Nintendo has released Ver. 1.6.0 for Mario Kart World, and if you’re a Battle Mode fan, you’re going to be happy. The update adds Bob-omb Blast as a new Battle mode, where players can hold up to 10 Bob-ombs at a time and control their throwing distance by holding down the L Button. It’s a classic mode that Mario Kart fans have been asking for, and it’s a welcome addition to a game that’s already packed with content.
Beyond the new mode, the update brings some notable gameplay changes. Bullet Bill received a performance boost with increased lateral movement and faster speeds on certain courses, including Bowser’s Castle, Starview Peak, and Rainbow Road. It’s also easier to follow shortcut routes right after using one. On the flip side, the boomerang got nerfed, with both its range and the number of consecutive throws being reduced.
There are several other quality-of-life changes as well. Item box probabilities have been adjusted, and invincibility time after spinning or crashing now scales with character weight, giving heavier characters longer protection. Players won’t get crushed by Thwomps while spinning or crashing anymore, and a new item warning system will display up to two alerts when Red Shells or Spiny Shells are approaching from behind during single-player and online races.
The patch also comes with a massive list of bug fixes, addressing everything from ranking errors in Knockout Tour to course-specific issues on tracks like Rainbow Road, Shy Guy Bazaar, and Salty Salty Speedway. One noteworthy fix involves a shortcut exploit on Rainbow Road that could cause incorrect final rankings, and Nintendo warned that Time Trials ghosts affected by that issue may be removed from the leaderboards.
I reviewed Mario Kart World shortly after its launch and I’m glad to see Nintendo continuing to support the game with meaningful updates. The Bob-omb Blast addition should bring some great multiplayer chaos, and the Bullet Bill changes are a nice touch for those courses where it felt a bit too restricted.
Mario Kart World is available exclusively on Switch 2.
