In my WWE 2K25 review, I wrote about the game's abundance of exciting long-form modes that make it a game I can enjoy for months on end. But during Mania Season, I like to add my own custom mode, in a sense: WrestleMania 41 predictions mode.

The 2025 WrestleMania match card is just about buttoned up as I write this--though we still seem to await an official opponent for Randy Orton, which he should get on April 18's go-home episode of SmackDown. That makes it a great time to throw these matches together in WWE 2K25 and see how they come out. Using Visual Concepts' pro-wrestling sim, I put every match into the game and observed how they turned out.

While two of the competitors aren't officially on the roster yet, that was no issue; given the game's robust user-generated content suite, I was able to download the lucha superstars Penta and El Grande Americano thanks to the WWE 2K community. I also hosted every match in a user-made WrestleMania 41 arena to give it the right vibe before the dev team likely adds its own official version soon.

Some of the below results, I definitely agree with, while others seem less likely, but then that's one of the best parts of professional wrestling: the swerves. Check out the full match card predictions for WrestleMania 41 below, then come back on the nights of April 19 and 20, Nights 1 and 2 of Mania, respectively, and see how the game fared against reality.

Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

Winner: Rey Mysterio

This showdown of two lucha legends didn't disappoint, even though I'm rooting for El Grande Americano to come out on top and finally put to rest these silly rumors that he is Chad Gable.

Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

Winner: Jade Cargill

Naomi has been doing incredible work on the mic these last few weeks, but there's no surer thing on the card than Jade winning this match between the two former friends. Even the WWE sim seems well aware of that.

The New Day vs. The War Raiders (c) - World Tag Team Championship

Winners: The War Raiders

In the first title match of my sim, it was The War Raiders retaining their tag belts. I'm not sure I see this one happening. I think a heel New Day run could be a lot of fun and help elevate the tag titles to their past prestige.

Jacob Fatu vs. LA Knight (c) - United States Championship

Winner: Jacob Fatu

Here we had the first "And new!" of the night, in a match that feels like it'll probably go this way, too. Jacob Fatu is already way over with the fans, and giving him an early Mania Moment to look back on when he's main-eventing the show in a few years makes a lot of sense. Plus, if Cena wins on Sunday night like I think he will, I could see LA Knight elevated to being one of his opponents this summer.

Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair - WWE Women's Championship

Winner: Charlotte Flair

This one would seem like a shocker--to me anyway--but it would also be an interesting sliding-doors moment. I've been feeling like Flair is in this match to put over Tiffany, who is very much the next big thing in WWE women's wrestling. But after their promo got real--and really heated--a few weeks ago, could Charlotte play politics and get the win just to put Tiffany "in her place"? In any event, that possibility makes this one harder to predict.

Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso - World Heavyweight Championship

Winner: Jey Uso

I was in the building for Jey's Royal Rumble win a few months ago. The place was absolutely electric. He's a huge hit with kids, women, and men, selling T-shirts like toilet paper in the pandemic. I've gotta imagine the sim got this one exactly right. Give Jey his moment, and let Gunther move onto the WWE title scene.

Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk

Winner: CM Punk

In what one might call the Paul Heyman on a Pole match of the weekend, it was the longest-running Paul Heyman Guy prevailing in the sim, but something tells me the booking for this one will be messier than the version I saw, even as Reigns and Punk both got cut open in it.

AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul

Winner: AJ Styles

Logan Paul is quite talented in the ring but I find him too odious to enjoy anymore, so I really appreciate the go-away heat he's been getting lately, which I read to be Hoganesque. I'd also love if this match goes the way it did in the sim, with AJ showing out and burying Paul for the 1-2-3.

Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre - Las Vegas Street Fight

Winner: Damian Priest

I don't know if this match will make its way into the backstage areas, but I decided to set it in the parking lot in the game. I can definitely see someone taking a basket of poker chips to the head, or maybe McIntyre eats a Razor's Edge through a blackjack table. This should be a fun one, like the sim was.

