There is no denying that Mario Kart World is one of the most anticipated games of 2025. Even with the game being a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, people are ready to shell out the money to get the new system and the game. If you don’t have the money to spend on a new system and an $80 game, then there are other options that you can take. Multiple games that contend with Mario Kart World have either been released or are coming out. So, if you want to avoid the higher price tag, here are some games that you can play until Nintendo decides to lower the price.
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Sonic Racing: Crossworlds
Mario’s top rival
Mario and Sonic have always been rivals, ever since the pair competed on the earlier Nintendo and Genesis systems. Since then, we have seen the two take shots at one another and sometimes even compete in the same games. Sonic joined the kart racing genre back in 1997 and has since seen a few titles in the series. The latest game is Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, and it has some nice bonuses that Mario Kart World doesn’t. The biggest feature this game has is crossplay. This means that you can purchase it on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, or even the Nintendo Switch, and play it with anyone on any of the other platforms. It could definitely rival Mario Kart thanks to this feature.
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Flex Riders
An indie title with some great thoughts
Flex Riders is an indie title that many have been looking at on Steam. It features small cars with some amazing weapons and power-ups. The goal is to race around a track just like any other racing game, but instead of just coming in first, you must also fight the other contestants. This is all while performing skate tricks. The cars can grind on rails, do flips, fly using rocket engines, wall ride, and more. These features are meant to help you avoid taking damage from the other cars and gain the advantage while you fight for first place. Your score is determined by what place you came in, how many tricks you performed, and even how many cars you destroyed. That’s right, you want to pay attention to destroying your opponents in this game and not just slowing them down.
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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and previous
Tons to choose from
Source: Nintendo
If you want to avoid paying for the new Mario Kart title, there is an easy solution: play the old ones. There are a lot of Mario Kart titles, and Mario Kart 8 is one of the best. With dozens of courses to choose from and a brutal online mode, you will have fun for hours. Of course, they won’t have all the bells and whistles that the latest game in the series has, but any of the Mario Kart titles will train you for the new experience when you get the chance to pick it up. There hasn’t been any word about the servers for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe being disconnected anytime soon, so you should have plenty of time to experience this thrilling game before needing to switch over to the latest one.
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Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
Another game with a past
Crash Team Racing is another series with a rich history. The original game was released back on the PlayStation in 1999. The latest game in the series, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, takes the series and cranks it up a notch. Released in 2019, this title won multiple awards, including Best Sports/Racing Game at The Game Awards and Best Racing Game at the Brazil Game Awards. The game has 56 characters, 40 tracks, and 40 karts to choose from. There is a limit, but it will take a while before it is reached. Try out the different characters and get a taste of a racing game that wasn’t made by Nintendo. This is another title that is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, making it a lot more accessible than Mario Kart World is going to be.
Plenty of other racing games in the sea
Players like to think of Mario Kart as being the only racing game worth their time. Sure, it has a long history, and there are plenty of games that you can choose from. The past titles are some of the best I’ve played, which is why I included them on the list. With Nintendo raising the price of its latest system and the games, it will be more difficult to justify buying the latest Mario Kart title. Nobody wants to shell out upwards of $90 to get the game on day one unless they are a diehard Nintendo fan. That is why it is great to look into other game series that you can get into when you want to get that kart-racing fix.
