so that even those less familiar with games can enjoy this title.

(10) A challenge that begins when you drive over one of the P Switches scattered around the world in Free Roam mode. There are various missions, such as driving through a row of gates within the time limit and collecting coins.

Asahi: P Switch Missions involve going to places you normally wouldn't, or repeating actions you wouldn't often perform. But when you go back to racing after completing a mission in Free Roam, you'll realize, “Hey, I know another route here!” and feel like you've improved a bit.

Jikumaru: In Mario Kart, we think it's best for players to discover different ways to play as they drive around, so one of our goals was for players to naturally pick up skills as they play through the missions.

Yabuki: Our commitment to approachability extends beyond the gameplay itself. The Mario Kart series often brings people together during the holiday season who wouldn't usually play games. So, we've designed the menu screen so that you can select the number of players and get started right away. The world's much bigger in this game and there are loads more things you can do, but we didn't want it to become so complicated that it takes ages just to start a game.

Sato: The Smart Steering assist feature from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has also been improved.

When it's activated, you won't fall off the course or get lost, so even small children or those less familiar with video games can make it to the finish line.

Yabuki: We've also created a Joy-Con™ 2 wheel accessory for Nintendo Switch 2. So, it's intuitive even for those who aren't used to steering with a control stick, and they can enjoy the feeling of driving a kart. The colors are also specifically designed for Switch 2, and the magnets make it easier to attach the Joy-Con 2 controllers.

I see you've added lots of thoughtful touches to make it distinctively Mario Kart. By the way, as a Switch 2 game, it supports GameChat (11), one of the system’s features. How does GameChat add to the gameplay experience?

(11) A feature of Nintendo Switch 2 that lets a group of up to 12 people chat while playing games. If you connect a compatible USB-C® camera (sold separately), you can video chat while you play. Up to four people can video chat at the same time. Find out more about using GameChat on the official Nintendo Switch 2 website.

Internet, Nintendo Switch Online membership and Nintendo Account required for online features, including GameChat. Compatible USB camera required for video features. Not available in all countries. Terms and GameChat requirements apply. support.nintendo.com. Games, systems, memberships and some accessories sold separately.

Yabuki: In this game, you can go for a drive with friends in Free Roam mode or take pictures together in Photo Mode, and I think the addition of GameChat offers you even more possibilities. Other players can share their screens with you, so you can say things like, “I see you're in the desert, I'll swing by.”

Sato: Also, in previous Mario Kart games, you could see your opponents’ names above their vehicle, but if you're using a camera for GameChat, they can see your face in real time. If everyone uses a camera, it makes it easier to see who's playing as each character, but it's also fun to see the other person's expression when you hit them with an item. (Laughs)

Ishikawa: That look of mild despair. (Laughs)

Yabuki: Since the very beginning, Mario Kart has been a game you can enjoy with others in split screen. Then, online* and local wireless** play were added. Now, with GameChat, you can even chat with other players and see their faces online, so I think it's taken its next evolutionary step.

That does sound pretty interesting. Finally, could you each say a few words to everyone who'll be playing this game?

Asahi: Earlier we talked about the large amount of content in this game, but more importantly, I think it's shaped up to be a game that can be played for a really long time. What I personally like about the game is that you can experience something new each time you play, mixing up your choice of characters, vehicles, and where you drive in the vast world. I encourage players to snap lots of pictures in Photo Mode and create lots of memories.

This game has more music tracks than any other game in the series. We want players to stay engaged with this vast world for a long time without getting bored and hope the soundtrack will support those efforts. We poured a lot of effort into each and every song. Our goal was to create distinctive music that's fun just to listen to while driving around. We also worked hard on the sound effects so that you can hear the changing scenery. So, if you can, we'd love for you to turn up the volume on your TV or system while you play.

Jikumaru: In addition to the vast world, we've added new elements such as Rail Ride and Wall Ride to allow for even more diverse driving styles. Players can discover various ways to play with these new elements, but it means they might find routes or techniques that we developers didn't expect, which is quite terrifying... (Laughs) I think it'll be fun not just for newcomers, but also for advanced Mario Kart players who're into Time Trials. We've also added new modes and missions, so we hope you'll experiment with various ways of driving in this vast world and continue enjoying the game for a long time to come.

Ishikawa: As a designer, I started this project wondering, “Can we really make all of this?!” But looking back on it, this huge challenge allowed us to have fun creating lots of different things with close attention to detail. In previous Mario Kart games, the courses were separate and could only be viewed one by one. But now they look different depending on the angle, time of day, and mode you're playing. We've packed a lot of details into them. In fact, even for a single roadside sign, there's a relationship between that sign and another sign a little further away. Lots of elements went into creating a continuous world, so we hope you'll enjoy taking a breather between races and partake in some Free Roam to discover new things. By the way, this game's road sign designs are also available as stickers you can stick onto your vehicle, so be sure to collect your favorites and have fun equipping them for races and Free Roam mode.

Sato: Even when driving along the same road, the scenery changes depending on the weather and time of day, so it feels like you're heading somewhere new every time. So, no matter how many times you play, it never feels like you've experienced everything the game has to offer. We hope you continue playing for a long time and experience new moments on every drive. One more thing I'd like to highlight is the replay feature. Once the race is over, you can rewind and fast forward to review your performance.

We hope you'll replay your funniest and best moments when playing with friends, and take some beautiful snaps in Photo Mode.

Now, Yabuki-san, please could you share some closing remarks?

Yabuki: Mario Kart is a game where anything can happen. We developed this game hoping for players to experience those moments where they think to themselves, “I can't believe what just happened!” and I believe we've achieved just that. Even if it's been a while since you last played a Mario Kart game, I hope you'll be motivated to come back to the series and re-experience such moments. I'm sure some of you reading this right now have played Mario Kart 8. It's been over 10 years since that game was originally released. We'd like to thank everyone who's played it or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. We believe that Mario Kart World marks the dawn of a new generation for the series, so we hope you'll give it a try.

So, you also felt a sense of accomplishment, Yabuki-san.

Yabuki: That's right. This game will lead the new generation!

Everyone: Woah!

Yabuki: ...Or so I'd like to think. (Laughs)

Everyone: (Laughs)

In this new game, Mario Kart World, players can race around a vast, interconnected world. I'm looking forward to seeing what experiences await us there. Thank you very much.