The first launch title game for the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World, has finally revealed more gameplay details. While everything from the changing weather conditions and special outfits looks incredibly cool, the new endless Grand Prix looks like it will only exacerbate one of the most common problems in Mario Kart races.

Playing online or with friends, especially with uneven skill levels, will quickly reveal that first-place racers in Mario Kart World might stay in first place due to a few player obstacles like bananas, fireballs, and red and green shells. The new endless Grand Prix mode may worsen this issue, as a never-ending race means players stuck in the middle pack never get a chance to recover and reset.

It’s Too Easy To Stay In First In Mario Kart

Being Stuck In The Middle Pack Is An Endless Cycle

Anyone who has played any version of Mario Kart will know that first place often tends to stay far ahead of the pack. While this could be because whoever is in first place is simply a better driver, it’s often more likely that the racers in the middle pack are constantly sabotaging each other with red shells and bananas to get slightly ahead, which only helps first place gain even more distance over time.

The blue shell is designed to prevent first place from outpacing everyone else too much, but it often doesn’t make that much of a difference, since they’re not as readily available as common items like green shells and banana peels. Once a skilled player gets far enough ahead, there’s not much anyone in the back can do to catch up.

Mario Kart World’s New Grand Prix Will Let First Place Get Too Far Ahead

Never-Ending Tracks Will Create More Distance Between Players

As revealed in the latest Nintendo Direct, Mario Kart World will include a new type of race that goes seamlessly from track to track, as shown in the gameplay announcement trailer by Nintendo on YouTube.

This marathon of a Grand Prix and all its new confirmed courses are innovative and will undoubtedly appeal to longtime fans of the series, but it will also likely make the first-place problem even worse. Past games reset player places at the beginning of each race in a set, which allowed players in lower places to get a fresh start.

These longer race types could break up groups even further, as those in the back will fall further and further behind without a reset.

With the new Grand Prix, first-place players will only get further and further ahead with nothing to stop them. These longer race types could break up groups even further, as those in the back will fall further and further behind without a reset.

More specific details on how Mario Kart World's new game mode will work have yet to be revealed, but hopefully, the time between the official courses will allow players in the middle pack to catch up.

Video Credit: Nintendo/YouTube