【The Ages of Lulu (1990)】

For the last couple of weeks,The Ages of Lulu (1990) much of the internet has been abuzz about Mario Kart World, but not entirely for positive reasons.

The flagship launch title for Nintendo Switch 2 looks and sounds great on paper, of course, but the unprecedented $80 price tag has raised plenty of eyebrows. Despite the skepticism, Nintendo has urged fans to reserve judgment until the standalone Mario Kart WorldNintendo Direct livestream. Well, I did. This morning, Nintendo blew the kid off of Mario Kart Worldin a 15-minute Direct, and I've compiled the biggest takeaways from the event.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 tariff impacts: What we know so far

This is the most social Mario Kartyet

This was already hinted at during the big Switch 2 Direct a couple of weeks ago, but Nintendo is really pushing the social angle this time around. You can freely drive around its big open world with a group of friends online (don't worry, local split-screen races are still there, too), discovering new shortcuts or just taking big group photos together using the new Photo Mode.

---

You May Also Like

---

---

Nintendo Switch 2 webcam support is built-in, so you can even see your friends' faces as they infuriatingly zoom past you across the finish line. Interestingly, the camera also works with local play, recognizing up to four people's faces in one frame and putting those faces in the game during races.

Nintendo also showcased a bit of the GameChat feature that allows for open-mic voice chat and screen-sharing. This didn't look much different from what we already saw in the Direct two weeks ago, though. The voice actors doing pretend video game voice chat in the trailer sure seemed to be having fun, and the screen-sharing video feed is still very choppy-looking.

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

There's a bit more to Free Roam than just driving around

The biggest new addition to Mario Kart Worldis the big open-world map that connects every racetrack. Nintendo confirmed that some classic Mario Karttracks will be included in this world, so it's a mix of old and new. One of the biggest questions we've all had for the past two weeks, though, is about what else there is to do when you're not racing. Thankfully, this Direct gave us some clarification on that front.

Only someclarification, though. One thing Nintendo showed was optional challenges that start up when you find and hit P-switches, which can theoretically show you new shortcuts or strategies to use during races. It's unclear what kinds of rewards you get for finishing these challenges, though.

That's not all, of course. There are hidden coins and panels to find that serve heretofore unknown purposes, and seemingly other fun distractions that should hopefully make Free Roam worth doing. It's clear that there's more that Nintendo isn't showing right now, but just how much more is in question.

Food unlocks costumes, of course

Credit: Nintendo

Lastly, I'm most excited about the revelation of the role food plays in the new Mario Kart game. When I played the game a couple of weeks ago, I noticed fully cooked meals that showed up as collectible items on the track, but it wasn't totally clear what they did aside from sometimes change your character's appearance. According to Nintendo, that's the point: They unlock themed costumes you can use whenever you want afterward.

Examples given included Peach wearing a kimono after eating sushi, and Mario donning cowboy garb after eating some western-inspired food. This will probably be another great incentive to explore the world of Mario Kart World. Who doesn't love unlocking fun costumes?

Unfortunately, that's about it for the big new reveals in the Mario Kart WorldDirect. The game launches on June 5 for Nintendo Switch 2.

Topics Nintendo Nintendo Switch Video Games

• Tech
• Games
• Digital Culture
• Life
• Science
• Deals
• Social Good
• Entertainment

• The State of 5G: When It's Coming, How Fast It Will Be & The Sci
• Patriots owner Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitution
• Black cat invades football pitch, delights Twitter
• It's illegal to intimidate voters, in case you were wondering
• WhatsApp launches 'Advanced Chat Privacy' to protect sensitive conversations
• This Arabic billboard is massively trolling Donald Trump
• Oscars 2019 red carpet fashion: Glitz, glam, and challenging looks
• Twitter cofounder Ev Williams is leaving the company's board
• Get the official Atari 7800+ Console for 50% off
• Company is GPS

• Here's how to bring the majesty and mystery of space to your phone
• Judge Judy is TV's highest paid host
• Now any rich idiot can run their own Bird scooter empire
• There is a 'Doctor Who' cook book for your next timey
• Social senior dog walks 4 miles every day to catch up with all his friends
• Why the alt
• Justin Bieber covers Tracy Chapman and 2Pac because he contains multitudes
• Critics love 'Spider
• Artist illustrates the weird, goofy and gross pickup lines she gets online
• Calvin Harris uses someone else's birthday to remind you he works out

• Best Samsung deal: Save $60 on 64GB Samsung Galaxy Tab A9
• Everything coming to Hulu in March 2019
• Olivia Colman's Oscar dress had pockets and she's in charge of the revolution now
• Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's intimate Oscars look has spawned some excellent memes
• Stablecoin bill advances in U.S. Senate as Trump critics call to end his crypto dealings
• Nokia 9 PureView hands
• Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak had an Oscars date night, thrilling fans of 'The Office'
• 'Pictionary Air' is a futuristic take on 'Pictionary' with no paper
• A Typical Wall Street Republican
• Everyone would *really* like Billy Bush to donate his possible payout to charity

• A worthless juicer and a Gipper-branded server
• 'Black Panther' is now an Oscar
• Musk would rather sit in freeway traffic with Autopilot than use Waze
• 1TB microSD cards are here and I irrationally want one
• Best robot vacuum deal: Save $140 on roborock Q7 Max Robot Vacuum
• Microsoft announces Hololens 2 at MWC 2019
• Sony Xperia 1, Xperia 10, Xperia 10 Plus: Ultra
• Oscars opening is Queen promising to rock us: Watch
• Mary Shows Up
• People are freaking out over these 'sexist' T