Earlier this month, Nintendo let Ars Technica and other outlets have access to a small hands-on slice of Mario Kart World ahead of its planned June 5 launch. Today, a short livestreamed video presentation gave a bit of extra information about how exactly the full version of the free-roaming Nintendo Switch 2 launch game will work in practice.

As the name implies, Mario Kart World sets itself apart from previous games via a "vast interconnected world" that you can roam freely between the actual race courses. That open space between races will feature "hundreds of P-switches," Nintendo said, each of which activates a small mission to "hone your driving abilities." Free-roaming racers will also be able to find hidden medallions and question-mark panels, as well as "drive-thru" food items that can be used to unlock new outfits.

"Hundreds" of P-Switches like this will activate short missions throughout the game's world. Credit: Nintendo

While cruising around the Mario Kart "world," players will stumble onto new courses "inspired by their surrounding region," as well as "nostalgic courses for past titles... reimagined and spread throughout the world." When playing in Grand Prix mode, the drive between these courses will be integrated into the usual four-course cups themselves; after racing Mario Kart Circuit in the Mushroom cup, for instance, the second race "will have you covering the distance from Mario Bros. Circuit to Crown City," Nintendo said.

Read full article

Comments

Earlier this month, Nintendo let Ars Technica and other outlets have access to a small hands-on slice of Mario Kart World ahead of its planned June 5 launch. Today, a short livestreamed video presentation gave a bit of extra information about how exactly the full version of the free-roaming Nintendo Switch 2 launch game will work in practice.

As the name implies, Mario Kart World sets itself apart from previous games via a "vast interconnected world" that you can roam freely between the actual race courses. That open space between races will feature "hundreds of P-switches," Nintendo said, each of which activates a small mission to "hone your driving abilities." Free-roaming racers will also be able to find hidden medallions and question-mark panels, as well as "drive-thru" food items that can be used to unlock new outfits.

"Hundreds" of P-Switches like this will activate short missions throughout the game's world. Credit: Nintendo

While cruising around the Mario Kart "world," players will stumble onto new courses "inspired by their surrounding region," as well as "nostalgic courses for past titles... reimagined and spread throughout the world." When playing in Grand Prix mode, the drive between these courses will be integrated into the usual four-course cups themselves; after racing Mario Kart Circuit in the Mushroom cup, for instance, the second race "will have you covering the distance from Mario Bros. Circuit to Crown City," Nintendo said.

Read full article

Comments

Earlier this month, Nintendo let Ars Technica and other outlets have access to a small hands-on slice of Mario Kart World ahead of its planned June 5 launch. Today, a short livestreamed video presentation gave a bit of extra information about how exactly the full version of the free-roaming Nintendo Switch 2 launch game will work in practice.

As the name implies, Mario Kart World sets itself apart from previous games via a "vast interconnected world" that you can roam freely between the actual race courses. That open space between races will feature "hundreds of P-switches," Nintendo said, each of which activates a small mission to "hone your driving abilities." Free-roaming racers will also be able to find hidden medallions and question-mark panels, as well as "drive-thru" food items that can be used to unlock new outfits.

"Hundreds" of P-Switches like this will activate short missions throughout the game's world. Credit: Nintendo

While cruising around the Mario Kart "world," players will stumble onto new courses "inspired by their surrounding region," as well as "nostalgic courses for past titles... reimagined and spread throughout the world." When playing in Grand Prix mode, the drive between these courses will be integrated into the usual four-course cups themselves; after racing Mario Kart Circuit in the Mushroom cup, for instance, the second race "will have you covering the distance from Mario Bros. Circuit to Crown City," Nintendo said.

Read full article

Comments

Tesla is facing a new scandal that once again sees the electric automaker accused of misleading customers. In the past, it has been caught making " misleading statements " about the safety of its electric vehicles, and more recently, an investigation by Reuters found Tesla EVs exaggerated their efficiency . Now, a lawsuit filed in California alleges that the cars are also falsely exaggerating odometer readings to make warranties expire prematurely.

The lead plaintiff in the case, Nyree Hinton, bought a used Model Y with less than 37,000 miles (59,546 km) on the odometer. Within six months, it had pushed past the 50,000-mile (80,467 km) mark, at which point the car's bumper-to-bumper warranty expired. (Like virtually all EVs, Tesla powertrains have a separate warranty that lasts much longer.)

