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Geek Vibes Nation
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Raging Bull' 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review - A Knockout Release For A Martin Scorsese Classic
Robert De Niro stars in Martin Scorsese's biopic of boxing champion Jake LaMotta, joining the Imprint Collection in 4K UHD, premiering in Dolby Vision for the first time worldwide. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, Scorsese's seminal masterpiece also stars Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, Theresa Saldana, Frank Vincent, and Nicholas Colasanto. Jake LaMotta was the middleweight boxing champion known as 'The Bronx Bull' and 'The Raging Bull' during his brief reign. LaMotta had early lessons in life: to steal and to fight. He channelled his tough childhood into the ring, where his aggression became a way of combating deep-seated anxieties and emotional fears. This determination and rage turned him from a young hoodlum into a champion. But his drive for the title, his brutality outside of the ring and his almost-psychotic sexual jealousy will destroy his marriage, his deepest friendships and the career he fought to build. For thoughts on Raging Bull, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality Imprint Films presents Raging Bull on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 courtesy of a magnificent 2022 4K digital master approved by director Martin Scorsese in 2160p with Dolby Vision/HDR. This label is based in Australia, but both the 4K UHD and Blu-Ray discs in this set will play in all Blu-Ray players, including those in the United States. The film was previously released on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with HDR10 in the United States courtesy of The Criterion Collection in 2022. We do not have that release to compare, but we do know that it was highly praised for its beauty. This new Imprint release has the benefit of Dolby Vision to fine-tune the experience on the visual side. It assuredly is not a night-and-day difference from the Criterion release, but the Imprint release is likely the best release on the market. Without a doubt, the 4K UHD presentation serves as a valuable uptick from the included Blu-Ray derived from the same restoration. This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc impresses right away with the perfect amount of natural film grain which is authentically gritty but not noisy or unwieldy. The encoding here is absolute perfection thanks to a thorough handling by Fidelity In Motion. This allows the presentation to excel with a world of texture in the locales, clothing, and production design. The cinematography from Michael Chapman is impeccable as he creates a three-dimensional image that uses the claustrophobic spaces perfectly to feed into the emotions at play. The UHD disc maintains a faithful black-and-white palette that is dynamic thanks to the utilization of Dolby Vision for an exceptional interplay between light and dark. The command over contrast and overall clarity is a marvel to witness. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to retain a daring amount of depth and detail in shadowy spaces. Highlights are richer and offer greater stability without veering into blooming. The clarity of the transfer gives you an unbelievable amount of facial detail. There are no indications of any print damage or other such blemishes that would sully the appearance of this title. This transfer is a wonder by all metrics. It is a TKO for Imprint Films. Audio Quality Imprint Films brings us this new 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio surround sound track and an LPCM 2.0 stereo track that offer a triumphant audio experience. Dialogue holds up effortlessly, coming through clearly without being lost to the music or other natural effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the chatter within the public spaces and the noises from vehicles. The soundtrack of the film comes through with the appropriate fidelity that represents the material ideally for what it is trying to accomplish. The track does not suffer from any unexpected instances of age-related wear and tear. The Imprint Films has delivered an audio experience that holds up with the best of them. Optional English HOH subtitles are provided on this disc. Special Features The Imprint 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Raging Bull includes an exclusive 80-page hardcover booklet with an essay from journalist and filmmaker Bilge Ebiri and production notes. This explores the legacy of the feature, the source material, its themes, the background of the creative figures, and more which is very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows: Audio Commentaries: A trio of archival commentary tracks is provided which delves into the production in great detail including the background anecdotes of shooting various scenes, the development of the script, the decision to shoot in black and white, the camera setups, the production design, and more. Audio Commentary #1: Director Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker Audio Commentary #2: Director of photography Michael Chapman, producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, music producer Robbie Robertson, actors John Turturro and Theresa Saldana, casting director Cis Corman, and supervising sound effects editor Frank Warner Audio Commentary #3: Writers Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader, boxer-author Jake LaMotta, and LaMotta's nephew Jason Lustig Raging Bull: Fight Night – Documentary: A four-part documentary that explores the production of the film in great detail through interviews