Penta vs. Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Bron Breakker (c) - Intercontinental Championship

Winner: Bron Breakker

I downloaded a great user-made Penta for this match--ahead of his official release as a DLC character later this year--which actually earned five stars in the sim. Breakker and Penta are both way over with the fans, and the in-fighting of Finn and Dom adds an extra layer of fun to this one. This might end up being the weekend's best match if you're in it for the in-ring product first and foremost.

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez (c) vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria

Winners: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez

This match doesn't have a ton of juice behind it right now, but it includes a few of the biggest names in women's wrestling, so I expect they'll make something out of it even as Raquel is still searching for her heel identity and Lyra is still trying to climb back to the level she was at in NXT. Maybe this will be the match that gets the best of them both.

Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky (c) vs. Rhea Ripley - Women's World Championship

Winner: Iyo Sky

Bianca and Iyo have been making magic together for a while now, and Rhea is the company's biggest star in the women's division for good reason. The sim gave this one five stars, and I expect it'll prove true. I feel like the promos suggest Iyo will retain in real life, but I'm curious if WWE plans to keep growing Bianca's undefeated Mania streak. She's currently up to 5-0.

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. John Cena - WWE Championship

Winner: Cody Rhodes

In the weekend's final match, John Cena will vie for his record-breaking 17th major championship, but he'll do so as a heel character for the first time ever. Many have Cena winning, then refinding his old self over the course of the summer and fall as he rounds out his retirement tour. The sim saw it differently, but one thing it lacked is the likely involvement of The Rock, who seems destined to interfere and ensure Cena's win--if it's to end that way at all.

Lunar Remastered Collection Physical Edition (PS4, Switch)

$55 | Releases April 18

See at Amazon

Lunar Remastered Collection launches on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC today, April 18. If you're interested in picking up a physical edition, you should hurry. Lunar Remastered Collection is exclusive to Amazon. It was never made available for preorder, but it's now up for grabs on launch day for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.

Lunar Remastered Collection Amazon Listings:

• PlayStation (PS4 & PS5)
• Nintendo Switch
• Xbox (Series X & Xbox One)

Lunar Remastered Collection Physical Edition (PS4, Switch)

$55 | Releases April 18

The Lunar Remastered Collection includes enhanced versions of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and its sequel, Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete.

Both games feature retouched graphics, enhanced audio, new English localizations, and gameplay tweaks like optional battle speed increases to make the classic RPGs more approachable.

The Amazon-exclusive physical editions have reversible cover art featuring both Lunar and Lunar 2 by series illustrator and anime artist Toshiyuki Kubooka.

A digital version of the collection is also available for consoles and PC via Steam.

See at Amazon

This collection sounds like an excellent way to experience two of the most important RPGs from the 16-bit and 32-bit console eras. The original Lunar: Silver Star Story is considered a landmark title in the Japanese RPG lineage and was one of the first console RPGs to feature voice acting, animated cutscenes, and CD-quality music thanks to its original platform, the Sega CD. It was later remade for PS1 and Sega Saturn as Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, which is the version included in the Lunar Remastered Collection. Its sequel, Lunar 2: Eternal Blue, also launched on PS1 and Saturn and built upon the gameplay and story presentation of the first game, featuring even more voiced dialogue and a larger cast.

Marvel has announced the return of the Marvel Swimsuit Special later this year, teasing that the new issue will include some future skins for Marvel Rivals.

Marvel announced in a blog post that a new swimsuit special, titled Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, and Rivals #1, releases on July 9. As part of the announcement, Marvel said the issues will also contain designs for Marvel Rivals skins in the issue. It certainly sounds like that means swimsuit skins are coming to Marvel Rivals, and a late July or early August event would work perfectly with the summer skins. The blog post doesn't provide any more details about who would be getting these skins, or even what the skins are, but considering they are in the swimsuit issue, they will probably be beach-appropriate.

