Makes sense, it's the launch game and most people bought the bundle where you pay an extra $50 for mario kart world. It's similar to Switch 1 launch where almost all people had BOTW
this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2025
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Not only that but Mario Kart is just wildly popular in general. MK8 Deluxe launched 2 months after BotW but sold twice as many copies.
And I must say that MKW is pretty fun, I love roaming around the world just doing tricks and exploring hidden areas!
It adds something’s that I found lacking in MK8, I would only play MK8 for Cups or Online, now there is an environment which ties everything together, with Easter eggs and collectibles, and I can learn the tracks without the pressure of a timer or a race ending soon.
But...isn't it all so...costly? Granted, I don't use dollars, so my sense of price might be skewed, but converting into my local currency, it's quite a bit of money, no?
It's actually much cheaper to buy MKW bundled with the console than standalone. There is really no good reason to buy one without the other unless you're extremely not into Mario Kart, and in that case there wasn't a reason to get the Switch 2 until Bananza came out (after the period being reported here).
Clearly the price was less of an issue than people were guessing on the Internet. Which makes sense. The Switch 2 is still cheaper than a Steam Deck OLED, a PS5 Pro or a mid to low range smartphone. People like to compare straight sticker prices, but it's been quite a ride for hardware prices since Covid.
What is cheap for one person is expensive for another. People have different levels of disposable income. For some people, a Switch is just a device to use while waiting for Steam to download patches. For others, it is the only gaming device they plan to buy this decade.
Mario Kart World on its own isn’t cheap, (though it kinda is historically with inflation, but that’s a whole other story), but it’s hugely popular and between my wife, daughter and I we have a combined 800+ hrs in MK8. So, I feel like $8/100hrs of playtime is a pretty good deal.
DK Bonanza looks like Mario Odyssey and thus far looks pretty good… and made by the same team. I definitely got lots of hours in that SMO so I’ll pick DKB up as well when I get a chance.
Gaming has been an expensive hobby always and adjusted for inflation games are cheaper now than they were historically. If a game is too expensive for me I buy second hand and then sell it once I’m done with it and that’s still possible with Switch 2 games. Mario Kart games provide lots of enjoyment for a long time though so people are inclined to buy and keep them even at $80.
In many places, only the MK bundle is available. You would have to wait much longer for the Switch 2 standalone.
Huh, it was the opposite here (Poland), at least prior to launch because there are no shortages now. If you’re buying Switch 2 today it’s probably for Mario Kart World and this is cheaper than buying it separate.
This data is till June 30th.
Direct link to Nintendo site: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html
I don't get why. Botw I get, but why this boring racing game
Because if you don't want to play that "boring racing game" there wasn't a reason to buy a switch 2. Almost every launch title was an upgrade of a switch 1 title, or was available on something else. Mario Kart World was the unique game until Bananza came out
You overestimate LoZ's popularity and underestimate Mario Kart's. Not even those two particular entries, but in general. And I say that despite being a sucker for both the LoZ series and the less conventional BotW/TotK.
BotW sold a lot for a Zelda game and even then it sold a lot less than Mario Kart 8 DX (despite it being a port of an older game).
My take though? I got the bundle mostly because I expected better from MK World. It's not a complete dud, but I would agree it's rather underwhelming. MK8 is still my favourite and I would never consider it "a boring racing game" in any way.
Because what else are you playing on Switch 2 if not Mario Kart World?
DK Bananza is signigicantly more fun than Mario Kart World imo. Even still, that's only one other game.
Nothing apparently
It's kind of the only real Switch 2 game, honestly a weird launch situation. Feels odd to buy a switch 2 without Mario Kart. BOTW is cool and the updates are nice but I can play that mostly fine on the legacy switch.
Well, it was the only switch 2 game. Bananza is actually pretty cool.
I mean who would buy the switch two if they have the switch one already. That seems wildly excessive
Lots of people, me included, but you're not wrong.
Here's my situation. The og switch battery is fried. I have a mario kart cart for the switch and when I was deciding which v2 option to get, I went without the mario kart world since I think I have played mario kart a handful of times and none of my family or friends have it or play it.