Nintendo’s recent patch for Mario Kart World has altered the online course selection system, sparking frustration among players who prefer traditional three-lap circuit races.
The update modifies the way the “random” option works during voting for the next race. Previously, selecting “random” reliably transported players to a three-lap circuit race elsewhere on the map. Now, the option includes not only these circuits but also the more common “intermission” races, which involve driving across the map to the next location followed by a typically single lap race.
This change has increased the frequency of intermission races in ranked online lobbies. After each race, players have a brief free roam period during which they vote on the next track from three adjacent options—each leading to an intermission race. The “random” choice had been popular for offering a break from this format by delivering traditional lap races, but with the patch, it often selects intermission-style events instead.
Players can still access three-lap circuits in Vs. mode or friends-only lobbies, but these are now rarer in ranked play. Nintendo has not commented on the update’s intent but appears committed to the game’s organic progression style moving players from point to point on the map.
This patch increases the scarcity of classic circuit races online, pushing the community further toward the less popular, more linear intermission format.