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1.4.0 Patch

Mario Kart World: Custom Items & Major Updates Arrive!

Mario Kart World: Custom Items & Major Updates Arrive!
Mario Kart World gameplay showing new custom items feature on Switch 2

Racing fans, get ready to personalize your pandemonium! Nintendo has just unleashed a significant new update for Mario Kart World on the Switch 2. The highly anticipated version 1.4.0 patch, rolled out on December 2, 2025, at 8:10 PM PST, introduces a groundbreaking "Custom Items" rule, alongside a comprehensive suite of quality-of-life enhancements and critical bug fixes designed to turbocharge your gameplay experience.

This latest update solidifies Nintendo's commitment to evolving the already beloved Switch 2 racer, following its launch this past June. Prepare for an even deeper, more tailored karting adventure!

Unleash Strategy with Custom Items

The headline feature of the 1.4.0 patch is undoubtedly the introduction of "Custom Items." This revolutionary rule empowers players to meticulously select which items will appear during a race, fundamentally altering the strategic landscape of every round. Imagine battles without Blue Shells, or a constant barrage of Super Stars!

The "Custom Items" rule is available across several popular modes, including:

  • VS Race
  • Balloon Battle
  • Coin Runners
  • Rooms in Online Play and Wireless Play

This adds an unprecedented layer of tactical depth, allowing competitors to craft unique challenges and focus on pure driving skill or specific item mastery.

Enhanced Gameplay and Connectivity

Beyond the game-changing custom items, the 1.4.0 update delivers a substantial array of quality-of-life improvements aimed at refining every aspect of Mario Kart World:

  • Pause Menu Power-Up: The Pause Menu now displays the current music track's name and its original source title, perfect for soundtrack enthusiasts. "Music Volume" has also been added to "Settings/Controller."
  • Multiplayer Momentum: Players gathering in "Rooms" for Online or Wireless Play can now participate in "Race," "Knockout Tour," and "Battle" modes, supporting up to four racers. Joining friends in "Knockout Tour" is also streamlined via the "Friends" menu.
  • Time Trial Transparency: "Photo Mode" can now be accessed directly from the Pause Menu during "Race against Ghost" in Time Trials, allowing for stunning action shots.
  • Single-Player Convenience: "Restart" and "Next Race" options have been added to the Pause Menu for "VS Race" in Single Player.
  • Course Flow Adjustments: Nintendo has tweaked course layouts leading to and from Koopa Troopa Beach across various routes, including those connecting with DK Spaceport, Crown City, and Peach Stadium. Notably, all races heading toward Koopa Troopa Beach will now require two laps after reaching the course.
  • Subtle but Significant Mechanics: You can now dash when riding Manta Ramp's back, and players transformed into Bullet Bill will no longer collide with Dragoneel. A specific exploit allowing a second Boo to be used while another was active has been addressed. Additionally, the reappearance times for Dash Food and water-based coins have been shortened.

Extensive Bug Fixes for Smoother Racing

As expected from a comprehensive patch, version 1.4.0 addresses a long list of technical issues to ensure a more polished and frustration-free racing experience. This includes resolving problems such as incorrect dash times after Charge Jumps, players slipping through walls or getting stuck in various environmental elements across tracks like Toad's Factory, Sky-High Sundae, Boo Cinema, and Crown City, and Bullet Bill glitches. Online Play stability has also seen improvements, with fixes for communication errors and issues related to character/vehicle changes after quitting online sessions. Numerous other issues, affecting both specific courses and general gameplay, have been meticulously corrected.

This robust update for Mario Kart World on Switch 2 truly enhances the core experience, offering greater customization and a smoother, more reliable ride for all competitors. Fire up your console and hit the track!