The Marvel Swimsuit Special features a loose plot, with this year's based around Wasp organizing an official swimsuit special after Roxxon Comics made an unofficial one. This is just a pretense to the real plot, which is magazine-style spread of art featuring Marvel characters in swimsuits. Marvel said it would be revealing more about the issue leading up to its release, which could include teases of the Marvel Rivals skins. Based on the blog post, it sounds like it will just include designs that will be in Marvel Rivals and not skins that you can only get by purchasing the comic.

Star Wars Celebration has kicked off in Japan, and one of the highlights so far is the announcement of a new film in the sci-fi series that'll be directed by Shawn Levy (Deadpool and Wolverine) and will star Ryan Gosling. Star Wars: Starfighter was revealed during The Mandalorian and Grogu panel, and it is scheduled to be released on May 31, 2027.

While details are slim for now, what we do know is that Starfighter is set five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and Gosling will play a brand-new character. In case you're wondering, Star Wars: Starfighter shares nothing--that we know of, so far--with the video game of the same name released for PC, PS2, and Xbox in 2001. The game is currently available on PC platforms like Steam and GOG, in case you want to revisit it.

Mario Kart World is being positioned as the Switch 2's biggest selling-point, and it's easy to see why. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe stayed atop the Nintendo Switch sales charts undefeated for years, and still stands as the top-selling game on Switch and in the Mario Kart series. Nintendo is clearly trying to capture that lightning in a bottle again for its follow-up console, with a new Mario Kart ready to speed off the starting block alongside the system. And with that premium offering comes a premium price: $80, a price tag that leapfrogs over the somewhat expected $70 price for next-gen games.

When Nintendo took the wraps off of Mario Kart World as part of its Switch 2 presentation, the price was a major point of conversation. And more specifically: What made this game demand such a high asking price? When asked, Nintendo's answer was essentially that the proof was in the pudding--that once we saw all it had to offer, the reason behind the increased price would become apparent.

"We'll look at varying prices and things like that for software based off of just how robust the experience is," Nintendo's Bill Trinen told us in an interview in early April. "People will get to learn more about that game. And I think that as they start to learn more about that game, they're going to be pretty excited about the content that's offered there."

Why settle for one kind of horror story when you can explore them all? That's the TLDR behind Video Ghastlies, an upcoming horror game that sees players pulled into many different eras of horror movie history, from 1930s gothic horror and Carpenteresque body horror to Giallo slashers and even modern styles like found footage. The game doesn't have a release date just yet, but it'll debut on PC.

Video Ghastlies is set in 1990s Scotland, casting players as the sibling of a missing brother. To find him, you'll explore illegal VHS tapes, with each one pulling you into a different horror story. In between, your apartment acts as a safe haven where you can put clues together and try to solve a multilayered mystery.

The game doesn't intend to be a defenseless horror game akin to Amnesia or Outlast. Instead, you'll be equipped with weapons befitting of each era and genre you're pulled into, with puzzles to slow you down and enemies staring back at you.

Humble Bundle: Return to Metroidvania

Get 8 Steam games for only $14.

See at Humble

Whether you call them metroidvanias, search action, or pathfinder games, there's no denying the genre inspired by Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has become one of the most popular around, especially in the indie scene. If you feel the itch to explore and unlock doors, then Humble's new Return to Metroidvanias Bundle is definitely worth checking out. The deal gets you up to eight highly rated Metroidvania PC games for just $14.

Like all Humble Bundles, the Return to Metroidvanias Bundle benefits charity. In this case, a portion of each purchase is donated to Cool Effect, an organization dedicated to reducing pollution and curb the effects of climate change. So not only are you helping save a bunch of 2D virtual worlds, you're helping save our own, too.

Humble Bundle: Return to Metroidvania

Get 8 Steam games for only $14.

