My game Go Kart Island launches on Nintendo Switch today! I’ve loved Mario Kart since I was a kid in the early 90s so seeing my own kart racer launch on a Nintendo console is a bit surreal.

I started developing this game as a hobby in 2019, back when the thought of an open-world kart racer with a playable cow was a much more unique idea. Some big inspirations included Diddy Kong Racing and A Short Hike for the story mode, and the Forza Horizon series for the open-world nature.

The game features races, both classic and some with extra twists like having to collect items along the way, and time trials but also a variety of other event types. Chasing, escaping and a Crazy Taxi type event all await! Between the events there’s a whole island to explore.

Find coins, gems and smash the mayor's advertising boards as you take in the scenery from the mountain top, to the desert, to the jungle and everything else in between.

There’s a launch discount with 20% off so you can pick it up for $7.99 / €7.19 / £6.39 for the next couple of weeks!

Nintendo eShop (US) link

Thanks!

  • You must’ve been so shocked when Mario kart world was revealed. Game looks awesome though, and I’ll totally considering picking it up.

    parent

  • Congrats on launching your game man! Just curious does have game have online or local co-op features? 

    parent

    Thank you! Unfortunately it's single player only (story mode and individual challenges).

    I would really liked to have done multiplayer, but it was out of my technical capabilities when I started making the game. Then later on in development I had to contend with all of the beginner mistakes in the codebase I made at the start so it was going to be too time consuming and decided to focus on making it a fun single player experience instead.

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    I completely get it, I work in application development and I've definitely been there with some previous projects.

    The game looks really cool and I wish listed it! Once I finish Hades 2 and Cyberpunk I'll probably pick it up!

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    Sounds like you have a "Go Kart Island Together" in your future

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    This game looks like it would be total mayhem in local co-op! Version 2.0 it is.

    Great work!

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    This is the perfect game for couch coop! Looking forward to your DLC!

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    Single player kart racer is the most bizarre thing I've ever heard

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    You must have lived quite a sheltered life if that's the most bizarre thing you've ever heard

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  • It reminds me of Micro Machines 😄 how surreal it must be to have the Nintendo Switch segment on your trailer, never mind it being launched there, so cool! Congrats!

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    Actually the reason the camera is so high up is because my original prototyping was to have a Micro Machines type karting game!

    Yup adding the intro to the trailer got me a bit psyched up 😂

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  • Will be picking this up!

    parent

    Thanks, really appreciate it! Hope you enjoy

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  • This actually looks really fun! I'll pick it up for that price. 🙂

    parent

    Thanks, really appreciate it!

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  • Pretty cool man

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  • 8 bucks on release is a steal, hope it sells good mate

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  • Congrats on making the game!

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  • why not steam?

    and I can only imagine what went through your head when Nintendo announced the new Mario Kart lol

    parent

    It is on Steam too! I just didn't want to focus on that on a Nintendo sub.

    Haha I know I was both gutted to see it cause I thought I had a unique idea but also excited to play World. The good news (for me) is the single player mode in MKW doesn't really have a story mode, so at least I still have that going for me.

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    awesome, and accessible price too, I added to my wishlist, I'll buy it once I get my backlog down a little more.

    That's good to know, I dislike that about Mario Kart, just racing and literally nothing else, makes me never want to play it by myself.

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    I'm glad a Steam released was mentioned. Some of us have banned Switches that want to give developers money somehow. I'll pick it up right now. Congrats on release!

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  • Well done!! 👏🏽

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  • Awesome job man. Reminds me of Wacky Wheels

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    Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in while! I used to love that back when it was cool to just have a Mario Kart style game on PC.

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  • Your face when Mariokart World, Sonic Racing Crossworlds, and Kirby Air Riders all came out in 2025:👁👄👁

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  • wow! this is exactly what I wanted when I heard Mario Kart went open world and was charging $80. you're definitely getting a buy from me.

    edit: okay people downvoting me, sorry I said "exactly" - it's an $8 game versus an $80 game, obviously i have different quality standards

    parent

    Amazing, thanks!