with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, director of photography Michael Chapman, screenwriter Paul Schrader, and more. Before the Fight (26:01) Inside the Ring (14:45) Outside the Ring (27:24) After the Fight (15:22) The Bronx Bull – An Introduction to Raging Bull: A 28-minute archival featurette that looks at the real-life La Motta, the legacy of Raging Bull , the editing of the film, the performance of Robert De Niro, and more. De Niro vs. Lamotta – Shot for Shot: A four-minute piece in which you get some comparisons between the film and real-life events. Lamotta Defends Title – Newsreel Footage (1:00) Marty & Bobby: A 14-minute archival look at the relationship between Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. Raging Bull – Reflections On A Classic: A nearly 13-minute appreciation piece in which notable figures such as Kimberly Peirce, Richard Kelly, Scott Cooper, and Neil LaBute reflect on the legacy of the film. Remembering Jake: An 11-minute reminiscence about Jake La Motta by figures from the boxing world. Marty On Film: A nearly 11-minute discussion with Martin Scorsese about the importance of film on his life. Jake's Jokes: A six-minute piece with La Motta in which you get a sense of his humor. Trailers From Hell – Dan Perri on Raging Bull: A three-minute piece that delivers some interesting anecdotes from the Title Designer. Theatrical Trailer (2:11) Final Thoughts Raging Bull is a major landmark in the career of legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese with his visceral exploration of emotional and physical brutality. Robert De Niro gives one of the best performances of his career, which is saying something for one of the all-time greats. The ensemble likewise supports him to perfection with standout performances from Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty. This can proudly be held up as one of the great films of the '80s. Imprint Films has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a 5-star A/V presentation and some top-notch special features. If you are a fan, the film has been treated with the proper respect. Highly Recommended The Imprint Films edition of Raging Bull is now available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Imprint Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Movie Buffs, Take Note — It's the Last Week to Save Up to 50% on the Criterion Collection
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. Between price hikes and the constant flow of movies and TV shows on and off various streaming services, it's no surprise that, while the overall trendline points down, there's a devout community of collectors committed to movies on physical media. Nowhere is that more evident than the fanbase around the Criterion Collection, which restores and reissues acclaimed classics and arthouse films. More from Rolling Stone The Best Soundcore Earbuds of 2025 See Your Legends While You Can: From Guns 'N Roses to The Who, These Legacy Acts Are Hitting the Road for (Maybe) the Last Time Sling TV Review: A Highly Flexible (Yet Affordable) Way to Free Yourself from Cable for Good And while their titles tend to command a premium, Barnes & Noble is currently running a deal that offers 50% off dozens of Criterion titles, including recent releases and sought-after classics. The month-long sale kicked off last month and runs through July 27, meaning it's the last week for cinephiles to save. Barnes & Noble typically runs deals on Criterion Collection Blu-rays and DVDs twice a year, with the next sale slated for the holiday season. Even beyond the community of collectors, the Criterion Collection has continued to generate buzz among movie buffs. Take its Closet Picks series, which features actors pulling films from the shelves and discussing their favorites. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Criterion took the closet (which is actually in a van) on the road for fans to have their own Criterion Closet experience, causing massive crowds to line up. And while not everyone got a chance to peek inside the closet, Barnes & Noble's sale is a very worthwhile consolation prize. These are our closet picks, or you can browse the entire sale here. Prices shown are for Blu-ray discs, though many of these films are available in 4K or DVD as well. Parasite $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N No Country for Old Men $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Ikiru $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N The Before Trilogy $49.99 $99.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Anora $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Barry Lyndon $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Chungking Express $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Brazil $24.99 $49.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Blue Velvet $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N La Haine $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Paris, Texas $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Sorcerer $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Carnal Knowledge $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Mulholland Dr. $19.99 $39.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N The Wes Anderson Collection $349.99 $499.99 30% off Buy Now at B&N Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films $112.49 $224.99 50% off Buy Now at B&N Best of Rolling Stone The Best Audiophile Turntables for Your Home Audio System
Metro
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Need For Speed 'shelved' by EA as Forza Horizon 5 PS5 sales hit 2 million