The Return to Metroidvania Bundle offers a pay-what-you-want model where the more you pay, the more games you'll get. Pricing starts at just $5, and gets you two games: Gato Roboto, which sees you exploring a high-tech facility as a mech-piloting cat, and Monster Sanctuary, which mixes Pokemon-inspired monster taming and turn-based battles with Metroidvania-style sidescrolling exploration.

At $10, you'll get three more games, including Shantae and the Seven Sirens, which is the fifth game in the Shantae series and notable for its hand-drawn in-game visuals and cutscenes. You'll also get the Islets, a charming adventure set in a world of floating islands, as well as Astalon: Tears of the Earth, which is inspired by side-scrolling action RPGs of the late 80s like Legacy of the Wizard and Xanadu--an often overlooked segment of the Metroidvania genre's history.

If you pay $14, you'll get the full eight-game bundle, which gets you all of the previously mentioned games, plus the Dark Souls-inspired Grime, the fast-paced action platformer Berserk Boy (which we should note is closer to Mega Man X or Mega Man Zero than a true Metroidvania), and BioGun, which is a 2024 release with a vibrant art style reminiscent of Hollow Knight and gameplay inspired by classic 2D shooters.

See at Humble

All eight games are delivered as official Steam keys. Almost all of the games are fully playable on Steam Deck, too, with the sole exception of BioGun--it's playable, but has very noticeable performance issues and requires tinkering with the controls. We'd recommend playing BioGun on a Windows PC instead. It's a great game, especially if you favor the Metroid side of the genre.

Fanatical's latest huge sale on PC games is live now. If you want to stock up on AAA titles and indie hits without breaking the bank, make sure to check out Fanatical's Level Up Sale before it ends on April 27.

If you spend $15 or more on a single transaction, you'll get to pick a free Steam key from a list of 10 games that includes Teslagrad Remastered, Mindustry, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, and other well-received indies. If none of the freebies are of interest, you can roll the dice with a mystery game or secure a $1 coupon.

Panic announced the initial lineup of Playdate Season 2 games during a recent livestream, and one of them is Fulcrum Defender, the latest project from Into the Breach and FTL: Faster than Light developer Subset Games. It's an arcade-action game where you control a turret using the Playdate's hand crank and stop incoming projectiles before they reach the center of the screen.

In our Into the Breach review, we called it a "pristine and pragmatic tactical gem," and it won the BAFTA for best original property, along with "best strategy game" at The Game Awards 2018. FTL launched in 2012 to critical acclaim for its design and soundtrack. However, Subset Games' Justin Ma said during the stream that they weren't trying to create another hit. In fact, they didn't actually plan on releasing Fulcrum Defender at all for a while.

"I was making it as a form of self-therapy," Ma said. "I have been struggling with long COVID the past few years, and I wanted to prove to myself that I can still make games in my current state."

Nitro Deck+ Renegade Raider Fortnite Edition

$80

See at Amazon

Nitro Deck Cuddle Team Leader Fortnite Edition

$60

See at Amazon

Neo S Raven Fortnite Edition Wireless Controller with Charging Dock

$60

See at Amazon

Neo S Peely Fortnite Edition Wireless Controller with Charging Dock

$60

See at Amazon

CRKD just launched new Fortnite-themed limited editions of its excellent Nitro Deck and Nitro Deck+ Nintendo Switch grips and Neo S wireless controllers, and like other official Fortnite accessories, each one includes codes to unlock bonus in-game cosmetics. The standouts of the quartet of new devices are the Nitro Deck and Nitro Deck+ models, which adorn our favorite Switch premium handheld controllers with exclusive Fortnite-themed skins. There are also two new variants of the Neo S Wireless controller for Switch, PC, and mobile that feature the Fortnite characters Peely and Raven. All four controllers are available now at Amazon.

Nitro Deck+ Renegade Raider Fortnite Edition

$80

This limited edition version of the Nitro Deck+ features a unique color scheme and pattern based on the Fortnite character Renegade Raider, and comes with a code to unlock the O.G. Glider skin in the game.