For this six-month period, Hinton says his Model Y odometer gained 13,228 miles (21,288 km). By comparison, averages of his three previous vehicles showed that with the same commute, he was only driving 6,086 miles (9,794 km) per 6 months.

Read full article

Comments

Tesla is facing a new scandal that once again sees the electric automaker accused of misleading customers. In the past, it has been caught making " misleading statements " about the safety of its electric vehicles, and more recently, an investigation by Reuters found Tesla EVs exaggerated their efficiency . Now, a lawsuit filed in California alleges that the cars are also falsely exaggerating odometer readings to make warranties expire prematurely.

The lead plaintiff in the case, Nyree Hinton, bought a used Model Y with less than 37,000 miles (59,546 km) on the odometer. Within six months, it had pushed past the 50,000-mile (80,467 km) mark, at which point the car's bumper-to-bumper warranty expired. (Like virtually all EVs, Tesla powertrains have a separate warranty that lasts much longer.)

For this six-month period, Hinton says his Model Y odometer gained 13,228 miles (21,288 km). By comparison, averages of his three previous vehicles showed that with the same commute, he was only driving 6,086 miles (9,794 km) per 6 months.

Read full article

Comments

Tesla is facing a new scandal that once again sees the electric automaker accused of misleading customers. In the past, it has been caught making " misleading statements " about the safety of its electric vehicles, and more recently, an investigation by Reuters found Tesla EVs exaggerated their efficiency . Now, a lawsuit filed in California alleges that the cars are also falsely exaggerating odometer readings to make warranties expire prematurely.

The lead plaintiff in the case, Nyree Hinton, bought a used Model Y with less than 37,000 miles (59,546 km) on the odometer. Within six months, it had pushed past the 50,000-mile (80,467 km) mark, at which point the car's bumper-to-bumper warranty expired. (Like virtually all EVs, Tesla powertrains have a separate warranty that lasts much longer.)

For this six-month period, Hinton says his Model Y odometer gained 13,228 miles (21,288 km). By comparison, averages of his three previous vehicles showed that with the same commute, he was only driving 6,086 miles (9,794 km) per 6 months.

Read full article

Comments

It’s one of the oldest conversations in gaming. Do you play video games because you’re looking for a challenge and want to experience the thrill and satisfaction of overcoming obstacles? Or do you turn to games to feel empowered, for the escapist fantasy of possessing incredible abilities that are often unattainable in real life?

Nowhere is this question more relevant than in the role-playing game genre. The core of the genre is developing a character (or stable of characters) over time, watching their power grow and capabilities expand. Satisfying player power fantasies is at the heart of many RPGs, where you can watch your virtual avatar grow from an unknown serf clad in rags to a living god, wielding incredible power to dominate your enemies or redeem a broken world.

That said, the thrill of power is only really exciting when leavened with a little friction. Eventually, even being omnipotent gets old.

Read full article

Comments

It’s one of the oldest conversations in gaming. Do you play video games because you’re looking for a challenge and want to experience the thrill and satisfaction of overcoming obstacles? Or do you turn to games to feel empowered, for the escapist fantasy of possessing incredible abilities that are often unattainable in real life?

Nowhere is this question more relevant than in the role-playing game genre. The core of the genre is developing a character (or stable of characters) over time, watching their power grow and capabilities expand. Satisfying player power fantasies is at the heart of many RPGs, where you can watch your virtual avatar grow from an unknown serf clad in rags to a living god, wielding incredible power to dominate your enemies or redeem a broken world.

That said, the thrill of power is only really exciting when leavened with a little friction. Eventually, even being omnipotent gets old.

Read full article

Comments

It’s one of the oldest conversations in gaming. Do you play video games because you’re looking for a challenge and want to experience the thrill and satisfaction of overcoming obstacles? Or do you turn to games to feel empowered, for the escapist fantasy of possessing incredible abilities that are often unattainable in real life?

Nowhere is this question more relevant than in the role-playing game genre. The core of the genre is developing a character (or stable of characters) over time, watching their power grow and capabilities expand. Satisfying player power fantasies is at the heart of many RPGs, where you can watch your virtual avatar grow from an unknown serf clad in rags to a living god, wielding incredible power to dominate your enemies or redeem a broken world.

That said, the thrill of power is only really exciting when leavened with a little friction. Eventually, even being omnipotent gets old.

Read full article

Comments