EA's plans for Need For Speed seem to have been put in hold but Forza Horizon 5 has proven there's still a strong appetite for racing games. Arcade racing series Need For Speed was once a juggernaut franchise for EA, with its best-selling entry, 2005's Need For Speed: Most Wanted, selling over 16 million copies worldwide. The popularity of the Fast & Furious films, at around the same time, no doubt contributed to some degree, as the Need For Speed games pivoted from Hot Pursuit to street racing, with 2003's Need For Speed Underground debuting two years after the first film came out. However, while the Fast & Furious films continue to be box office juggernauts, Need For Speed's popularity has nosedived over the past decade. The last game was 2022's Need For Speed Unbound, developed by Criterion, which was a financial failure. There have been rumbles of another Need For Speed being in development at Criterion, most recently in February last year, but it seems EA has put those plans on hold. According to photojournalist Matthew Everingham, who was a contributor to an EA-backed car culture website called Speedhunters, the developer has pulled its funding for the site because it has 'shelved' Need For Speed. 'Speedhunters is on ice,' an Instagram post from Everingham reads. 'EA shelved Need For Speed, and that means no more funding for the site. Grateful for everything – the trips, the stories, the lifelong mates. I'm still shooting, just shifting gears into more video.' Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. The Need For Speed IP is listed as an 'entertainment partner' on the Speedhunters website, which is described as an 'international collective of photographers, writers, and drivers with a shared passion for uncovering the world's most exciting car culture stories'. GameCentral has reached out to EA for comment. If Need For Speed has been shelved, this might be due to Criterion's commitments on the next Battlefield. Criterion is one of four studios working on EA's plans for a 'connected Battlefield universe', alongside DICE, Ripple Effect, and EA Motive. EA announced it had moved the 'majority' of Criterion staff onto Battlefield in 2023, but a blog post at the time claimed 'work will also continue on what's next for Need For Speed' at the developer. Earlier this year, EA laid off up to 400 staff across various studios, so it's possible Need For Speed has been caught in the crossfire as it prioritises Battlefield. It seems racing games in general have been knocked down EA's priority list, after the company ended its partnership with the World Rally Championship in May this year. 'For now, we are pausing development plans on future rally titles,' EA said at the time. Presumably EA feels racing games no longer attract the audience they once did, but there's no obvious reason why they shouldn't, as Microsoft has proven with the Forza Horizon franchise. More Trending Open world arcade racer Forza Horizon 5 has sold two million copies in one month on PlayStation 5, according to the LinkedIn profile of a former game designer at Turn 10 Studios (as spotted on ResetEra). This is particularly impressive considering the original game came out on Xbox Series X/S and PC almost four years ago, in November 2021. At the same time though, the more serious Forza Motorsport was a sales disappointment for Microsoft and developer Turn 10 was badly hit by company wide layoffs earlier this month. But Need For Speed has rarely been a serious racing game, so the problem here seems to be with EA, not changing consumer tastes. EA even has a back-up franchise to fall back on, in Criterion's Burnout series, but there seems even less chance of that returning in the short term. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Xbox handheld prices accidentally leaked by Asus and they're super expensive MORE: Games Inbox: What is the hardest game on PS5? MORE: Patapon 1+2 Replay review – a PSP classic comes to Nintendo Switch
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Criterion turned its film archives into a streaming powerhouse
The average consumer subscribes to 4.5 streaming services, many of which offer content that feels largely indistinguishable from one another. How one company is revolutionizing the way we use everyday water Pentagon Pizza Index: The theory that surging pizza orders signal global crises 5 signals that make you instantly more trustworthy at work When Netflix disrupted film and television in the late 2010s, it introduced a new model of viewership: an endless blend of originals and archives, delivered through a finely tuned personalization algorithm. Today, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Peacock, and many others follow the same playbook. Not the Criterion Channel. The streamer rejects the infinite-content model, instead curating rotating collections of select films that appear for just a few months. Their offerings range from mass-market to niche indie: A recent example, 'Surveillance Cinema,' matched the $350 million-earning Minority Report with the tiny French neo-noir Demonlover. It also turns away from algorithmic recommendations—every title is handpicked by a programmer. Aliza Ma, the Criterion Channel's head of programming, says that she's 'offended' by the big streamers' model of curation. 'It's absurd in the face of art and curiosity that you would think somebody's past behavior could indicate future taste,' she tells Fast Company. This approach has earned the Criterion Channel a loyal following among artistically curious cinephiles, creating a stable, low-churn subscriber base. For just $10.99 a month, viewers from the U.S. and Canada can escape the clutches of streamer sludge. The mega-viral Criterion Closet doesn't hurt either. 'I would have expected that broader is better,' Ma says. 