Team Up in Mario Kart World’s Free Knockout Tour Update
▼ Summary
– A free update (Version 1.5.0) for Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2 adds a new team-based option to the Knockout Tour racing mode.
– In this mode, 24 drivers race across consecutive courses and are eliminated at checkpoints if they fall below a required placement.
– Players can now form 2, 3, or 4 teams to compete in Knockout Tour via local wireless or online play, with CPU drivers filling empty spots.
– The winning team is determined by total points, with significantly more points awarded to the top four finishers to emphasize team strategy.
– Eliminated players can still spectate, switch cameras, and use comments to cheer on their team, while coordination tools like GameChat are recommended for online play.
A fresh, free update has arrived for Mario Kart World on the Nintendo Switch 2, introducing a thrilling new way to compete. Version 1.5.0 transforms the intense Knockout Tour mode by adding team-based competition, allowing you to join forces with friends locally or online for strategic, high-stakes racing.
Previously, Knockout Tour was a purely individual battle where 24 drivers faced elimination at five checkpoints based on their placement. The new team feature changes the dynamic entirely. Now, you can form alliances and compete in structured team matches. Organize a two-team battle of 12 versus 12, a three-team clash of 8 racers each, or a chaotic four-team free-for-all with 6 drivers per squad. If you don’t have enough human players, CPU drivers will automatically fill the empty spots to ensure a full grid.
The core elimination rules remain, with the bottom four drivers being eliminated at each checkpoint until only four contenders remain. A key addition is the on-screen display in the top-right corner, which now shows team colors alongside driver tallies. This lets you instantly gauge how your squad is performing against the competition as racers clear each critical point.
Victory is determined by tallying the total points earned by all members of a team. Points in Knockout Tour team races are weighted very differently from other modes, placing a massive premium on surviving to the final rounds. A first-place finish nets a whopping 50 points, with 40 for second, 35 for third, and 30 for fourth. Conversely, the four drivers eliminated at the very first checkpoint receive only a single point. This system makes every position crucial. A team that manages to have all four of its drivers survive to the final checkpoint is guaranteed an automatic win, emphasizing that cohesive strategy is paramount. Using voice chat through GameChat can be a vital tool for coordinating with teammates during online play.
Even if you are knocked out early, you are not sidelined. The update allows eliminated players to continue watching the race. You can switch the camera to follow any remaining driver and select from a list of preset comments to share with other spectators, turning the sidelines into an interactive cheering section to support your team’s push for victory.
To build your crew, you’ll need to connect with friends. Navigate to your user icon (My Page) on the system’s HOME Menu and select ‘Add Friend’ to send or accept requests. Remember, for Mario Kart World, each system requires its own copy of the game to play, though two players can team up online from a single console. For additional assistance with the friend system or to learn more about the specifics of the Version 1.5.0 update, please refer to the official Nintendo Support pages.
(Source: Nintendo)
