Nintendo has released the Ver. 1.7.0 update for Mario Kart World, adding two new Knockout Tour routes and photo mode stickers. The update arrives over a year after the game launched alongside the Switch 2 in June 2025, but the lack of substantial downloadable content (DLC) continues to frustrate players.
New Knockout Tour Routes
The update introduces two Knockout Tour routes: Drill Rally, which connects Wario Shipyard and Bowser's Castle, and Boomerang Rally, which starts at Salty Salty Speedway and ends at Whistlestop Summit. These routes string together various courses across the open world, offering new pathways through existing tracks. Nintendo has confirmed that additional Knockout Tour routes are planned for future updates, with the update's trailer showing gaps for six more routes, though no release timeline has been provided.
Photo Mode Enhancements
The only other new feature is the ability to add collected stickers to photos taken in photo mode. This minor addition has been met with mixed reactions, as players question why it took over a year to implement such a simple feature.
Lack of Substantial DLC
Since launch, Mario Kart World has received numerous minor updates improving free roam mode, intermission tracks, and online play. A battle mode was added earlier in 2026, but there has been a notable absence of new costumes, characters, tracks, or other significant content. One of the most puzzling aspects is that characters like Donkey Kong and Pauline still only have one extra costume each, while the rest of the core roster have multiple. This has led to speculation about potential Donkey Kong Bananza DLC, but no such content has materialized.
Community Frustration
The lack of substantial support has left many players feeling that Nintendo is not capitalizing on the game's potential. Mario Kart World was praised at launch for its open-world foundation, but critics noted that the world felt empty and underutilized. Over a year later, there is no sign that Nintendo intends to address these concerns. The absence of a custom Knockout Tour creator mode is also baffling, as the feature would allow players to design their own routes by connecting open-world sections.
Nintendo has not announced any timeline for major DLC, leaving the community to wait for more substantial content. For now, the Ver. 1.7.0 update offers incremental improvements but does little to change the narrative around the game's post-launch support.
