The hidden gem of 2025’s game soundtracks is now officially released.

Last year delivered some truly epic and cinematic game soundtracks: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s score by Lorien Testard swept the awards, while Woodkid and Ludvig Forssell’s work on Death Stranding 2 and Toma Otowa’s Ghost of Yōtei received plenty of acclaim. However, my top pick for 2025 is a different beast altogether, and it didn’t snag any nominations. It’s Mario Kart World.

The soundtrack for Mario Kart World, crafted by Atsuko Asahi, sticks to the winning formula set by Mario Kart 8: imagine bringing together some of Japan’s finest session players and jazz-fusion maestros to create live, genre-blending, big-band renditions of iconic, high-energy video game tracks. The result? Pure soundtrack gold.

On Tuesday, the Mario Kart World soundtrack dropped on Nintendo Music, the streaming service bundled with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriptions. This release coincides perfectly with the first anniversary of the Switch 2—and the launch of Mario Kart World—coming up on June 5. It also arrives alongside updates for the Nintendo Music app, which now supports iPads, Siri, Apple CarPlay, and Android Audio, plus the exciting launch of a Nintendo Music web app for those work listening sessions.

When it comes to production scale and the sheer volume of tracks, the Mario Kart World soundtrack is a powerhouse. Nintendo knows the treasure they have and hasn’t released the entire soundtrack at once; they’re holding back some of the Free Roam tracks, which reimagine classic Nintendo tunes in surprising musical styles, for future content drops. Still, we’re treated to four playlists and over two and a half hours of music (not counting the extended-playback collection).

It’s an absolute delight. Listening to the Top Tracks playlist, what really stands out—beyond the impeccable musicianship and the massive sound, bolstered by orchestral elements, brass, and driving drums—is the incredible variety of instrumentation and the seamless transitions between musical styles. You’ve got the wailing harmonica in the title theme, the irresistibly funky vocoder in “Crown City,” and the bluegrass banjo paired with a swirling tin whistle in “Whistlestop Summit.” “Starview Peak” fuses frantic breakbeat with a lilting fiddle, “Choco Mountain” gives a skate punk twist to “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain,” and “Boo Cinema” takes you on a whimsical journey through silent film soundtracks, jugband jazz, and eerie Hammer horror harpsichord.

Throughout the experience, you can enjoy these incredible musicians delivering jaw-dropping riffs, fills, breaks, and solos. The bass work on “Sky-High Sundae” is faster than I ever thought possible. Members from renowned Japanese jazz fusion bands Dezolve and T-Square contributed to the score.

And here’s the kicker: the first Free Roam playlist, “Free Roam with Super Mario Kart,” features tracks that reinterpret the classic Soyo Oka chiptunes from the 1992 game in a mix of jazz, funk, and Latin styles. This is where the musicians truly shine, going wild with solos and exploring more laid-back vibes, like the captivating Bossa Nova rendition of “Choco Island,” complete with smooth elevator saxophone. The musicianship is simply outstanding, and I’m eagerly anticipating more Free Roam tracks to be released.

Mario Kart World defies the typical expectations of what makes a great video game score, which often leans towards sweeping orchestral compositions. But for sheer listening enjoyment, it’s unbeatable.