Mario Kart update features Knockout Tour team races: Here's everything you need to know

A free update just came in for the Mario Kart World game for the Nintendo Switch 2 system.

The new version 1.5.0 adds a new option that lets you and your friends race as a team in Knockout Tour in local wireless and online play modes. So, don’t wait, just team up and take the lead!

What’s the Knockout Tour?

Knockout Tour is a racing mode that challenges 24 drivers through a series of global courses with no breaks or pit stops.

However, there are five checkpoints to clear, and if your placement falls below the required threshold at any checkpoint, you’ll be eliminated.

Until now, Knockout Tour has only permitted individuals to compete in a free-for-all race against each other. That changes altogether with this new update: now, up to four teams can compete together.

Mario Kart World Update 1.5.0: What’s new?

The headline feature is simple: team races are now playable in room mode via online play or using a local connection.

This new update also added Polish language support and features multiple fixes to provide better stability and online accuracy.

Major features include:

• Team races added to Knockout Tour for room-based online and local connection play
• Polish language support introduced in system language settings
• Bug fixes include a crash/end-of-game bug linked to Choco Mountain, along with a fix for an online rating display bug in "Everyone” rooms.
• The update also features back-end enhancements for overall game stability

What is the new Knockout Tour team format?

Knockout Tour is designed around pressure: you race in teams while facing elimination.

24 drivers race through linked segments with five checkpoints, and the last four are eliminated at each checkpoint until only four survive.

That means the individual pressure is now shared. With the 1.5.0 update, players in a room can select team formats:

• 2 teams (12 vs. 12)
• 3 teams (8 vs. 8 vs. 8)
• 4 teams (6 vs. 6 vs. 6 vs. 6)

How do new scoring rules change the race?

In Knockout Tour team races, high finishes are key for survival, making the final stretch now essential for victory.

Here's a key example from the new scoring system

• 1st: 50 points
• 2nd: 40
• 3rd: 35
• 4th: 30

Drivers eliminated at the very first checkpoint earn 1 point

Is the new team mode available in all online races?

No. Team races for the Knockout Tour are available when playing in a room in online play or local wireless.