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Mario Kart World Characters | SteelSeries
Every Mario Kart World character, weight class, and unlock explained — find your main and see who’s fastest on the track.
Wordsmith at SteelSeries. Enthusiastic about Dota 2 and fighting games. A cat dad.
Mario Kart has never been shy about stuffing its roster with everyone from the mustache himself to random enemies you forgot existed (looking at you, Rocky Wrench). Since Mario Kart World’s release on the Switch 2, players are wondering — who will be their racing go-to?
Now, if you’re looking for a never-ending wiki scroll with every obscure stat, this isn’t it (it would literally be a 10k-word post). But don’t worry. We’ve got all the stuff worth knowing. Here’s the full confirmed roster grouped in a way that actually makes sense, plus a few notes on weight classes and standout newcomers.
Fastest acceleration, easiest handling, weakest top speed.
Baby Peach
Baby Daisy
Para-Biddybud
Swoop
Baby Mario
Baby Luigi
Baby Rosalina
Cheep Cheep
Goomba
Dry Bones
Sidestepper
Spike
Peepa
Fish Bone
Higher max speed, still quick recovery.
Toad
Toadette
Koopa Troopa
Lakitu
Shy Guy
Nabbit
Stinger (Stingby)
Bridging the gap between Light and Medium.
Monty Mole
Yoshi
Bowser Jr.
Peach
Daisy
Dolphin
Coin Coffer
Balanced, reliable picks.
Mario
Luigi
Birdo
Pauline
Penguin
Pokey
Hammer Bro
Rocky Wrench
Slower to accelerate, stronger at speed.
Rosalina
Piranha Plant
King Boo
Snowman
Conkdor
Cataquack
High top speed, tougher handling, and slower to start.
Cow
Donkey Kong
Waluigi
Wiggler
Wario
Chargin’ Chuck
Pianta
Fastest in the game, hardest to control.
Bowser
Some beloved staples should never dare be removed, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want some surprises sprinkled in. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Some racers are non-negotiable; if they weren’t in Mario Kart World, the internet would riot. Luckily:
Yoshi – the forever fan-favorite, balanced and lovable.
Waluigi – tall, chaotic, and finally not cut from the roster.
Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy – the Mushroom Kingdom core.
Shy Guy, Koopa Troopa, Dry Bones – quirky returnees with lightweight handling.
If you’ve been playing Mario Kart since the N64 days, your main is probably still here.
Nintendo dipped deep into the Mario universe to expand the roster:
Rocky Wrench – formerly an Airship nuisance in Super Mario Bros. 3, now a full-fledged racer.
Coin Coffer – the walking coin purse from Mario 3D World makes its karting debut.
Fish Bone – the skeletal Cheep Cheep, creepy and chompy.
Conkdor, Stinger, Cataquack, Cow – background NPCs and oddballs who got promoted to the driver’s seat.
These new racers bring fresh animations and make you have a “wait, who’s driving the cow?!” moment.
Unlockables are where Mario Kart World really flexes its replay value:
Donkey Kong – unlock by completing the Mushroom Cup.
Daisy – unlock by completing the Flower Cup.
Rosalina – unlock by completing the Star Cup.
Bowser Jr. – unlock by completing the Lightning Cup.
King Boo, Birdo, Spike, Lakitu – unlock through later cups and special challenges.
Alternate outfits – Peach, Daisy, and others unlock new styles once you clear cups or milestones.
Clear those cups, snag the secrets, and let the bragging rights roll in.
Playing online with friends? Use Arctis Nova Pro Wireless for crystal-clear audio.
No background noise, no missed callouts — just your voice clear as a Blue Shell warning, and your squad’s voices just as sharp when they yell back.
In Mario Kart, weight determines how your kart handles, accelerates, and reaches top speed. Unlike in Mario Kart 8, you can’t swap kart parts here, so your racer’s class is the only determining factor shaping your stats.
Here’s how the weight spectrum breaks down:
Featherweight & Very Light (Babies, Para-Biddybud, Goomba, etc.): Tiny rockets with blistering acceleration and tight handling. Perfect for beginners or players who want to drift around corners like maniacs. Just be ready to get body-checked into the abyss by bigger racers.
