Mario Kart designers had to rethink everything to make it open world

Mushroom-headed Toad, sporting a racing helmet, zooms across a sprawling continent in the latest Mario Kart adventure. This isn't your typical Mushroom Kingdom - it's a brand-new world designed specifically for high-octane racing.

Producer Kosuke Yabuki explains the ambitious shift: "We knew when we came up with this idea that it really would be a big change for the series."

Mario Kart World doubles the number of racers to 24 and introduces an expansive, connected landscape. Players now drive between races in Grand Prix mode, allowing moments to breathe between intense competitions.

The game's surreal elements remain intact. Eating at a diner transforms your character's appearance, a quirk Yabuki justified by pointing to Mario's history: "It's the sort of thing we used to do."

As for Toad's helmet-covered head? Yabuki cryptically suggests players ponder that mystery themselves.