Team Racing Rolls into Mario Kart World’s Knockout Tour

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Nintendo has pushed a free version 1.5.0 update for Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2, dated January 21, 2026. The headline feature flips a solo survival mode into a coordinated contest: Knockout Tour now supports team racing in both local wireless and online play. Players can form squads, race through successive courses, and try to keep as many teammates above the cutoff at each checkpoint. CPU drivers fill empty slots if a lobby does not have enough participants.

What Changes in Knockout Tour

Previously a free-for-all, Knockout Tour now allows groups to compete as teams across back-to-back tracks with no pit stops. Each run features five checkpoints – at each checkpoint, the bottom four drivers are eliminated. The race begins with 24 drivers and continues until only four remain. A tally in the top-right of the screen shows who has cleared the current checkpoint, including team colors to track how squads are doing.

Team Formats and Scoring Changes

The update introduces multiple team configurations. Below is a quick view of supported setups and how slots are distributed. Each format still starts with 24 drivers.

Knockout Tour Team Setup Options

Victory is determined by the total team points after the tour concludes. The points model prioritizes late survival – 1st place earns 50 points, 2nd earns 40, 3rd earns 35, and 4th earns 30. Drivers knocked out at the first checkpoint receive 1 point. If the same team sends all four drivers through the final checkpoint, that squad is guaranteed the win.

Elimination Flow – the Essentials

• 24 drivers start each Knockout Tour.
• 5 checkpoints per tour; bottom 4 eliminated at each checkpoint.
• Race continues until 4 drivers remain.
• Top placements yield significantly higher points than other modes.

Spectator Tools When You Are Out

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Eliminated players are not forced to leave – they can stay and watch the race through to the end. Spectators may switch the camera to follow specific drivers and post from a set of preset comments to cheer on their team.

Set up and Play with Friends

Team play works via local wireless and online. Friends can group up through the system’s friend features, and if a lobby is short on humans, CPU drivers fill remaining spots. Coordinating strategies is supported by the platform’s chat options – useful when teammates are racing from different locations.

Final Takeaway – Why It Matters

Knockout Tour’s shift to team-based competition changes how every slipstream and item matters – survival for the few boosts the many. With new formats, aggressive high-reward scoring, and spectator tools, the update turns a solo gauntlet into a coordinated sprint where late-race placement can swing the entire outcome.