Here’s why Mario Kart World won’t be on Switch 1

Mario Kart 9 Switch 1: Mario and others can be seen racing a kart

Mario Kart World has been officially revealed and it is changing up the series more than any entry ever before. With a fully open map, explorable world, and larger races, there is a lot to look forward to. There are even some secrets hidden within the trailers.

But, despite being shown off for Nintendo Switch 2, many are wondering if the game will also come to Switch 1. While we don’t have a firm answer, we have a pretty good guess as to if it will be playable on the old Switch hardware.

Mario Kart World won’t be available on Nintendo Switch 1 as the game will be too demanding on the hardware. This has been confirmed by Nintendo during the Switch 2 reveal event.

There are multiple factors to consider, including 24-player races (bigger than anything in the franchise previously) and the wide-open world you can explore at any time. The visuals are also drastically improved from the previous games in the series, offering one of the best-looking racing experiences in the series. Races are also bigger and longer than we have seen before.

Both of these features would put a lot of strain on Switch’s aging hardware, and the game likely wouldn’t be able to run at all without significant visual and frame rate downgrades. Some Switch games are already struggling, like Pokemon Scarlet & Violet and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in moments.

So, it seems highly unlikely that Mario Kart World would run at all on Nintendo Switch, let alone well. While Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a huge offering and will keep you occupied, it does mean that you will need a Switch 2 to access most upcoming Nintendo games.

For even more on Switch 2, check out the Switch 2 release info here.

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