Nintendo has released a surprise free content update for Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2, bringing two new routes to the Knockout Tour battle royale mode, a new Photo Mode feature, and a host of balance adjustments and bug fixes. The Version 1.7.0 update went live on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
New Knockout Tour Routes: Drill Rally and Boomerang Rally
The two new routes, Drill Rally and Boomerang Rally, are now available to play in Knockout Tour. In this 24-player battle royale mode, racers compete across the expansive Mario Kart World map, with elimination at each of five checkpoints for those ranking too low.
Drill Rally connects Wario Shipyard (also known as Wario’s Galleon) to Bowser’s Castle, passing through DK Pass, Dandelion Depths, Mario Circuit, and Dry Bones Burnout. Boomerang Rally starts at Salty Salty Speedway and ends at Whistlestop Summit, calling at Cheep Cheep Falls, Moo Meadows, Choco Mountain, and Mario Bros Circuit.
Players can select these routes if they have previously played any rally in Knockout Tour.
Photo Mode Gets Stickers
The update adds the ability to place stickers on pictures taken in Photo Mode, accessible from the pause menu. Stickers can be applied using touch controls or mouse controls, expanding creative options for players.
Balance Tweaks and Gameplay Adjustments
Nintendo has raised the acceleration performance of characters and vehicles that previously had low acceleration. The gliding speed of high-speed characters and some other vehicles has also been increased.
Players can now hop immediately after being hit by Kamek’s magic or a Bullet Bill. Conditions for performing a Jump Boost by shaking the controller while racing on water have been adjusted. Landing on rivals now grants a longer dash time after landing. Players can stop a slipstream by braking before it starts.
The rate at which items are acquired from item boxes in races and Knockout Tour has been adjusted. The Super Horn held by a rival is now visible to other players. A ramp has been added to the race from Airship Fortress to Bowser’s Castle.
Support for Thai language has been added, accessible via System Settings > System > Language.
Bug Fixes
The update addresses numerous issues. In Time Trials, the time after crossing the finish line was sometimes incorrect; affected ghosts may be removed from View Rankings without notice.
Fixed an issue where starting to glide immediately after crashing caused reduced gliding speed. Hitting a Goomba or Para-Biddybud that had been sent flying no longer causes the player to crash. Players can now get on a helicopter in Online Play and Wireless Play.
Throwing a Bob-omb behind while riding a Standard Bike or W-Twin Chopper now works consistently. Several Bullet Bill issues have been fixed. Spiny Shells no longer break when hitting a gold block or broadcast van.
Players will no longer slip through walls in Bowser’s Castle or get caught on an electronic sign in Dandelion Depths. Using a Feather after a Jump Boost in Dandelion Depths no longer causes a fall. Jumping on a parasol on the route to Salty Salty Speedway no longer leads to falling off. Driving through the shortcut from Koopa Troopa Beach to Dino Dino Jungle no longer causes falls.
Two coins will no longer be taken at once on the race east from Peach Stadium. A Jump Boost while rail riding from Cheep Cheep Falls to Dandelion Depths no longer causes a fall. The pole at Shy Guy Bazaar shop no longer traps the player. Dry Bones no longer falls through the ground around Dry Bones Burnout.
Driving along the edge of the course from Wario Shipyard to DK Pass or Cheep Cheep Falls no longer causes falls. Various other fall-related issues have been fixed, and several other issues have been addressed to improve the overall gameplay experience.
