Mario Kart World Has Over 100 Tracks – From a Certain Point of View

As the Nintendo Switch 2’s release date gets closer, fans are wondering about the main launch title, Mario Kart World. They’re mostly wondering if the game is worth the $80 price tag, but they also wonder how many tracks the new open-world installment of the beloved series will offer. Well, Nintendo says there are over 100 tracks – but, to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi, that’s only from a certain point of view.

Mario Kart World and Variations

In an interview with the Mario Kart World development team, producer Kosuke Yabuki answered the question, “How many courses are in the game?” with the following answer:

In this game, you don’t just race on the courses. The areas between courses are also used for racing. So it’s as if there are courses spread out all over the world, and if you were to add up all the possible variations, it would easily exceed 100.

Indeed, as the trailer advertises, the tracks have day and night cycles and different weather conditions. The Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct also advertised that in the grand prix, you have to race through the open world between tracks. However, it seems like quite a stretch to count the distance between tracks as its own track.

So, How Many Tracks Does the Game Have?

Nintendo Life has listed seven confirmed Grand Prix races, each with four courses. Given that the Direct teased at unlocking Rainbow Road, there might be a possible eighth unlockable grand prix. Twenty-eight or thirty-two tracks are a long way from 100. Even though Yabuki was clear that he was counting the different variations, he probably also wanted to be quoted as saying the game contained over 100 tracks. With gamers angry about the $80 price, he might have been trying to justify the high price to potential consumers.

Conclusion

Fans will grab Mario Kart World even while they’re complaining about the price. While the different racing modes and the varying time and weather conditions will offer plenty of variety, stretching the truth is not a smart way to advertise your game. Here’s hoping that players don’t attach themselves to Yabuki’s answer and then find themselves disappointed.