I hosted a Mario Kart World tournament at work and lost — and this is the most important thing I learned – 1v1 Video Chat & LIve Streaming & Influencer Subscription

Tom’s Guide

Search Tom’s Guide

View Profile

Newsletters

Best Picks

Entertainment

Prime Day Deals
Switch 2 Restock

Galaxy Z Fold 7
Wordle Today

Best Mattress
Best laptops

You may like

I played Mario Kart World for 6 hours — here are 5 reasons to buy it with Switch 2 at launch

Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct live updates — new courses, modes and all the latest news on the Switch 2 launch title

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth it? Tom’s Guide’s readers have spoken

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of my favorite games on my OG Switch, so naturally I really enjoy Mario Kart World too. One day, when Harry and I were playing, we came up with the brilliant idea to host a tournament for our office. We pitched the idea to five of our colleagues and they all agreed. Everyone loves Mario Kart, right?

So seven of us chose a date and time after work and let it unravel. Luckily, no friendships or work relationships were harmed in the making of this tournament.
Setting the stage

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The rules for our Mario Kart World tournament were simple: one group of four players and another group of three players would compete across 12 races, with the winners from each group battling it out in a best-of-three showdown.
We plugged one Switch 2 into one TV and another Switch 2 into another TV next to it. With our Joy-Cons and third-party controllers in hand (the Turtle Beach Rematch included), we battled it out.
Despite my high hopes, I finished second in my group which meant I did not progress to the finale. I was bummed, of course, because I really do enjoy winning, and I get very competitive. The only person I’m genuinely happy to lose against is my partner and that’s where I draw the line.
So no, I was not happy finishing second and that meant I had to now watch the two winners from the groups race it out. As I sat there with my arms crossed and my eyebrows slightly furrowed (no, I am not a sore loser), something dawned on me. I… actually enjoyed watching others play? Gasp.
Mario Kart as a spectator sport

(Image credit: Nintendo)
I sat there with my eyes fixed on the TV and I thoroughly enjoyed the two finalists navigate their way around shortcuts and drift into oblivion while NPCs bombarded them with red shells and the occasional blue shell. And I have to say: Mario Kart World makes for a great spectator sport, and a lot of it is down to the NPCs.
I’ve sunk at least 80 hours into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and never once did I think the NPCs outsmarted me. Sure, once you fall down the pecking order and find yourself in the last 10, things get sticky. But never as bad as in Mario Kart World as having 24 racers on track results in a lot of chaos — so much so that people have often complained about the game’s difficulty on r/NintendoSwitch and r/MarioKart.
NPCs, for a change, seem intelligent and smart. They’ll take shortcuts, grind on rails, target you, so on and so forth, and if you aren’t in top form and aren’t utilizing shortcuts, the game will punish you.

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
That’s what made watching the finale of our tournament so thrilling — the five of us who watched it had no idea what to expect, and I doubt the finalists did either. It was so thrilling to watch, and definitely more fun to watch than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe which, after a while, becomes predictable and you don’t even break a sweat playing 150CC+.
Our office Mario Kart World tournament has cemented the game as one of the greats for me, which I didn’t think earlier. With the plethora of characters and vehicles to choose from and the different types of race tracks, it’s a whole lot of fun for people who don’t like video games either. I can’t wait to host another tournament now.
More from Tom’s Guide

I tried playing Mario Kart World with a racing wheel on Switch 2 — and it’s perfect for cruising in Free Roam mode
I doubled my Nintendo Switch 2 storage for half the price of Mario Kart World — but it still wasn’t enough
7 Mario Kart World features that will keep you playing until the Switch 3

Today’s best Nintendo Switch 2 deals

No price informationCheck Amazon

We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Nikita Achanta

Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer, Reviews

Nikita is a Staff Writer on the Reviews team at Tom’s Guide. She’s a lifelong gaming and photography enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tech. Having worked as a Sub Editor and Writer for Canon EMEA, she has interviewed photographers from all over the world and working in different genres. When she’s not working, Nikita can usually be found sinking hours into RPGs on her PS5, flying a drone (she’s a licensed drone pilot), at a concert, or watching F1. Her work has appeared in several publications including Motor Sport Magazine, NME, Marriott Bonvoy, The Independent, and Metro.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

I played Mario Kart World for 6 hours — here are 5 reasons to buy it with Switch 2 at launch

Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct live updates — new courses, modes and all the latest news on the Switch 2 launch title

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 worth it? Tom’s Guide’s readers have spoken

I’ve played 8 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — here’s the 3 I’d buy first (Mario Kart World isn’t one of them)

I played the Nintendo Switch 2 for two hours — here’s what I like and what I don’t

I’m a gamer and my partner isn’t — but she still can’t resist these 5 couch co-op games

Latest in Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 display tests find its even slower than original Switch

Nintendo Switch 2 restocks live — retailers to check now after Walmart sells out

I’ve played 8 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — here’s the best one you (probably) skipped but really should buy now

Huge Nintendo Switch game sale from $9 ahead of Prime Day — 21 deals I’d shop now

Nintendo’s Switch 2 hasn’t even been available for 2 weeks — and people are already getting banned for using this emulator’s controversial cartridge

I didn’t pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 — but it would be an instant buy if they ported this game

Latest in Opinion

Want a finger massage? You can get one for over $30 off right now with this Bob & Brad massager I’ve been testing for weeks

The Sonos Move 2 has been my pick for the best Bluetooth speaker for years — until the Marshall Kilburn III came along

I think ‘Squid Game’ season 3 just took my soul — this is the show’s boldest, most emotional chapter yet

The Sonos Ace have one of my favorite wireless features — and it’s not the ANC

I asked AI to predict 2026 — here’s the boldest forecasts from ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude

Just add speakers: I tested this amazing-looking streaming amplifier, and its filled with futuristic features to make your music sound epic