The latest entry in the Mario Kart series, Mario Kart World, has taken a bold new step by turning traditional racing into an open-world adventure.
Built for the new Switch 2, this game gives players a whole island to explore. You can either take part in Grand Prix races or just enjoy driving around wherever you like. The star of the show? The world itself.
The game’s biggest feature is called Free Roam. This mode lets you drive freely between all the different tracks and locations.
There are hidden items like P-Switches and “?” panels placed across the island, encouraging players to explore every corner. It’s a fun and fresh way to enjoy Mario Kart, and it brings the world to life.
But while Mario Kart World gets a lot right, there’s one strange thing missing — and for long-time fans, it’s a big deal.
Rainbow Road Is Not in Free Roam Mode — And That Feels Wrong
Rainbow Road is one of the most iconic tracks in the Mario Kart series. It’s been the final challenge in every game and is always part of the Special Cup.
At first, it seems like Rainbow Road didn’t make it into Mario Kart World — but that’s not true. It appears only after players beat all other Grand Prix cups. When that happens, a special cutscene unlocks the Special Cup, and Rainbow Road is finally revealed in a dramatic, cinematic way.
But here’s the problem — after completing the Special Cup, you can’t find Rainbow Road in Free Roam. It doesn’t appear on the map, and you can’t drive to it or even see it in the sky.
This is disappointing, especially since Mario Kart World is all about open exploration. Fans expected to be able to revisit Rainbow Road after finishing it, just like they can with other tracks like Bowser’s Castle or Peach’s Stadium.
Why Rainbow Road Might Be Missing from Free Roam?
So, why leave it out? One reason could be that Rainbow Road isn’t built like the other tracks in the game.
Most locations in Mario Kart World offer space to explore, side roads to discover, and hidden items to collect.
Rainbow Road, on the other hand, is a more traditional track. It floats high above the ground and doesn’t have areas to explore or paths to wander off.
This might explain why developers didn’t add it to the Free Roam map — it just doesn’t fit the exploration theme.
But even so, many players feel that the track should have been included anyway. Being able to drive to Peach’s Stadium or see Rainbow Road glowing in the sky would have made the game feel more complete.
A Beautiful World With One Missing Piece
There’s no doubt that Mario Kart World brings something fresh to the series. The open-world setup is exciting, and Free Roam makes it fun to explore the different tracks at your own pace.
But the absence of Rainbow Road from Free Roam mode is a strange decision, especially since it’s such a major part of the Mario Kart identity.
Maybe future updates will add Rainbow Road to the open world, giving players a chance to fully experience everything this new game has to offer. Until then, fans will have to settle for racing it just once — and then saying goodbye.
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