Team Racing Lands in Mario Kart World’s Knockout Tour – Here’s What’s New

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On January 21, 2026, Nintendo released Mario Kart World update Version 1.5.0 for Nintendo Switch 2. The patch introduces team competition to Knockout Tour, the game’s 24-driver endurance mode. Players can now group up over local wireless or online and race as coordinated squads. The update is free and focuses on mode rules, team formats and scoring.

Knockout Tour at a Glance

Knockout Tour strings together back-to-back courses worldwide with no pit stops. The field starts at 24 drivers and faces five checkpoints – at each checkpoint, the bottom four racers are eliminated, shrinking the pack until only four remain. A top-right on-screen tally near checkpoints shows who has cleared, now with team colors to track squad progress.

What’s New in Ver. 1.5.0

Previously a free-for-all, Knockout Tour now supports up to four teams competing in the same run. Teams can be formed for both local wireless and online play. If your group is short on people, CPU drivers fill remaining slots to keep the grid full at 24.

Team Formats and Sizes

The update adds flexible team configurations for different group sizes. Here are the official setups and total headcounts.

Scoring, Elimination and How Winners Are Decided

Team victory is determined by the total points earned by all squad members based on final placement. Points are heavily weighted toward the top finishers in Knockout Tour team races, amplifying late-stage impact.

• 1st place – 50 points
• 2nd place – 40 points
• 3rd place – 35 points
• 4th place – 30 points
• Drivers eliminated at the first checkpoint – 1 point

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If a single team’s racers make up all four finalists past the last checkpoint, that team is guaranteed victory. With eliminations happening four at a time across five checkpoints, staying above the cutoff matters as much as coordinating positions.

Spectating and Team Support

Eliminated players do not have to leave the action. You can stay in as a spectator, switch the camera to follow any driver and use a preset list of comments to communicate with other viewers. It is a way to support your team even after a knockout.

Playing with Friends

To squad up online, join friends via the system’s friend list on the HOME Menu. From My Page → Add Friend, you can send or accept requests through the available options and then group up for Knockout Tour lobbies.

Final Takeaway – Why It Matters

Ver. 1.5.0 turns Knockout Tour from a solo survival sprint into a team-first strategy race. With top-heavy points, checkpoint culls and multiple team formats, coordination now counts as much as speed – making every overtake and every save crucial for the squad.