'It's a brilliant surprise to us that the more specific we get, the more we pull focus on a subject or theme, the better it seems to reach people.' For over 30 years, Criterion was known as a seller and refurbisher of physical media. Their DVD and Blu-ray archives sustained the business, while the company licensed their films to several video-on-demand (VOD) services. First they were available on Mubi, then Hulu, and finally FilmStruck, the streamer from Turner Classic Movies. But when FilmStruck shut down in 2018, Criterion president Peter Becker and his team decided to create their own point of access. The Criterion Channel was running by 2019 and has since eclipsed the company's physical media business. In 2024, Criterion and its sister company, Janus Films, were sold to billionaire Steven Rales, founder of the film studio Indian Paintbrush and a minority owner of the Indiana Pacers. The channel's focus on curation naturally narrows its appeal. In the ongoing 'streaming wars,' Criterion isn't trying to compete on scale. Instead, it leans into its niche. 'You have to think you care about movies enough to want a streaming service really devoted to movies,' Becker says. But specificity also creates a highly loyal customer base, he adds. Asked whether one specific collection surged traffic at the site, Becker notes that there are 'different points of entry for everybody.' Some are more popular within the streamer's walls than others—both Ma and Becker reference the 2023 'High School Horror' set featuring movies like Donnie Darko and I Know What You Did Last Summer. But subscribers come more for the curation than for any individual film, meaning they're likely to stay longer. Michael Cunningham, acclaimed author of Day and The Hours (the latter of which was adapted into a film starring Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman), is a subscriber to the Criterion Channel. 'I'm a fan because Criterion is keeping alive films that would otherwise fade away and be forgotten,' he writes in an email to Fast Company. 'It reminds us that greatness resides in a wide range of movies, from Potemkin to Some Like It Hot.' Estimating the Criterion Channel's size is a difficult task. The company declined to provide Fast Company with revenue or user figures, only saying that it 'has grown steadily since we launched.' When its predecessor FilmStruck shut down in 2018, the subscriber base was estimated at just 100,000. The Criterion Channel has likely surpassed this—it has over 100,000 downloads on the Google Play store alone. But that's still small compared with other specialty streamers like Mubi, which has more than 5 million Google Play downloads. It's audience is also shifting. 'If you had gone back 10 or 15 years and looked at who was collecting DVDs and Blu-rays, you would have seen a heavy disproportion of people who were male and over 30,' Becker says. 'That has been completely shattered.' Criterion, the company behind the channel, still operates its specialty DVD business and commissions a stable of writers to pen essays on its archive. But the Criterion Channel is the company's 'most far-reaching project,' Becker says. And then there's the company's infamous closet. It began in 2010, when Guillermo del Toro stepped into Criterion's DVD archive in New York and picked out his favorites. Choosing among a collection organized only by spine number, del Toro professed his love for François Truffaut's The 400 Blows. Criterion has continued to pump out these 'Closet Picks'—the videos are now significantly less grainy—and posts them to YouTube. 'We record a couple a week, and we're always amazed by the conversations we have in there,' Becker says. 'I think it's a relief for the people in the Closet, because they don't have to talk about their own movies.' Creatives see the Criterion Closet as more than a stop on their press tour, though. Griffin Dunne, star of films like Martin Scorcese's After Hours, relished the opportunity to rifle through Criterion's archives. 'There are a few benchmarks in an actor's or director's career,' Dunne wrote in an email to Fast Company. 'Getting your first job, any job, in the movie business. Seeing your name in a New York Times review for your first film. Getting nominated or winning for any of the EGOTs. Being invited to the Criterion Closet to talk about your favorites films.' The closet has since gone mobile. Criterion now takes a portable version on the road, drawing fans who line up for hours. Becker even recalls a couple who got engaged inside. 'We're always amazed and gratified at how young the people who come out are,' he says, noting that most attendees are in their 20s and early 30s. The traveling closet of films also reveals the diversity of Criterion's audience. Few titles are picked more than a handful of times. While some favorites recur—Richard Linklater's films, for example, or Anora—most picks are highly personal and eclectic. Has the Criterion Closet helped funnel audiences back to their streamer or paid offerings? Becker isn't interested in talking shop. The closet wasn't set up as a marketing tool, so they don't track it as one. But it has been a helpful brand extension, he concedes. 'When 13 million people see the Ben Affleck video, that's a lot of people,' Becker says. 'We're definitely reaching more people than would have sought us out without it.' Affleck's first pick from the Criterion Closet was Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game, the 1939 French satire celebrated for its humanist worldview. It's hard to imagine the film finding traction on Netflix. How would they package it? What thumbnail image or search-friendly pitch could make it click? Its age alone might be a barrier—back in March, the oldest title on Netflix was 1973's The Sting. But viewers can find The Rules of the Game on the Criterion Channel. It appears in a 'French Poetic Realism' collection, alongside commentary from Cunningham, the novelist. They can watch the film, explore its historical context, and dip into criticism, too. That's what the Criterion Channel offers: not just content, but curation. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mario Kart World Review: A Wonderful New Spin on Nintendo's Arcade Racer
