Nintendo doesn’t like describing Mario Kart World’s map as an open world

Mario Kart World features a big map that players can full explore, with many fans describing it as an open world. However, Nintendo itself isn’t big on using that term as a label for its Nintendo Switch 2 racer.

Speaking with The Washington Post, Kosuke Yabuki said that the “open world” term is “just a little bit too ambiguously defined.” That’s why we’ve seen Nintendo refer to the explorable map as “Free Roam” instead.

Yabuki told the publication about Mario Kart World and its open world nature:

“We actually don’t use the phrase ‘open world’ in development. I think for us it’s just a little bit too ambiguously defined. Even though we are creating this vast interconnected world with racing routes, you still do need some traditional elements. … That’s why we have this opportunity to pull in classic courses from past titles and remake them for ‘World.’”

Just how big is the map in Mario Kart World? Game File’s Stephen Totilo recently played the game and said it took him 10 minutes and 12 seconds to drive across the world. Digital Trends’ Giovanni Colantonio shared a similar time of roughly nine minutes.

Yabuki also revealed today that 200cc will not be included in Mario Kart World. That said, it’s possible we could see it in a future update.

Mario Kart World arrives for Nintendo Switch 2 this Thursday, June 5.