    Yeah it's slightly cheaper than $80, maybe people will consider it as Mario Kart DLC 😂

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    This is like when you crave those 3 minute microwave frozen pizzas even though the gourmet pizza restaurant is across the street!

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    this is more like when the gourmet pizza restaurant only serves cheese pizza, and it's good, but sometimes you want other toppings and the microwave pizza company is like "hey I have a bunch of toppings!"

    and you're like "damn these sausage and peppers are good, why didn't the gourmet restaurant bother to provide sausage or peppers"

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    Dang. You nailed it. Now I want microwave pizza. Thanks

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  • Looks great! Right in my wheelhouse! And only $10 AUD is a steal!

    Good luck OP!

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  • Is there online multiplayer?

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    No just a single player campaign. Online multiplayer was too complex for me to implement without spending a huge amount of time on it.

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  • Looks fun! Is it 60 fps on the switch 2?

    parent

    Thanks! It's 30FPS on Switch 1 and 2.

    It's basically a Switch 1 title that is backwards compatible on Switch 2 (all the development was done on a Switch 1 kit). I'm not sure why it doesn't automatically get a hardware boost - I think the Steam Deck is comparable to Switch 2 and it runs at 60FPS on that for example. I imagine it requires access to a Switch 2 dev kit.

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    I wish Nintendo made this easier for you. I’d love to play on my Switch 2, but the 30fps and 720p on that large screen are deal breakers for me. Thankfully I have a Steam Deck OLED I can use!

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    but like, why? I watched 10 seconds of this trailer and at no point do I feel like 30fps and 720p will in any way affect the potential fun of this game. you can still enjoy things without them maxing out your hardware.

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    It’s just personal preference, and it’s not about maxing out the hardware. I’m okay with 720p on my Steam Deck because the screen is smaller and it has a higher pixel density.

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    Congrats on the release, it looks really cool!😊 Just checking, this does indeed run at 60fps on Steam Deck?

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    I just double checked for you, it was actually staying at a pretty consistent 90 on my deck!

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    60 for me cause I’m still rocking the old but still mega reliable LCD model😛 Thank you so much for checking and congrats again!

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    I've read that Switch 1 games that get an auto boost on the Switch 2 are ones that didn't have a locked frame rate

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    Maybe that's it, I think I might have locked it to 30 cause it was fluctuating a lot between 30-45 and it didn't feel smooth at all.

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    Maybe you can just throw an option in the menu to lock it to 30 or 60? That way players can choose what works best on the Switch they’re using. Or an option for “Switch 2” mode that just locks the fps to 60 and ups the resolution (if that’s possible).

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    Not a bad idea in theory but without a Switch 2 kit I wouldn't be able to test if it actually works before pushing it live to the public, which is super risky (and would then take time to put out a fix of it went wrong)

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    Just spitballing, but maybe make the 60fps option hidden (only activate it via a long series of button presses like an old school cheat code), test it out yourself once it’s published, then push another update to enable it via the UI. 

    parent root

    Ah, I understand. I guess this is why most games don’t get updated with these types of options.

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  • Tilt/motion control steering?

    parent

    No, just the double joycon configuration or pro controller methods with good ol' fashioned button presses.

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  • Congrats on releasing the game! Looks really cool, dude!

    Quick question how was the process to get the game out on the Switch? Did they send devkits ? I read it was difficult to get something published on the eshop as a solo dev

    parent

    I think your assumption is right!

    Although this is my first solo game, I did work on games before (as QA and then a Producer) and fortunately I'm still on good terms with one of my former employers so the Switch version is being published through them. So I've been lucky in that regard!

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  • Diddy Kong Racing + Forza Horizon as inspirations? Okay I think I'm gonna have to give this a try.

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  • I can’t support any game that would use pizza as a weapon. Pizza = love. Not war.

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  • top down kart racer. hard... HARD pass (and I love kart racers)

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    Yeah, it looks good, and I love to support the indie developer, but this is an actual deal-breaker for me :(

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