As mentioned earlier, the Nitro Deck+ is our favorite premium Switch handheld controller. While it works great as a grip and gamepad, it even works as its own dock, supporting charging and USB-C video passthrough. It's equipped with anti-drift Hall Effect thumbsticks, six programmable buttons (four on the back and two on the sides), and a kickstand.

The Nitro Deck+ Renegade Raider Fortnite Edition is a great option for Fortnite fans who want to show off their love for the game, but it's worth noting this new device $80, which is $10 more than most other Nitro Deck+ models. We've listed a few more Nitro Deck+ deals below in case you're interested in shopping around.

More Nitro Deck+ Nintendo Switch Controller Deals:

• Clear Black -- $60 ($70)
• Clear White -- $60 ($70)
• Clear Black with HDMI Adapter -- $70 ($80)
• Clear White with HDMI Adapter -- $70 ($80)

See at Amazon

Nitro Deck Cuddle Team Leader Fortnite Edition

$60

CRKD also has a new Fortnite-themed version of its standard Nitro Deck controller. The color scheme for this one is based on the Cuddle Team Leader, and it includes a code for the Cuddle Cruiser Glider in-game item.

The standard Nitro Deck model is very close in design and functionality to the Nitro Deck+, but with a few key differences, like no USB-C video passthrough and no sidekick buttons. It also features an offset thumbstick layout instead of the parallel placement like on the Nitro Deck+, though it still uses Hall Effect sticks.

The Nitro Deck Cuddle Team Leader Fortnite Edition is available for $60 at Amazon. Just like with the new Fortnite Edition Nitro Deck+, that's $10 more expensive than the $50 other color options sell for, so we've included a list of other models in case you're curious about what else is available.

More Nitro Deck Controllers:

• GameCube-themed purple controller bundle -- $50 ($80)
• Retro Mint controller bundle -- $50 ($80)
• Crystal Pink controller bundle -- $50 ($80)
• Orange Zest controller bundle -- $50 ($80)

See at Amazon

Neo S Raven Fortnite Edition Wireless Controller with Charging Dock

$60

CRKD's Neo S Wireless Controller is a compact, rectangular gamepad featuring all the standard buttons, D-pad, and thumbsticks you'd expect from other controllers, plus two extra back buttons. It also uses Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers, and supports Bluetooth connectivity on Switch, mobile, and PC--including handhelds like Steam Deck, the ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go. This model sports a purple and blue color scheme and decals based on the Raven character from Fortnite and includes a charging dock and a code for the Viceroy Mark I Glider in-game item.

See at Amazon

Neo S Peely Fortnite Edition Wireless Controller with Charging Dock

$60

This model has all the same features as the other new Neo S Fortnite Edition Wireless Controller, including the charging dock, but sports a yellow design based on Peely. You'll also get a code for the Drip Dropper Glider.

See at Amazon

While all four of these Fortnite-themed CRKD controllers are in stock and available, it's worth noting these are limited-edition accessories and could sell out fast.

Season 3 continues to celebrate nostalgia in Call of Duty, with the latest update for Black Ops 6 and Warzone adding a Black Ops Tribute event. Here we explain how to unlock the Close Shave multiplayer perk and the nail gun weapon found in the Black Ops Tribute event, plus highlight all of the event rewards.

The Black Ops Tribute limited-time event is live until May 1. This XP event offers Black Ops-themed cosmetics as well as a few new items to use in your customized loadouts across Black Ops 6 and Warzone. This includes the nail gun weapon for all modes, the Death Machine scorestreak and Close Shave perk for multiplayer, and thermite lethal equipment for Warzone.

Each XP milestone unlocks at least one reward for both Black Ops 6 and Warzone. However, some tiers have an additional reward specifically for Black Ops 6 owners. All event rewards and their corresponding milestone requirements are listed below.

