How To Unlock Every Playable Character In Mario Kart World

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How To Unlock Every Playable Character

How To Unlock Donkey Kong

In a little bit of a surprising move, Mario Kart World doesn’t provide you with all playable characters right from the starting line. Household names like Donkey Kong, Daisy, Rosalina, and more have to be earned by meeting set conditions within the main campaign, and we’re here to break down those conditions.

Rosalina, Peach, and Daisy in Mario Kart World

Knockout Tour Is Already The Best Thing About Mario Kart World

Families and friendships are going to ruined by Knockout Tour in Mario Kart World.

You also have a number of smaller characters, like Chargin’ Chuck and Stingby who are made playable by stumbling across them during races or in the open world. There are loads of cute and familiar faces to be found in Nintendo’s latest kart racer, and here’s how to find them all.

How To Unlock Every Playable Character

Mario Kart World has an extensive roster, offering a number of the usual suspects, each with their own variant costumes that can be earned by eating food items spread across the world. Once these are consumed, and you’ve worn the costume at least once, it will be added to the character select screen for future use.

As for more general characters like Para-Biddybud, Penguin, Dolphin and those who are just random enemies and NPCs you’d find in Mario games, those will be added to the roster after you’ve been transformed into them by the Kamek power-up. Unfortunately, none of these are able to equip or earn new costumes. At least it’s fun to see a Wiggler drive a motorbike.

How To Unlock Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong in the character selection screen in Mario Kart World

Characters are unlocked by completing their associated Grand Prix, beginning with Donkey Kong, who will be added to the roster once you finish the Mushroom Cup.

While this selection may seem random at first, you only need to look at the tracks included in this cup to see what Nintendo was going for. As for Mushroom, it ends with DK Spaceport as you have to contend with a giant robotic ape yeeting barrels at you.

You don’t need to place in first, second, or third to unlock each character either, all that is required is to complete the Grand Prix.

How To Unlock Daisy

Selecting Daisy In The Mario Kart World Character Select Screen

Daisy can be unlocked by completing the Flower Cup, which happens to feature the track Shy Guy Bazaar in which you race through the desert region of Sarasaland. A location we first saw introduced in Super Mario Land on the original Game Boy decades ago.

Just like before, don’t worry about reaching the podium if you’re still getting the hang of things.

How To Unlock Rosalina

Rosalina in the character select screen in Mario Kart World

Super Mario Galaxy’s Rosalina is unlocked by completing the Star Cup, featuring a lovingly crafted track known as Starview Peak that has a bunch of Lumas flying around the place. It is a sight to behold, while Rosalina also has a number of great outfits to choose from.

How To Unlock Lakitu

Lakitu in the Mario Kart World character select screen.

Yes, you aren’t the only one confused about the fact Lakitu can not only be picked as a kart racer, but is also still hanging out on his cloud calling the shots during races.

You can tackle the Grand Prix cups in any order, and you’ll still unlock characters which correspond to each one. We tried this on two different profiles to make sure.

Anyway, he can be unlocked by completing the Shell Cup and conquering the sunny delights of Koopa Troopa Beach.

How To Unlock Birdo

Birdo has come a long way since her debut, and now even has a track all to herself with the debut of Salty Salty Speedway. You can earn them as a playable character by clearing away the Banana Cup at any position.

How To Unlock King Boo

If you want to play as a cheeky ghost with a fabulous crown, all you need to do is conquer the Leaf Cup. The presence of Boo Cinema is a dead giveaway here.

How To Unlock Bowser Jr

Following in the footsteps of his Dad, Bowser Jr can be unlocked by finishing the Lightning Cup featuring Bowser’s Castle as the final track.

With that, you’ve now unlocked all the major characters in Mario Kart World. There are no new characters to be earned by completing the Special Cup that unlocks after completing the previous seven, so don’t worry about that one.