Mario Kart World Update Adds New Knockout Tour Objectives and Fixes

Nintendo has surprised players with a fresh update for Mario Kart World on Switch 2, adding two new sets of objectives for the game’s Knockout Tour mode. The patch also brings photo and performance tweaks, plus a long list of fixes aimed at smoothing out online and offline races.

Release window, platforms, and what’s new

Drill Rally, which links Wario Shipyard to Bowser’s Castle, and Boomerang Rally, which runs from Salty Salty Speedway to Whistlestop Summit, are now live as part of this update (downloadable immediately). Nintendo is positioning these as additional Knockout Tour “routes,” not brand-new tracks.

In other words, these routes are made up of six existing course areas each—players race toward and around those segments as they try to avoid elimination in the mode. If you were hoping for entirely new stages to drop, this update is more about expanding the Knockout Tour structure than adding fresh environments to the main map.

Every Mario Kart Game, Ranked

One year after launch, Mario Kart World still hasn’t delivered the long-anticipated stream of all-new courses. Still, if you’ve already earned every gold trophy in Knockout Tour, you now have two more route goals to chase. Nintendo has also confirmed more Knockout Tour routes are planned for future updates.

In a blog post announcing the patch, Nintendo explained that the new routes only unlock after you clear at least one Knockout Tour rally. It also reiterated that additional Knockout Tour routes are scheduled for later updates.

So far, there don’t seem to be any sweeping alterations to Mario Kart World’s overall world layout. Players have previously spotted a quieter adjustment in an earlier patch, aimed at sprucing up one of the game’s less engaging areas, but this latest update appears to focus elsewhere.

Another headline change for today is in Photo Mode: you can now place stickers you’ve collected onto screenshots. Yes, that means there’s nothing stopping you from covering your photos with whatever sticker you like—cow spam included.

It may not be the kind of expansion that adds brand-new characters, karts, and courses in the way some fans have been craving, but it does show Nintendo is still actively working on Mario Kart World. The big question now is how much bigger future updates will get, and how long it will take before the game moves beyond route additions and quality-of-life improvements.

Latest update: Ver. 1.7.0 (Released June 30, 2026)

• Added Drill Rally and Boomerang Rally to Knockout Tour.
  • These routes can be selected after you’ve played at least one Knockout Tour rally.
• In Photo Mode (from the pause menu), added the ability to attach stickers to your pictures.
  • Stickers can be placed using touch controls or mouse controls as well.
• Improved acceleration performance for characters and vehicles that had low acceleration.
• Increased gliding speed for characters with high speed, plus some other characters and vehicles.
• Changed gameplay so the player can jump immediately after being hit by Kamek’s magic or a Bullet Bill.
• Adjusted conditions for performing a Jump Boost by shaking the controller while racing on water.
• Adjusted behavior after landing near rivals, and extended dash time after landing.
• Changed it so players can stop a slipstream by braking before the slipstream begins.
• Adjusted the rate at which players receive items from item boxes during races and in Knockout Tour.
• Added the ability to see the Super Horn a rival is holding.
• Added a ramp to the route from Airship Fortress to Bowser’s Castle.
• Added support for Thai.
  • You can change language via System Settings > System > Language.
• Fixed a Time Trials issue where the time shown after crossing the finish line could be incorrect.
  • Time Trials ghosts affected by this may be removed from View Rankings without notice.
• Fixed an issue where gliding immediately after crashing would cause the player’s gliding speed to drop.
• Fixed an issue where the player could crash after being hit by a Goomba or Para-Biddybud they had launched.
• Fixed an issue where the player couldn’t access a helicopter in Online Play and Wireless Play.
• Fixed an issue where throwing a Bob-omb behind you while on a Standard Bike or W-Twin Chopper would prevent you from throwing it as far as on other vehicles.
• Fixed multiple issues related to Bullet Bill.
• Fixed an issue where a Spiny Shell hitting a gold block or a broadcast van would cause it to break.
• Fixed an issue where the player could pass through walls in Bowser’s Castle.
• Fixed an issue where the player could get stuck on an electronic sign in Dandelion Depths.
• Fixed an issue where using a Feather after performing a Jump Boost in Dandelion Depths could cause the player to fall off the course.
• Fixed an issue where the player could fall off the course after jumping onto a parasol on the race heading to Salty Salty Speedway.
• Fixed an issue where the player could fall off the course when taking the shortcut route in the race going from Koopa Troopa Beach to Dino Dino Jungle.
• Fixed an issue where a player could lose two coins at the same time in the race heading east from Peach Stadium.
• Fixed an issue where performing a Jump Boost while rail riding in the race from Cheep Cheep Falls to Dandelion Depths could cause the player to fall from the rail.
• Fixed an issue where the player could hit a shop pole at Shy Guy Bazaar and be unable to move.
• Fixed an issue where Dry Bones could fall through the ground around Dry Bones Burnout.
• Fixed an issue where players driving along the edge of the course could fall off in races heading from Wario Shipyard to DK Pass or Cheep Cheep Falls.
• Fixed an issue where players could be placed very far in front at various times after falling off the course on multiple tracks.
• Addressed several other issues to improve the overall gameplay experience.