Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct build-up live: start time, how to watch, official runtime, and all our predictions ahead of today's stream

The Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct is taking place later today and is expected to give us loads of new information on what is perhaps the most highly anticipated upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game.

If you need a quick recap of what we know so far, a few seconds of Mario Kart World footage were first shown all the way back in January as part of the Nintendo Switch 2 first look trailer. We then learned further details as part of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and Nintendo Switch 2 Treehouse: Live presentations, which explained some of the new mechanics, showed off the many new characters, and confirmed that the game would be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive launch title.

We've also managed to go hands-on with Mario Kart World ahead of release, which let us try its open-world mechanics for ourselves. Still, I'm expecting the upcoming Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct to give us even more insight into the game's core systems, tracks, and roster. I'm optimistic that Nintendo has kept some tricks up its sleeve, so hopefully there will be some great surprises in store...

Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct date, start time, and length

Nintendo has confirmed that the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct will take place on April 17, 2025. That's today!

The broadcast will start in just a few hours at 6AM PT / 9AM ET / 2PM BST.

Nintendo has officially confirmed that the broadcast will run for approximately 15 minutes.

Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct how to watch

As always, the most reliable place to watch the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct is via the official Nintendo YouTube channel.

The broadcast will also be streaming on the official Nintendo Twitch page, if you prefer that platform.

On top of this, the stream will be available via the Nintendo Today mobile app.

How to pre-order the Mario Kart World bundle

Right now the best value way to get your hands on Mario Kart World is in a bundle with the Nintendo Switch 2 console itself.

Although Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have been delayed in the US, in the console and bundle is currently up for grabs in the UK. Browse our Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders live coverage for the latest stock information, or consult our guide on how to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller is also likely to be a big ticket item for Mario Kart World players, offering a more comfortable experience than the Joy-Con 2 controllers. See our where to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller page to learn how to get your hands on one in time for launch day.

Good afternoon, gamers, and welcome to the beginning of my Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct coverage!

I'm going to be walking you through the build-up to the highly anticipated presentation, sharing the latest details as they come in, plus plenty of rumors and some personal predictions about what might be in store.

Nintendo officially confirms the broadcast’s length

Nintendo has confirmed that the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct will last for approximately 15 minutes. That’s honestly much shorter than I was expecting and significantly below the roughly 40 or so minute runtime of most Nintendo Direct broadcasts.

This is undoubtedly going to be disappointing news for some, but I’m hopeful that Nintendo will still be able to squeeze in some interesting new details.

What are we going to see?

Given that short run time, I’m now wondering what exactly is going to be shown off. I imagine that the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct will be more like an extended overview trailer than a traditional Nintendo Direct, presumably giving us a breakdown of the game’s main modes.

I’m expecting plenty of time on the Grand Prix mode, focusing on how it differs from previous entries. If you need a quick refresher, Mario Kart World features a more open world that sees you driving between race courses rather than a simple transition or loading screen.

I think we will also be shown much more of the Knockout Tour mode, which is effectively a Battle Royale take on Mario Kart. 24 players face off in a fast-paced race, with checkpoints which see those at the back gradually eliminated.

The Free Roam mode will also likely be there, ideally detailing the kinds of activities that will be available in the open world. I’m personally hoping for some information on any potential collectibles or mini challenges, which would help make exploration seem more worthwhile.

Show me the starting roster!

On that note, I'm hoping for full confirmation of the starting roster of racers. So far we have seen a whopping 50, yes you read that right: 50, playable characters, which is far more than any previous Mario Kart game.

The full list of confirmed characters so far is as follows:

• Mario
• Luigi
• Peach
• Toad
• Toadette
• Donkey Kong
• Bowser
• Daisy
• Yoshi
• Birdo (my personal pick)
• Wario
• Waluigi
• Rosalina
• Bowser Jr.
• Shy Guy
• Koopa Troopa
• King Boo
• Dry Bones
• Paulina
• Baby Mario
• Baby Luigi
• Baby Peach
• Baby Daisy
• Baby Rosalina
• Nabbit
• Moo Moo
• Lakitu
• Wiggler
• Hammer Bro
• Charging Chuck
• Spike
• Piranha Plant
• Pianta
• Dolphin
• Goomba
• Para-Biddybud
• Sidestepper
• Stingby
• Penguin
• Cataquack
• Monty Mole
• Swoop
• Pokey
• Cheep Cheep
• Peepa
• Snowman
• Fish Bone
• Coin Coffer
• Conkdor
• Rocky Wrench

We've also seen plenty of unique outfits, though right now it's not clear whether these are just cosmetics to unlock or something a little deeper. Hopefully we'll find out soon...

