【Film noir Archives】

For the last couple of weeks,Film noir Archives much of the internet has been abuzz about Mario Kart World, but not entirely for positive reasons.

The flagship launch title for Nintendo Switch 2 looks and sounds great on paper, of course, but the unprecedented $80 price tag has raised plenty of eyebrows. Despite the skepticism, Nintendo has urged fans to reserve judgment until the standalone Mario Kart WorldNintendo Direct livestream. Well, I did. This morning, Nintendo blew the kid off of Mario Kart Worldin a 15-minute Direct, and I've compiled the biggest takeaways from the event.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 tariff impacts: What we know so far

This is the most social Mario Kartyet

This was already hinted at during the big Switch 2 Direct a couple of weeks ago, but Nintendo is really pushing the social angle this time around. You can freely drive around its big open world with a group of friends online (don't worry, local split-screen races are still there, too), discovering new shortcuts or just taking big group photos together using the new Photo Mode.

---

You May Also Like

---

---

Nintendo Switch 2 webcam support is built-in, so you can even see your friends' faces as they infuriatingly zoom past you across the finish line. Interestingly, the camera also works with local play, recognizing up to four people's faces in one frame and putting those faces in the game during races.

Nintendo also showcased a bit of the GameChat feature that allows for open-mic voice chat and screen-sharing. This didn't look much different from what we already saw in the Direct two weeks ago, though. The voice actors doing pretend video game voice chat in the trailer sure seemed to be having fun, and the screen-sharing video feed is still very choppy-looking.

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

There's a bit more to Free Roam than just driving around

The biggest new addition to Mario Kart Worldis the big open-world map that connects every racetrack. Nintendo confirmed that some classic Mario Karttracks will be included in this world, so it's a mix of old and new. One of the biggest questions we've all had for the past two weeks, though, is about what else there is to do when you're not racing. Thankfully, this Direct gave us some clarification on that front.

Only someclarification, though. One thing Nintendo showed was optional challenges that start up when you find and hit P-switches, which can theoretically show you new shortcuts or strategies to use during races. It's unclear what kinds of rewards you get for finishing these challenges, though.

That's not all, of course. There are hidden coins and panels to find that serve heretofore unknown purposes, and seemingly other fun distractions that should hopefully make Free Roam worth doing. It's clear that there's more that Nintendo isn't showing right now, but just how much more is in question.

Food unlocks costumes, of course

Credit: Nintendo

Lastly, I'm most excited about the revelation of the role food plays in the new Mario Kart game. When I played the game a couple of weeks ago, I noticed fully cooked meals that showed up as collectible items on the track, but it wasn't totally clear what they did aside from sometimes change your character's appearance. According to Nintendo, that's the point: They unlock themed costumes you can use whenever you want afterward.

Examples given included Peach wearing a kimono after eating sushi, and Mario donning cowboy garb after eating some western-inspired food. This will probably be another great incentive to explore the world of Mario Kart World. Who doesn't love unlocking fun costumes?

Unfortunately, that's about it for the big new reveals in the Mario Kart WorldDirect. The game launches on June 5 for Nintendo Switch 2.

Topics Nintendo Nintendo Switch Video Games

• Tech
• Games
• Shopping
• Life
• Digital Culture
• Social Good
• Entertainment
• Science

• NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for April 23: Tips to solve Connections #212
• Colin Kaepernick's Nike ad is naturally a meme now — and even Don Jr. is getting in on it
• Rogue kangaroo confuses the heck out of people in Austria. Yes, Austria.
• Shop uses photos of Jeff Goldblum to sell stuff and frankly we'll take 1 of everything
• NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for April 26: Tips to solve Connections #215
• Nike makes Colin Kaepernick one of the faces of its 'Just Do It' campaign
• Watch this good dog patiently hold a hot dog in its mouth while its owner takes a picture
• This dog's ear contains another dog and it's sort of mind
• Music is the secret weapon of Mario Speedrunners
• Shop uses photos of Jeff Goldblum to sell stuff and frankly we'll take 1 of everything

• Michael ALIVE? 12 thoughts about 'Jane the Virgin' Season 4 finale
• There's a new trick to figuring out the plot of 'Westworld' Season 2
• Google may finally have made a decent Android messaging app in Chat
• 'Game of Thrones's hottest new couple are shooting for lead actor Emmys
• Math textbook disses computer scientists in the nerdiest way possible
• Pick your preferred 'Avengers: Infinity War' hero to rule the universe
• Data scientist behind Cambridge Analytica scandal apologises
• 3 best iPhone lenses for taking better Instagram pics
• Why you love reading other people's money diaries
• Beyoncé's second Coachella appearance delivered another epic show

• The State of 5G: When It's Coming, How Fast It Will Be & The Sci
• Tough guys Alex Jones and Marco Rubio almost get into a physical fight
• BBC presenter's family pay hugely loving Twitter tribute following her death
• Tucker Carlson's anti
• Best robot vacuum deal: Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop $300 off at Amazon
• New federal program will make broadband cheaper for low
• 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer, hints for May 9
• Claire Wineland, YouTube star and activist, dies at 21
• Better Buy: Previous
• Join moms championing abortion rights on Mother's Day

• Get the official Atari 7800+ Console for 50% off
• YouTube's new Super Thanks feature is game
• LeBron James says his new Nike sneaker was inspired by African
• How to watch Google I/O 2022
• Character AI reveals AvatarFX, a new AI video generator
• Shop uses photos of Jeff Goldblum to sell stuff and frankly we'll take 1 of everything
• How to mute Twitter notifications from people who don't follow you
• Elon Musk might become temporary Twitter CEO
• How to Reboot and Reset Android Devices
• 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer, hints for May 11