How to use Close Shave perk

Close Shave is an Enforcer category perk added to Slot 1. Equipping this perk lets you replace the default gun butt melee with an immediate use of your equipped melee weapon, similar to how melee attacks worked in some of the older Call of Duty games.

This perk is only available in Black Ops 6 multiplayer. This is unlocked as part of the event reward milestones listed below.

The full list of Black Ops Tribute rewards

Intimidation Tactics - Weapon sticker

This skull and bones weapon sticker is unlocked at 15,000 XP.

Bomb on Wheels - Spray

This spray is unlocked at 40,000 XP.

Striped Beauty - Weapon charm

This dirt bike weapon charm is also unlocked at 40,000 XP, but this is only unlocked for Black Ops 6 owners.

Liberating Air - Loading screen

This loading screen features Adler on a dirt bike. The reward is unlocked at 76,000 XP.

On The House - Gobblegum

This Gobblegum reward is also unlocked at 76,000 XP, but it's obviously a BO6 Zombies exclusive.

Operatives - Large decal

This Black Ops-themed large decal is unlocked at 123,000 XP.

Close Shave - Perk

This new multiplayer perk is unlocked at 180,000 XP. This is a Black Ops 6 exclusive item.

Thermite - Lethal equipment

Thermite lethal equipment is unlocked for use in Warzone at 180,000 XP.

C9 10mm Auto 30-Round Mags - Weapon attachment

This new attachment for the C9 SMG is unlocked at 248,000 XP.

Call It in - Emblem

This animated Black Ops 6-themed emblem is unlocked at 326,000 XP.

Violet Sight - Reticle

This is a new reticle also unlocked at 326,000 XP. This is a Black Ops 6 exclusive unlock, but it can be used in both games.

45-Minute Weapon XP token

This reward is unlocked at 414,000 XP.

Crate Power - Gobblegum

This Gobblegum reward is also unlocked at 414,000 XP, but it is obviously a BO6 Zombies exclusive.

Blazing Win - Calling card

This Adler calling card is unlocked at 511,000 XP.

Rest Stop - Emote

This new sleeping emote is also unlocked 511,000 XP. This is a Black Ops 6 exclusive unlock, but it can be used in both games.

Steer - Melee blueprint

This knife weapon blueprint is unlocked at 617,000 XP.

Death Machine - Scorestreak

This scorestreak is unlocked at 617,000 XP. This is a Black Ops 6 exclusive item for use in multiplayer and Zombies.

Unlocking all 10 tiers of XP milestone rewards will unlock two additional Mastery rewards: The nail gun and the John Black Ops operator skin. The nail gun weapon is for both Black Ops 6 and Warzone, and the John Black Ops operator skin is an exclusive reward for Black Ops 6 owners, but it can be equipped in both games.

Nail gun base unlock as Mastery Reward

Competitive gaming has been around for decades now, with organized tournaments for multiple games and genres available throughout the year all around the world. 2K Sports and The Play Company want to bring those competitions home, and today the two sides have announced NBA 2K Play, a new initiative that will offer NBA 2K25 cash tournaments on the game's main menu screen via The Play Company’s Play OS service.

NBA 2K Play will allow NBA 2K25 owners to join pay-to-enter weekly tournaments for cash prizes, as well as "marquee events hosted by celebrities and NBA stars." Tournaments will be held with both current NBA rosters and custom MyTEAM lineups, and each week's contest will be accessible via a new button on the Play Now screen.

The NBA 2K Play tournament series will be the first of its kind for a specific title, and the first to ever receive a dedicated menu button. The NBA 2K Play service is live now in both Play Now and MyTeam tournaments.

Marvel Rivals has introduced new recolor skins, otherwise known as new color palettes for existing skins, that you can purchase and equip. These new color patterns require you to own the base skin and then purchase the new color pattern for 600 Unstable Molecules, a new currency. For Season 2, these can be purchased with Lattice, the paid currency, at a ratio of 1:1, but NetEase did share on social media that starting in Season 3, there will be new ways to obtain this specific currency.