Will rainbow road return?

There's one iconic track that feels like it's been missing from everything we've heard about Mario Kart World so far... I'm of course talking about the legendary rainbow road, which I think will make appearance at the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct.

I suspect that it will be the very last track on the game's final cup, which would make for a pretty incredible send-off.

The previous entry in the series, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features not just one or two, but five distinct versions of rainbow road so it seems absurd to suggest that we won't get at least one version of it this time around.

What about social features?

It's clear that social features are a big feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 console. It has a dedicated button for its chat functions and an official camera accessory, after all.

We've already seen footage of players sharing their screen in an online game of Mario Kart World and I would expect plenty of that kind of thing to show up in the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct.

Maybe we'll be shown the matchmaking systems in detail, or learn about some of the other cool things you can do while playing online.

Yep, we've already played it

My colleague Rhys Wood (no relation) and I have now both had the chance to experience Mario Kart World for ourselves.

Rhys tried it out back at the Paris Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event, while I had the chance to go hands-on more recently at the latest Nintendo Switch 2 Experience day in London last week.

I'll be littering my own anecdotes from my time with the game throughout this live coverage, but if you want something more concrete you can check out Rhys' detailed Mario Kart World hands-on preview.

You can tune in on the Nintendo Today app

Nintendo has confirmed that the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct will be broadcast on the Nintendo Today app. This is on top of the usual YouTube and Twitch channels, which is an interesting move.

It seems as though Nintendo is dedicated to positioning the app as the one-stop-shop for all Nintendo news.

It's a novel idea, though I can't imagine that anyone other than the most hardcore Nintendo fans will be keen to download a dedicated app to watch something that is already been streamed via other, more popular platforms.

Didn't manage to catch the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct?

You can view the trailer shown off at the Direct for yourself below so that you're fully up to speed ahead of the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct tomorrow.

What are you most excited for?

When I played Mario Kart World, the thing that excited me most has got to be that massive roster of characters. It sounds a bit silly to say, but it's hard not to love the sheer variety on offer here while you're scrolling through the character menu.

I was pretty disappointed by the selection on offer in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, though the addition of Peachette (an obscure favorite of mine) via the Booster Course Pass was very appreciated. Even so, the bulk of the choices were very samey.

We had 42 characters at launch, but that included seven Koopalings and four boring cosmetic variants in Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, Metal Mario, and the now infamous Pink Gold Peach.

Not only are there many more characters in Mario Kart World, but they all seem much more distinct. It seems like some characters even have a load of outfit variants to discover, further increasing the variety without taking up any more spots. Also, you can finally play as a cow - which is pretty rad.

Expect carnage in the stream chat

Here's one thing I can predict with confidence. The chat is going to be full of calls from fans to reduce the price of the console and the game.

This was the case throughout the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and Treehouse: Live shows and I don't expect this next stream to be any different.

If you need a quick refresher, the Nintendo Switch 3 costs $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95. There is also a bundle that includes a digital copy of Mario Kart World that comes in at $499.99 / £429.99 / AU$769.95.

Individually, a physical copy of Mario Kart World will $79.99 / £74.99.

Understandably, these prices have raised some eyebrows and I expect to see some frustrations vented tomorrow.

A look at the characters and vehicles

I managed to record some footage from my own Mario Kart World hands-on, so I'm to kick stuff off with this quick look at the character and vehicle roster.

These are all of the characters that were available to try during my demo, plus some interesting outfit variants like the adorable Burger Bud Toad.

@techradar

We’ve played a few laps of Mario Kart World and have our favorite racers - who are you most excited for? ♬ The Clap - Dodge & Fuski

It's nearing the end of the day on UK time, so I'm just about to head off for the evening!

I don't anticipate any major Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct in the next few hours, though stay tuned as I will be back first thing tomorrow morning to pick up where I left off and continue the coverage throughout the big day.

Good morning everyone! I'm back to continue our Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct live coverage.

The stream is set to kick off later today and there is just hours to go at this point, so I'll be walking you through everything that you need to know and how to prepare.