Today, Nintendo has absolutely unloaded on us with new updates in the Version 1.4.0 Update to Mario Kart World. And these updates range from music adjustments to course routes and changes. Seriously…it’s a lot! And it expands even further upon what was unveiled during the Mario Kart World Direct back in April 2025.

We here at Gamer Social Club provided our coverage of Mario Kart World and gave it a solid 8 out of 10, but it was not without its faults (for more on our Review Policy, take a peek here).

“Mario Kart World is a great entry into the Mario Kart series. The racing feels great, the tracks are engaging and varied, and the music and visuals are all at the high level you’d expect from Nintendo. The big new thing, the Free Roam, feels underbaked and a missed opportunity of the potential it could have been. It could have been transformative but instead sits as an option on the menu in a standard Mario Kart package I’ll unlikely bother with.” – Adam Stewart, Gamer Social Club

So…About Those 1.4.0 Updates…

Let’s dig into what was updated:

General Additions to System Functioning

• “Custom Items” have been added to the item rules.
  • This will allow for customization of which items will make appearances during your races.
  • This new functionality will be included on the following modes (in both Online and Wireless Play):
    • VS Race
    • Balloon Battle
    • Coin Runners
    • Room
• The Music Track name and the Source Title of the track that is playing will be shown on the Pause Menu.
• Music Volume has been added to “Settings/Controller”.
• Players who have gathered in a Room of Online Play can participate in Race, Knockout Tour, and Battle.
  • Up to 4 players can participate in these specific modes.
• You can now join in with friends who are playing Knockout Tour from Friends in 2P and Online Play
• In Single Player mode, you can now access the following options in the Pause Menu:
  • Restart
  • Next Race

Specific Course & Race Changes

• In Time Trials Mode, you can now access Photo Mode from the Pause Menu when racing Ghosts.
• The course layouts have changed for “VS Race” and “Race” in “Online Play” or “Wireless Play” in the following areas:
  • 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”.
• Additionally, all races that head towards Koopa Troopa Beach will have you crossing the finish line after two laps once you arrive at Koopa Troopa Beach.
• Dashing is now an option on the Manta Ramp’s back.
• You’ll no longer hit the Dragoneel when in Bullet Bill form.
• You’ll no longer be allowed to use a second Boo when you’re already in Boo form.
• When Dash Food gets snagged by someone, the time window for the Dash Food to reappear has been shortened.
• When a player picks up a Coin on water, the time window of respawning the Coin will be shortened.

Fixes

OK, there are a LOT of them. Feel free to check all of them out here, but here are some of the highlights:

• Lots of bug fixes, especially with visual aesthetics and environment interactions.
• Corrections of some of the Friends Play in Online Play.
• Very nuanced corrections to specific segments of courses, including areas where racers may get stuck and/or glitch through areas.

Be sure to stay connected with Gamer Social Club for all things gaming related, including further updates to Mario Kart World.