I'm sorry to everybody who was in earshot of me when the Mario Kart World trailer dropped at yesterday's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Because after I noticed this, I screamed:
YOU CAN PLAY AS THE FREAKING COW?!?!!!!! MARIO KART WORLD?!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/6uIZ4A0MVF
— ☆オードリーAudrey☆ (@aitaikimochi) April 2, 2025
Yes, for those who one way or the other haven't heard/didn't discover, Mario Kart World has gone absolutely nuts on what characters are allowed to drive motor vehicles this time around. While Super Smash Bros. has taken the path of including characters from each Nintendo-adjacent franchise possible to its roster, Mario Kart has gone the different means by digging deep into Mario lore and including each single goofy little man you've ever seen to the line-up of kart racers. Right down to at least one of the cows populating Moo Moo Meadows in Mario Kart 8.
THEY REALLY ARE ADDING ANYBODY LMAO https://t.co/UcvrIXxg57 pic.twitter.com/JJdofUopVe
— No Context Super Mario (@SuperMarioOOC85) April 2, 2025
The Moo Moo, or simply Cow as they're referred to in the official roster, is getting particular consideration online from the group. Already, people are drawing up fanart to have fun this cute, goofy, seemingly random version to a line-up that, up til now, has largely included the Mario sequence' most well-known and beloved characters.
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They're additionally, predictably, making all types of of memes:
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Mario Kart gamers seeing that Cow racing pic.twitter.com/7eAN22LWPd
— SwagKirb (@Swag_K1RBY) April 2, 2025
needed to let everybody know that this was my first thought upon seeing the moo moo meadows cow in mario kart pic.twitter.com/CCWZA0nqfL
— ticky fraggle ! (@tickyworm) April 2, 2025
The useful lakitu when the moo moo meadow cow falls off the observe in mario kart world pic.twitter.com/7gBgLg5P1u
— Regice (@reg1ce) April 2, 2025
The addition of Cow has additionally led to some… attention-grabbing hypothesis. For occasion, in one shot in the trailer, Mario consumes a burger. Will Cow additionally devour a burger in some unspecified time in the future in the game? What does this imply, philosophically, for Cow?
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What's more, does this imply we'll get to see Cow sporting a selection of costumes like the different characters? Can we race as Cow in Moo Moo Meadows? How do all the different cows really feel about this? How did a Cow get a driver's license anyway?
We just went hands-on with Mario Kart World at a particular Nintendo occasion, and yes, we did play as Cow. Cow was one of our favourite playable characters, and we're excited to search out out more about some of the different unlockable bizarre little guys we've seen on the programs, and potential funky costumes we’d finally see Cow donning. Hopefully Cow doesn't should eat a burger first.
We've acquired every part you need to learn about Mario Kart World and the Nintendo Switch 2 right here at IGN, from tons of new details about both, to why the hardware and games are so dang expensive.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can discover her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to [email protected].