Mario Kart World update 1.8.0, released on September 9, 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2, turns ten areas inspired by the SNES game Super Mario Kart into selectable courses and expands Knockout Tour with Propeller Rally and Turnip Rally. The patch also adds a spectator mode for online and LAN rooms, along with Time Trials, item, and gameplay adjustments.
If you want to jump straight into the new content, the practical path is simple: update the game to version 1.8.0; look for the classic courses in VS Race, Time Trials, and races in Online Play and Wireless Play; and play — ideally clear — at least one Knockout Tour Rally to make the two new routes selectable. Nintendo details the update on its official support page and in a news post about the free content.
Which 10 SNES courses were added in update 1.8.0?
Nintendo groups the ten classic circuits under existing Mario Kart World courses. Instead of looking for a separate cup, use the base course name shown in the selector as your reference. The official list is:
| Where to look in the selector | Added SNES courses |
|---|---|
| Mario Circuit | SNES Mario Circuit 1, SNES Mario Circuit 2, SNES Mario Circuit 3 |
| Ghost Valley | SNES Ghost Valley 1, SNES Ghost Valley 2, SNES Ghost Valley 3 |
| Choco Mountain | SNES Choco Island 1, SNES Choco Island 2 |
| Sky-High Sundae | SNES Vanilla Lake 1 |
| Koopa Beach | SNES Koopa Beach 1 |
These courses are now selectable in VS Race and Time Trials, and they are also included in races in Online Play and Wireless Play. Nintendo notes that Free Roam players may already have recognized parts of the world as resembling those classic layouts; version 1.8.0 makes them selectable as proper race courses in the listed modes.
What changes about items on the classic courses?
The ten circuits bring back a visual and mechanical feature from the SNES game: item panels on the ground appear instead of the usual item boxes. Drive over a panel to receive an item. Nintendo's notes add one exception: item boxes still appear in the race that leads to Mario Circuit.
This distinction makes the additions more than a cosmetic reference. They are selectable courses with item delivery adapted to evoke how the first Super Mario Kart handled pickups.
How to unlock Propeller Rally and Turnip Rally in Knockout Tour
Version 1.8.0 adds two Knockout Tour routes:
- Propeller Rally: connects Acorn Heights and Airship Fortress.
- Turnip Rally: connects DK Pass and Shy Guy Bazaar.
There is a small wording difference between Nintendo's official pages. The support notes say the new routes can be selected once you have played one of the rallies in Knockout Tour, while Nintendo's news post says they become available after clearing at least one Rally. To remove any practical ambiguity, complete a full run of any Rally that is already available. Then return to the Knockout Tour selection and look for Propeller Rally and Turnip Rally.
Nintendo also says additional Knockout Tour routes are planned for future updates, but its September 9 announcement does not specify their names or release dates.
How to confirm that the game is on version 1.8.0
If the courses or new Rallies do not appear, first check the installed version. From the Nintendo Switch 2 HOME Menu, highlight Mario Kart World without launching it, press + or −, and check the version number shown below the software title. To update manually, choose Software Update and then the option to update over the internet.
Nintendo says version 1.8.0 is required to use the game's internet features and that everyone in a session must be using the same software version to play together. Save data remains available after the update.
How the new Spectator Mode works
The update lets you switch to Spectator Mode in an Online Play or LAN Play room. After joining the room, open the pause menu and press Y to switch to spectator mode. In this state, you watch the game without participating.
While spectating, the Y Button can also switch the camera to a player's perspective, while the R Button displays real-time rankings in races and Knockout Tour. The maximum room size has increased to 26 people, but the number of active participants remains capped at 24. One possible setup is therefore 24 racers plus two spectators.
There is an important restriction: if 24 participants are already active, nobody else can join until one of them switches to Spectator Mode. The move to 26 expands the room for spectators; it does not create 26-driver races.
Other notable changes in version 1.8.0
Beyond the new content, the patch changes several interface and balance details. In Time Trials, the game now displays the time for each lap. The color of the time difference versus ghost data has also changed: red means the player is faster and blue means the player is slower. Photo Mode gains a filter for the frame available from the pause menu.
For gameplay, Nintendo adjusted item probabilities in races and Knockout Tour, slipperiness while covered in Blooper ink, the number of wall bounces for several projectiles, and recovery time after being crushed by a Thwomp. Auto-Use Item can now work with Custom Items, and the game can display more types of items held by rivals.
Among course-specific changes, players can no longer wall ride around the edge of the road in Ghost Valley, and buoys were added to routes from Acorn Heights and Dry Bones Burnout toward Boo Cinema. The update also fixes a broad set of collision, respawn, shortcut, Bullet Bill, Feather, and course-positioning issues.
What is new content and what is an adjustment?
| Type | What changed in 1.8.0 |
|---|---|
| New content | 10 selectable SNES courses; Propeller Rally; Turnip Rally; Spectator Mode; Photo Mode filters. |
| Interface improvements | Lap times in Time Trials, new ghost-comparison colors, and real-time rankings for spectators. |
| Balance changes | Adjustments to items, Blooper ink, projectiles, recovery after crushing, and invulnerability after Boo. |
| Fixes | Collision, respawn, shortcut, rail, wall, and other bugs across multiple courses and modes. |
Quick checklist to access everything
- Update Mario Kart World and confirm Ver. 1.8.0.
- In VS Race or Time Trials, look for the ten classic courses grouped under Mario Circuit, Ghost Valley, Choco Mountain, Sky-High Sundae, and Koopa Beach.
- In Online Play and Wireless Play, those same courses are also part of the race options according to Nintendo's notes.
- Play and clear at least one Knockout Tour Rally, then look for Propeller Rally and Turnip Rally in the selector.
- To watch without racing in an Online/LAN room, join the room, open the pause menu, and press Y to activate Spectator Mode.
Because Nintendo has not yet specified the next Knockout Tour routes, any names or dates beyond Propeller Rally and Turnip Rally should be treated as unconfirmed until a future official announcement.
