What I did in the game: Every Characters, Vehicles and Mirror Mode unlocked.
The One Picture I have taken: 2 players selection screen, one at the characters screen, and the other at the vehicles screen, both at the last page, so we can see there's no more shadow anywhere.
Finally completed what I wanted to do in Mario Kart World after some grind (in particular to get those Kamek characters). So every characters, vehicles and Mirror Mode are now unlocked. Only thing left to do would be to unlock more stickers, which I won't do for reasons I will explain below.
So what are my thoughts on the first major Nintendo Switch 2 game? At first, I admit I was a little underwhelmed by it. I felt that after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the World tracks were not as great and colorful. But then I started to play Knockout Tour, and started to see the genius of this open world Mario Kart, where you can create your own non-stop circuit pretty much anywhere in the World. Taken individually I feel that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe courses might have the upper hand, but once you start to do them in a row and customize the road to follow to your liking, then Mario Kart World beat down 8 Deluxe easily. And of course Knockout Tour like I said is just the best thing to ever happen to Mario Kart, which is surely the only mode I'll be playing from now on.
I also like the crazy characters selection, and the fact that we don't have to customize our vehicles anymore. Maybe some people loved that, but I always felt it was a waste of my time trying to optimize my kart build in 7 and 8. Just give me a vheicle and let's start racing already! I would even go back to Wii, with just a choice of a kart or motorcycle, with different skins for them, but no stats change between each.
Another positive thing: the soundtrack. It's just GODLY! It might just be the best Mario soundtrack period! So many great Mario song covered by a band, and it plays like you're listening to a radio. Once a song is over, the next one starts, so you have a lot of variety even in the same race. If the OST is getting dropped on Nintendo Music, I'm listening to that non-stop. It's just that good!
And now for the main single-player attraction. Free Roam. A mode where you can explore the entire map, finding secrets to unlock more stickers. For me as a completionist, it should be the best thing ever in a Mario Kart game. But nope. As it stands right now, I hate it! You have three things you can find in the world: P-Switchs, ?-Panels and Peach Coins. Except for the ?-Panels, you have NO IDEA how many collectables there is on the World Map. They don't even show what you got already, so if one day you want to follow a guide online, you'll have to search them all again from scratch to know which one you already got. It's so stupid from Nintendo. It's the same reason why I never cared about the Koroks in Breath of the Wild, but worse here, since at least the Koroks you've found where shown on the map.
As my final thought on it, I still feel that just because of Knockout Tour, Mario Kart World stands above the rest in the series. But Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still have a place, and I feel that its Standard Cups and Battle Modes are still better than what is on offer with World. But like 8 Deluxe, World will now become a game I will play here and there with the family, except if Nintendo fix their horrible Free Roam mode.
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