This means that you will need to spend an additional $6 to unlock each new recolor skin, and that's after purchasing the skin for somewhere between $15-20. To start off, there are four new recolor skins added for four recent and popular skins for Luna Snow, Psylocke, Magik, and Winter Soldier. Once you purchase the color, you can head to the hero customization menu to select it. You retain the old colorway and can swap between them. These colors are also reflected in MVP animations, intro animations, and emotes as well, in addition to changing your appearance in matches.

While there are only four to start, NetEase has confirmed plans to add more in the future, and if these sell well, it seems likely NetEase may release them more frequently. At the moment, there is no set cadence for these releases. Marvel Rivals currently adds two new skins to the shop every Friday, so it's possible that these may have a regular release schedule, even if it's not as frequent as once a week.

Psylocke Vengeance - Phantom Purple

Magik Punkchild - Rosy Resilience

Luna Snow Mirae 2099 - Plasma Pulse

Winter Soldier Blood Solider - Winter's Wrath

Mario Kart World was properly revealed during the April Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and as you'd expect, the next instalment in this racing game series looks like it'll be a must-have game when it launches alongside the Switch 2 on June 5. While all the familiar elements are in place for this motorized outing--from familiar faces to colorful courses--there are some interesting new additions to the kart-racing formula, like the option to take a detour off the track while you're racing.

You can even take a scenic tour with friends in the game's free-roam mode, and with each course taking place in various regions that are subject to dynamic weather conditions, you'll probably get plenty of mileage out of the photo mode as well. Mario Kart World will also launch with plenty of racers to choose from, ranging from Mario to a Moo Moo Meadows cow.

While we're not certain how many characters there will be on launch day, we have noticed that the starting grid allows for up to 24 racers to take part and so far we've seen 50 of them revealed through trailers and teasers. In case you want to see who has made the cut, you can check the list below for every Mario Kart World racer.

A whole bunch of other details have been revealed as well, so if you're looking to catch up, you can click the stories below for more information on the Switch 2 launch title:

• Mario Kart World Lets Players Rewind If They Make A Mistake
• Mario Kart World: How Eating Meals And Unlocking Costumes Works
• Battle Mode Is Back In Mario Kart World, Two Minigames Confirmed
• Rainbow Road's Return In Mario Kart World Is All But Confirmed
• Mario Kart World Features Giant Trucks And Boats You Can Use To Dominate Races

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders were meant to go live on April 9, but these have currently been delayed until an unspecified date. For now, the bundle deal that includes the console and Mario Kart World is priced at $500, whereas the console on its own will currently cost you $450. It's worth mentioning that first-party Nintendo games will be much pricier for the Switch 2 generation, so the bundle deal is the better option as Mario Kart World will sell for $80, according to listings at Best Buy and Walmart.

Mario

Luigi

Peach

Bowser

Yoshi

Wario

Waluigi

Rosalina

Daisy

Toad

Toadette

Donkey Kong

Baby Mario

Baby Luigi

Baby Peach

Baby Daisy

Birdo

Bowser Jr.

Cataquack

Cheep Cheep

Charging Chuck

Dolphin

Dry Bones

Fish Bone

Goomba

Hammer Bro

King Boo

Koopa Troopa

Lakitu

Moo Moo Meadows Cow

Nabbit

Pauline

Penguin

Shy Guy

Spike

Para-Biddybud

Pianta

Piranha Plant

Sidestepper

Stingby

Peepa

Monty Mole

Pokey

Swoop

Snowman

Coin Coffer

Conkdor

Rocky Wrench

Wiggler

The Mario Kart World Direct revealed many of the different things players can do in its open-world Free Roam mode.