Light & Medium-Light (Toad, Shy Guy, Yoshi, Peach, Monty Mole, etc.): Quick, forgiving, and balanced — a sweet spot between control and speed. Great for casuals who want fun handling without being tossed around too much.
Medium & Medium-Heavy (Mario, Luigi, Pauline, Rosalina, King Boo, etc.): The all-rounder zone. Steady stats and solid recovery make them reliable picks. You won’t outspeed a heavyweight on straightaways, but you’ll handle curves and collisions better.
Heavy & Very Heavy (Bowser, DK, Wario, Waluigi, Cow, Chargin’ Chuck, etc.): Slow to start, tough to control, but devastating once they’re rolling. These are the bullies of the track — perfect for players who love high-speed chaos and don’t mind trading finesse for raw power.
TL;DR: Pick Featherweights if you want agility, Heavies if you want brute force, or stick to the middle if you want consistency.
If you’re serious about Mario Kart World, selecting your racer is just about going for your favorite colors or letting childhood nostalgia do the picking (though Yoshi gang forever). Different characters and their weight classes can give you subtle advantages depending on your playstyle.
If you’re new to Mario Kart… Stick with lightweights like Toad or Baby Peach. They’re easy to handle, accelerate quickly, and let you recover fast after getting smacked by shells.
If you’re a chaos agent…Go heavyweight with Bowser, Wario, or DK. You’ll be slow off the line, but once you’re moving, you’re basically a semi-truck. Bumping smaller karts into lava is part of the fun.
If you just want balance… Grab a medium-weight like Mario, Peach, or Yoshi. You won’t dominate any single stat, but you’ll always feel consistent. Great for casual races or when you’re testing out new tracks.
If you want to show off… Pick a newcomer or unlockable outfit (Rocky Wrench, Coin Coffer, Kamek’s transformations). Nothing tilts a lobby faster than losing to a character they haven’t even unlocked yet.
Tip: Your kart, tires, and glider choices also tweak your stats. So don’t just pick your main, build a combo that fits your style (stay tuned for that guide next!).
Playstyle | Go-To Picks | Why It Works |
Beginner-Friendly | Toad, Baby Peach, Baby Mario | Light, easy handling, quick recovery after hits |
Speed Demon | Bowser, Wario, Donkey Kong | Slow start but highest top speed once moving |
Balanced All-Rounder | Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi | Steady stats, good for learning tracks |
Chaos Agent | Waluigi, Dry Bones, Shy Guy | Quirky moves + fun for trash talk |
The Show-Off’s Pick | Kamek (transforms), Rocky Wrench, Coin Coffer | Newcomers/unlocks that show off style points |
With fan-favorites, deep-cut newcomers, and a few secrets tucked away, Mario Kart World has a racer for everyone. All that’s left is to pick your main, hit the track, and prove who really rules Rainbow Road. 🏁
The full roster includes over 30 racers, from classics like Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi to newcomers like Rocky Wrench, Coin Coffer, and Fish Bone. You’ll also find fan-favorites such as Waluigi, Shy Guy, and Dry Bones. Characters are split into light, medium, and heavy classes, which affect their speed and handling.
At launch, Mario Kart World features more than 30 playable characters, with the potential for more to be added in future updates or DLC.
Newcomers include Rocky Wrench (from Super Mario Bros. 3), Coin Coffer (Super Mario 3D World), Fish Bone (the skeletal Cheep Cheep), and Kamek as a full racer with unique outfit transformations. These fresh additions mix nostalgia with fun, unexpected picks.
Yes. Lightweights accelerate quickly but get knocked around easily, medium racers are balanced, and heavyweights start slow but dominate at top speed. Choosing the right class can make a big difference in how you perform on tricky tracks.
Yes. Mario Kart World features unlockable characters like Kamek, whose magical transformations unlock as you progress, along with alternate outfits for Peach and Daisy after clearing certain cups. NPC drivers such as Koopa and Goomba also appear during races, though they aren’t playable (at least for now).