Nintendo Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World has just received a meaty update that finally adds custom item rules, and tweaks a long list of course layouts.

Fans of Mario Kart World's brilliant soundtrack, which is filled with toe-tapping remixes and fresh renditions of classic Nintendo tunes, will also now be able to see the name of each melody, and the game it was originally featured in.

And in other tweaks, there seems to be further acknowledgement that fans simply haven't warmed to the game's so-called intermission tracks, a fan term for World's frequent preference that you spend time racing between discrete courses, rather than on them. In all races heading toward Koopa Troopa Beach, players will now get to play two laps once they arrive, rather than just one.

This patch's biggest addition is the ability to set custom item rules when playing VS Race, Balloon Battle and Coin Runners, or when setting up an online play Room. As in previous Mario Kart games, this lets you disable certain items you don't like (that flipping Lightning...) or create item sets tuned towards mayhem (only Blue Shells).

Numerous other quality of life tweaks are included — all listed below — including a shortened time for some coin and Dash Food regeneration. My favorite note, however, is this one: "Made it so the player cannot use a second Boo while already using a Boo, when holding two Boos."

The full patch notes lie below:

Mario Kart World - Version 1.4.0 (2nd December 2025)

General

• Added "Custom Items" to the item rules.

  • This is a feature that lets you set which items appear.
  • This is supported in "VS Race", "Balloon Battle", "Coin Runners", and "Room" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
• Made it so that music track name and source title of the track that is playing will be displayed on the Pause Menu.
• Added "Music Volume" to "Settings/Controller".

• Made it so players who gathered in a "Room" of "Online Play" can participate in "Race", "Knockout Tour", and "Battle".

  • Up to 4 players can participate in "Race", "Knockout Tour", and "Battle".
• Made it so you can join in with friends who are playing "Knockout Tour" from "Friends" in "2p", "Online Play" as well.
• Added "Restart" and "Next Race" in the Pause Menu for "VS Race" in "Single Player".
• Made it so you can select "Photo Mode" from the Pause Menu in "Race against Ghost" in "Time Trials".
• Changed the course layout of below courses for "VS Race", or "Race" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
  • 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".

  *Changed it so that, in all races heading toward "Koopa Troopa Beach", including the above courses, you will cross the finish line after two laps once you arrive at "Koopa Troopa Beach".

• You will now dash when riding on Manta Ramp’s back.
• Made it so the player will not hit Dragoneel when transformed into Bullet Bill.
• Made it so the player cannot use a second Boo while already using a Boo, when holding two Boos.
• When Dash Food is taken by someone, shortened the time until that Dash Food reappears.
• When a coin placed on water is taken by someone, shortened the time until that coin reappears.

Fixed Issues

• Fixed an issue where the dash time was not correct after a Charge Jump.
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through a wall when being stomped on from above by a vehicle driving on the road.
• Fixed an issue where a player would be squashed when touching a Thwomp that had landed.
• Fixed an issue where a Bullet Bill would not be displayed after using it.
• Fixed an issue where a character would be blurry even when making "Focus" "Character" when taking a photo in "Photo Mode" on the Pause Menu.
• Fixed an issue where the screen would look distorted if entering a pipe at the same time as joining a Free Roam in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where player could not get in a UFO when multiple players tried to get in a UFO at the same time in Free Roam in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where a friend’s information would not be updated when looking at the list of friends in "Friends" in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where there would be a communication error when looking at a group ID in "View Room Info" when participating in a group in "Friends" in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where a player’s place would go down if retiring during "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play".
• Fixed an issue where a player that is seen when spectating looks like they are going off the course over and over during "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
• Fixed an issue where the player’s own character or vehicle would change when starting "Online Play" or "Wireless Play" again after quitting a game after "Knockout Tour" in "Online Play" or "Wireless Play".
• Fixed an issue where a player would get stuck on a wall when using a Bullet Bill while falling off the course in "Sky-High Sundae".
• Fixed an issue where a Bullet Bill would go outside the course when using it on the final curve in "Boo Cinema".
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through a bulldozer in "Toad's Factory".
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a spotlight in the race that heads from "Toad's Factory" to "Bowser's Castle" when transformed into Bullet Bill.
• Fixed an issue where if the player used a Bullet Bill or Spiny Shell in the first curve of "Desert Hills", it would get stuck on a rock.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a tree when using a Bullet Bill on "DK Pass".
• Fixed an issue where, when the player was small because of Lightning, they would slip through the wall on the final curve of "DK Pass.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on a billboard when transforming into Bullet Bill in the race that heads from "Crown City" to "Desert Hills".
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the ring of stone when using a Bullet Bill or Mega Mushroom while falling in "Great ? Block Ruins" right before the final curve.
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on the ground on the meadows near "Big Donut".
• Fixed an issue where the player would slip through the wall if rewinding after wall riding in the special room you can go to from a pipe in "Shy Guy Bazaar".
• Fixed an issue where the player would still fall into the lava even though they have "Smart Steering" ON in "Dry Bones Burnout".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when using a Bullet Bill while rail riding in "Wario Stadium".
• Fixed an issue where the player would not be able to glide if getting on a glide panel while gliding in the race that heads from "Wario Stadium" to "Airship Fortress".
• Fixed an issue where the player would get stuck on the ground while heading from "Wario Stadium" to "Airship Fortress".
• Fixed an issue where the vehicle would float up from the rail when the player did a rail ride after a wall ride in a bike-type vehicle in "Wario Stadium".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when using a Bullet Bill on the shortcut while heading from "Dandelion Depths" to "Cheep Cheep Falls" in the "Ice Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course while gliding, while heading from "Dandelion Depths" to "Cheep Cheep Falls" in the "Moon Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
• Fixed an issue where a green shell would get stuck on the ground while heading from "Airship Fortress" to "Dry Bones Burnout" in the "Heart Rally" of "Knockout Tour".
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when they transformed into Bullet Bill on top of a building in "Crown City" in the below races:
  • Race that heads from "DK Spaceport" to "Crown City".
  • Race that heads from "Koopa Troopa Beach" to "Crown City".
  • Race that heads from "Faraway Oasis" to "Crown City".
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social