10 HIDDEN Secrets in Mario Kart World
Mirror Mode
In previous games, players could unlock Mirror Mode fairly easily just by beating Grand Prixs. But thats not the case in Mario Kart World. Theres a list of things players must do before unlocking it. Complete all Grand Prixs and Rally Cups on 150cc, though getting first isnt required. Also, complete 10 P-Switch missions and collect 10 Peach Medallions and Question Block Panels in Free Roam. With all that done, completing the Special Cup again on 150 cc will trigger a post-credits cutscene that unlocks Mirror Mode. While its available in all Prixs, Cups, and Versus, Free Roam comes with a cool Easter Egg. You flip the entire map by driving into the stained glass window of Princess Peach at Peach Stadium. This method is a nod to accessing a secret level in Super Mario 64.
Super Nintendo Love
Free Roam is packed with hidden P-Switch challenges, some of which can be pretty hard. However, some of the coolest pay homage to courses from the original Super Mario Kart on SNES. And they can be found near their modern counterparts. These include, but are not limited to, Choco Island 1, which is found near Choco Mountain, Koopa Beach 1, which is found near Koopa Troopa Beach, and the three Ghost Valleys, which can be found on the docks outside of Boo Cinema. These are a lovely tribute to the first game, and the fact that the music changes to match their original appearance is a nice touch.
R.O.B. H.O.G.
In Mario Kart DS, Nintendo reintroduced the world to R.O.B., a peripheral for the NES, or Famicom in Japan, that stands for Robotic Operating Buddy. In a neat Easter Egg, his color scheme would be different depending on your region. Hed be grey for American players, just like how he matched the NES, or red and white, like how he appeared with the Famicom. In Mario Kart World, the robot makes a cameo, this time as the R.O.B. H.O.G., which can be unlocked by collecting coins. However, here, the bike will change between both color schemes, as well as the name across its back tire, and isnt locked to regions.
Supercharged
There are a lot of outfits to unlock for the core characters in Mario Kart World, and some of them are pretty cool Easter Eggs. In the case of Bowser, the outfit called Supercharged is a somewhat deep cut reference. Its inspired by his tie-in appearance in 2015s Skylanders: SuperChargers. It may have gone over the heads of some players due to the fact that, according to publisher Activision, SuperChargers didnt meet sales expectations. Since Bowser naturally only appeared in the version on Wii U, already not a high-selling system, its safe to say that this is one of the more obscure unlockables in the game.
Bad Biker Boshi
Its great that each of Yoshis alternate outfits also comes with a different color. The Biker outfit is given to the Blue Yoshi, with two defining characteristics being the sunglasses and the red, spiked collar. We cant help but think of Boshi, the blue Yoshi from Super Mario RPG, who wears similar shades and an identical collar. It isnt completely the same; Boshi wears no leather jacket nor fingerless gloves. But if this wasnt intentional, then its one Hell of a coincidence. After all, Boshi serves as an optional challenge in Super Mario RPG, allowing players to race him through a mini-game.
GW-80
To say that there are a lot of stickers to unlock in Mario Kart World would be a huge understatement. One of the ones you get just by completing the Special Cup Grand Prix is an emblem that reads GW-80. Interestingly, this can also be seen on the side of the giant space station in Rainbow Road as you fly towards it. If you were wondering what that means, its a reference to the Game & Watch series of handheld games that Nintendo released throughout the 80s. GW obviously refers to Game and Watch. And the first game, Ball was released in 1980.
Marios Past
Mario Kart World isnt the first game to include nods to the history of Nintendos mascot. Nonetheless, there are some really cool ones to find, both on courses and in Free Roam. The DK Spaceport track is obviously themed around the Donkey Kong arcade game. Some smaller details include a sprite of the OG gorillas face on some of the jumps, and a poster with DK reading How high can you go?, a nod to the opening line to each level. You also might find some Sale posters at shops with sprites of coins from the original Super Mario Bros. For something a bit more tangible, you can find gardens with turnips you can ram out of the ground, a nod to Super Mario Bros. 2 You can also find music note blocks to bounce across, just like in Super Mario Bros. 3.
Peachs Odyssey
As you might expect, Peach gets some of the more adorable outfits in Mario Kart World. And if youre thinking that some of them look familiar, its probably because you played through Super Mario Odyssey. During the post-game, after Mario rescues Peach, you can find the Princess in each of the games worlds. And shell swap between several outfits depending on what world youre in. Several of these have been brought into Mario Kart World. Her Vacation outfit appears the most, showing up in the Sand, Cloud, Metro, and Ruined kingdoms. Her farmer outfit is naturally inspired by her look in the food-themed Luncheon kingdom. And one of her coolest, the Yukata outfit, is identical to what she wears in Bowsers Kingdom.
Daisys Origins
Shy Guy Baazar already held a lot of great Easter Eggs in previous appearances, most of which referenced Shy Guys debut in Super Mario Bros. 2. But in Mario Kart World, Nintendo added a palace dedicated to Daisy. You can only race through here by choosing a specific path in the Versus mode, coming from either Airship Fortress or Wario Stadium. But in Free Roam, youre able to explore, complete challenges, and, of course, spot Easter Eggs that reference Daisys first appearance in Super Mario Land. You can find statues that resemble the Sphinx-like enemy, Gao. You can also find a tapestry featuring Tokotoko, giant, stone-head enemies that also pop up in the nearby deserts.
Racing Roots
Unsurprisingly, Mario gets the most outfits in Mario Kart World, getting just one more than his brother, Luigi. However, they both get a Mechanic uniform, which is a nod to an old Nintendo game that was never released outside of Japan. The game is Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally. The brothers are featured prominently in the artwork for the game, not wearing their standard red and green, overall get-ups, but white jumpsuits and caps that they can wear once again in Mario Kart World. The Tiny Titan kart, which has appeared in the series before, is also a nod to one of the games vehicle options. Since 3D Hot Rally" is considered a precursor to Mario Kart, its always nice to see Nintendo pay homage to it.
What are some Easter Eggs or secrets youve found in Mario Kart World? Be sure to share them with us in the comments!
