Can you play Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 1?

But if you're not planning to get a Switch 2 yet and still want to play Mario Kart World, can you do so on Switch 1? Here's what you need to know.

Can you play Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 1?

Unfortunately, you cannot play Mario Kart World on the original Nintendo Switch.

While there are a few Switch 2 games that are set to launch cross-generationally, such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime, that isn't the case for all of them.

Mario Kart World is one such title that is a Switch 2 exclusive, with Nintendo confirming that, while it originally began development as a Switch 1 title, it was made a Switch 2 exclusive because its superior power gave them more freedom while developing the game.

If World took the form of prior Mario Kart games, it would probably have been playable on Switch 1, just as Mario Kart 8 was playable on both Switch 1 and Wii U.

However, once you look at some of the new features present in Mario Kart World, it quickly becomes obvious why Nintendo wanted the full power that the new console provides.

Mario Kart World takes place across a huge, Forza-style open world that can be explored in its entirety, with circuits being a part of the world itself.

Furthermore, Mario Kart World supports 24-player races, double the 12 races that featured in the series' most recent instalments.

Instead of compromising on quality and perhaps having to run the game at a lower frame rate, Nintendo instead decided to go all in on making Mario Kart World the best it can be, which makes a lot of sense considering it's the console's flagship launch title.

Still, at least the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility for Switch 1 games and even controllers, so it's not all bad, eh?

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