Mario Kart World is exhilarating. With exciting tracks, plenty of karts, and 24 racers on the track at any time, players are in for a real challenge when it comes to getting to 1st place, especially if that's in 150CC and Mirror Mode. If players want a better chance at first place in Mario Kart World, players will need to know what items are worth keeping.
Mario Kart World: How to Unlock All Karts
It's important to know the stats of every kart in Mario Kart World and exactly how to unlock them so that players have a wealth of karting choices.
While players can grab so many different items in Mario Kart World, only some will be available to players in 1st place, so this list will take a look at those items so that players have a better understanding of what can help them keep the first-place prize.
This list will only discuss items that players can get in and near 1st place.
7 Bob-omb
Blow Up the Competition
- A walking bomb that detonates after a short time or if a driver runs into it. Other nearby drivers can be caught in the explosion!
The Bob-omb isn't the most useful item for players in 1st place, but it can help players who want to keep their competitors back. The Bob-omb can be thrown from behind, allowing players to leave a ticking bomb on the track that will explode when other racers get close enough. The Bob-omb will be a great choice for players who want to leave traps for their opponents, but they are quite easy to avoid on more open tracks, and if players are too far ahead, then the bomb might blow up before it's even in the range of someone else.
6 Feather
Jump High to Reach Shortcuts and Avoid Off-Road Sections
- An item that sends the driver high up into the air, allowing them to avoid dangerous items like Bananas and shells.
The Feather is rather useless for first place, since it cannot be used to dodge Red Shells or Blue Shells. However, since the Feather is so common for players to get in 1st place, it's worth knowing how it can be used effectively. The Feather can make players bounce up, providing them with air time that they can finish with a mid-air Trick for a boost once they land. While the Feather is not going to dodge weapons, it can be used to let players gain further speed and distance from their opponents by opening unique shortcuts and avoiding slowing off-road and underwater sections.
5 Coin
Shield Yourself From Boo and Gain More Speed
- An item that gives the driver who uses it two coins. Having more coins will increase a driver's speed.
The Coin isn't going to protect the player from weapons, and it's certainly going to be useless against Blue Shells. However, the Coin has a hidden mechanic that players might not know about, which is that the more Coins players have, the faster their kart will be. With a total of 20 Coins, players will go a tad quicker than their opponents, but that's not the only reason to have a Coin. Coins in the inventory can be good as a shield, an insurance against a Boo so that the Boo takes the Coin instead of the more important item, like a Green Shell or Banana.
How to Unlock All Mario Kart World Outfits and Costumes (& What They Look Like)
There are over 100 unlockable outfits in Mario Kart World. Here's how to unlock every costume by location and by character.
4 Dash Mushroom
Enter Shortcuts and Dodge Blue Shells
- A tasty item that, when eaten, gives the driver a brief burst of speed.
Sometimes, players in first place get a generous offering from the item box gods, and they are rewarded with a Mushroom. The Mushroom is a brilliant item that will allow players to boost ahead for further distance, and also to speed through shortcuts. While Mushrooms cannot block Red Shells, they can be used to dodge Blue Shells at just the right time, which is why it could be a good idea to keep hold of one of these.
3 Banana
Protect From Red Shells and Block Off Parts of the Tracks
- A slippery obstacle that, if hit, sends the vehicle spinning out of control.
The Banana is another of the extremely common items players will get once they reach first place, but that's not a bad thing. Since players have no enemies ahead of them, they are only going to want weapons that can fire back or defend their position. The Banana is great for acting as the first defense against Red Shells, meaning 2nd place is going to need more than one to cause some damage and steal your spot in 1st. The Banana can also be used to block off the double Item Box placements by placing a Banana just before them as an obstacle.
Mario Kart World: How to Unlock All Characters
Mario Kart World has 18 unlockable characters to play as, and here's how to get them all.
2 Green Shell
Protect Yourself From Red Shells and Throw Behind for Chaos
- A dangerous item that travels in a straight line and will send the driver it hits crashing to a stop.
The Green Shell is another protective item that players might obtain once they reach first place, and it can be great to keep behind the player's kart so that they have appropriate shielding from Red Shells. The Green Shell can also be tossed from behind, allowing it to bounce across walls to cause chaos on the track due to its unpredictable nature. The Green Shell is also great for players to use if there is an impending Blue Shell, as players can toss the Green Shell back to delay their opponents in the hope or precision that it will hit someone.
1 Super Horn
Destroy Red Shells and Blue Shells with Ease
- An extremely powerful horn that knocks back nearby drivers and items.
The best item in Mario Kart World for keeping 1st place is the Super Horn, an item that will grant players grand immunity due to how easy it is to use. The Super Horn can be used to provide a damaging shockwave that lasts a decent few seconds, which is great for destroying incoming Red Shells, but also, more importantly, incoming Blue Shells. While it can destroy shells and stop approaching players, it's not going to give players an edge with added speed or range.
Mario Kart World
- Released
- June 5, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch 2