Mario Kart World's big twist on the series' core formula is that all tracks are part of an interconnected world. Free Roam mode takes advantage of that by letting players drive wherever they want within this open world, but we didn't know what else players could do in this mode until now. Around the open world, players can find P-Switches, and pressing one will start a mission. These test players' skills with challenges such as collecting blue coins or driving past obstacles to reach a goal within a time limit. A press release teases that there will be "hundreds" of missions for players to complete. If players mess up, they can rewind and try again.

Nintendo did not reveal what the reward is for completing missions, but did tease that there are hidden collectibles, including medallions and hidden panels, for players to find. Free Roam also supports online multiplayer, so players can explore with their friends and mess around with them in photo mode. It's unclear if there are multiplayer missions, but Nintendo did confirm that it will always be possible to fast travel to your friends' location on the map. Multiplayer isn't restricted to free roam, though, as Battle Mode returns.

The Outlast Trials' next major update is coming on April 22, and with it comes the game's first foray into user-generated content (UGC). The game's Trial Maker tools will let players create and share their own missions for others to play alone or in co-op. The patch comes as part of Project Relapse, which follows the story update that came on April 8, in which players could take on an attempted escape from the Murkoff Facility with the help of Amelia, a former prisoner who sought to destroy the whole operation. Spoilers: That escape goes awry, and this season is all about the game's Big Bad, Dr. Easterman, punishing players for their unruly behavior.

With that comes a new major enemy, The Jaeger, which is a remote-controlled human-machine hybrid that darkly resembles Amelia. It seems Easterman has, uh, recycled the fallen hero's image. On the topic of offensive imagery, The Outlast Trials will now let players blur its depictions of nudity, which some have requested because of how the game's plentiful genitals can sometimes get content flagged on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

The Outlast Trials' endgame is being reimagined, too, with story reasons to make sense of the change. Ending the "Rebirth" protocol that would give player-characters their "freedom," Easterman has instead begun the Relapse Initiative, a new mechanic available to players who reach the maximum therapy level, which is increasing from 75 to 99 with Season 3. Relapse Initiative is akin to prestiging in Call of Duty. Players who take on the opportunity will reset to level 1 but will choose one of several permanent upgrades and other rewards for doing so.

We got a look at all of the different tricks and abilities players can pull off in Mario Kart World during the game's dedicated Nintendo Direct, and the standout new addition is a rewind feature that allows players to erase their mistakes.

At any time in Free Roam or while racing solo, players can rewind a couple of seconds if they messed up and get a second chance to overcome a certain obstacle or make a turn exactly how they want to. The main downside to using Rewind is that other players will still race at normal speed, so players could potentially lose a lead if they decide to use it. The fact that it can only be used when playing races solo also makes it unclear if Rewind will work in multiplayer.

Rewind isn't the only helpful new trick players have been given in Mario Kart World. Charge Jump lets players leap over obstacles, rail grind, or wall ride after drifting in a straight line. Features like Smart Steering, Auto-Accelerate, Auto-Use Item, and Tilt Controls will also return in Mario Kart World, and Nintendo will release a special Joy-Con 2 Wheel peripheral to hold the Nintendo Switch 2's controllers. Players will clearly have a lot of exciting gameplay abilities at their disposal when racing on all of Mario Kart World's new courses, including its interpretation of Rainbow Road.

Nintendo provided a closer look at the upcoming Mario Kart World during the game's dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation. In addition to showcasing some of the playable characters appearing in this entry, the company shed some more light on the various outfits you can unlock for each racer.

Dotting the different race tracks around the world is a fast-food chain called Yoshi's. Drive by one of these restaurants to grab Dash Food, which will unlock a new costume for your racer when eaten. The meals and costumes you collect will be themed after the course you're in.

Once you've unlocked an outfit for a character, it will be a permanent addition to your roster. You can then select that specific costume while choosing a racer from the character selection screen. Nintendo hasn't confirmed how many costumes there are to collect in total, but the company teases there are "plenty of dishes and outfits to find."