Mario Kart Introduces Exciting New Item Changes One Year Later

The launch of the Switch 2’s flagship title, Mario Kart World, has been a massive success, moving an impressive 14.7 million copies within its first nine months, as revealed in March 2026. You’d think the developers would be eager to keep the momentum going with regular updates and new tracks. Surprisingly, despite some welcome patches, the game has not introduced a single new track in its first year. It wasn’t until July 2026 that a couple of new Knockout Tour rally routes were added. Even more intriguing is the recent version 1.7.0 update, which has players buzzing about improved power-ups for those in first place—at least for the first 20 seconds of a race.

Traditionally, being in first place in Mario Kart has meant receiving the least desirable power-ups, often just coins or bananas. While bananas can be fun for sabotage, they don’t offer much in terms of maintaining a lead. This has always been part of the series’ design, ensuring that players in the back can catch up with powerful items, keeping races exciting. However, since the latest update, players are sharing their astonishment online as they discover that during the initial 20 seconds of a race, even those in first can snag items like Triple Mushrooms and the invincibility-granting Boo.

This change introduces a fresh dynamic to the early race, allowing players who get off to a strong start to capitalize on their lead instead of being immediately targeted by those trying to catch up. This advantage is short-lived, though, as soon enough, you’ll be back to hoping for Green Shells while the competition unleashes Lightning, Bullet Bills, and the frustrating ink splatters from Bloopers. Notably, this adjustment wasn’t highlighted in the patch notes.

The most significant alteration in the item system with the 1.7.0 update is that for the first 20 seconds, players pull items typically reserved for mid-pack positions, excluding most attack items. This means that first-place racers can now access items like Triple Mushrooms and Boos, giving them a substantial boost.

Additionally, the patch introduces the first new routes to Mario Kart World, featuring two new rallies for the Knockout Tour: Drill Rally, which connects Wario Shipyard and Bowser’s Castle, and Boomerang Rally, linking Salty Salty Speedway to Whistlestop Summit. While these additions are welcome, it’s puzzling that no new sets of tracks have been released in an entire year, especially considering the franchise’s history of frequently adding classic tracks.

The update also includes various tweaks, such as buffs for low-acceleration characters and vehicles, improved gliding speeds, and a new ramp on the Airship Fortress to Bowser’s Castle route. For those interested in aesthetics, there’s now an option to add stickers in Photo Mode.

However, for players hoping for more substantial updates, the developers remain tight-lipped. The only hint of what’s to come is a promise of “additional Knockout Tour routes” in future updates. Here’s a summary of what’s included in version 1.7.0:

General

Fixed Issues