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Mario Kart 8, the Wii U game that became a Nintendo Switch mainstay, wasn't just the franchise's sales apex; it also represented the final form for a traditional take on Nintendo's mascot kart racing series. Mario Kart World ($80) for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a Breath of the Wild moment for the series, blowing up longstanding norms while keeping its core appeal. It's a thrilling combination of retro and modern open-world freedom. Naturally, the transition comes with a few growing pains and room for future evolution. Even so, the wildly entertaining Mario Kart World is a fantastic next-generation racer for all ages, and the first Switch 2 game to earn our Editors' Choice award. Mario Kart World is a game I've wanted for more than 15 years, not just because it's another sequel in one of my favorite racing series, but because it's a spiritual successor to . After Criterion's 2008 masterpiece shook up the racing genre, I've been convinced that the ideal racing game features an open world that captures the real-life joy of casually driving to interesting locales, but with a recklessness that's only safe in a video game. Until now, no follow-ups have fully recaptured Burnout's magic. Forza Horizon is too boring, sedate, and realistic. doesn't fully deliver on the promise of its Lego landscape. Does anyone even remember The Crew? But Mario Kart World, with its Nintendo levels of AAA polish on the company's most powerful platform yet, is the wild and whimsical open-world racing game I've dreamed of. Mario Kart World's huge, open map is its central hook, but how does that impact one of the most beloved series? Quite a bit. Even something as basic as a Grand Prix takes on an entirely new form. First, you race the standard three laps in the first course. Afterward, all racers must drive from the end of that course to the starting line for the next one, because everything now takes place within the same map, with the courses connected by roads. The whole affair feels more organic and dynamic, as you focus more on adapting to situations on the fly rather than memorizing lap layouts. These intermediary races feature plenty of their own tricky designs to bridge one track to the next. One minute you're in a snowy cosmic observatory, and the next you're in a haunted movie theater. The game features both new and returning tracks, 32 in total, but even the retro courses are heavily reimagined to fit the new context. The most brilliant use of the new format is the Knockout Tour. In this mode, you race across the map, like a point-to-point cross-country rally race, with the bottom players being eliminated at various checkpoints until only the winner remains. It's addictive and exhilarating, similar to a gripping match. The checkpoints provide a satisfying series of small triumphs, making being in the middle of the pack meaningful, even if you don't win. Mario Kart World supports 24 racers, with Mario and Luigi facing off against deep-cut characters like Cow and Dolphin. Knockout Tour showcases the added chaos from the extra racers, where one unlucky red shell can send you plummeting down 20 spots. It's like Mario's take on The Cannonball Run. Unfortunately, many routes connecting these courses consist of boring, straight lines or empty, Wave Race-esque open patches of water. Lanes in open roads and more traditional courses are wider to support the additional racers, which reduces the challenge. However, savvier drivers will quickly learn that seemingly basic roads are packed with multiple paths that may lead to more optimal routes. By being more low-key, the connecting roads also create a buildup that makes courses more dramatic in comparison. Mario Kart World also uses its open map to deliver the franchise's most substantial single-player mode. Taking influence from Diddy Kong Racing and Mario Kart DS' mission mode, the new Free Roam lets you drive around the map at your leisure, having fun wherever you find it. Free Roam has more than 100 missions, activated by hitting the blue P-Switches densely scattered across the land. These bite-size challenges feature the creative designs you expect from Nintendo, presenting clever and surprisingly tough scenarios you won't see during normal races. You can bounce off music blocks from Super Mario Bros. 3 to collect blue coins, rocket up a waterfall and glide to the goal, and boost through swamp shortcuts. These challenges typically last only a few seconds, so it's easy to say "just one more" when you get into the groove. Like shrines in , completing a mission or two is a breezy delight while playing on the go in the Switch 2's portable mode. As for rewards, missions unlock stickers you can place on your kart, although they're often too small to see. To unlock new characters and karts, you must complete Grand Prix races and collect coins. Along with the missions, you can search for secret coins and panels, pipes to new areas, or temporary vehicles like a UFO. Once, I spotted Nabbit stealing coins and quickly had to take him down. Those random emergent encounters add a wonderful sense of mystery. Free Roam's exploration also encourages you to practice Mario Kart World's new racing mechanics, which add a nice layer of increased technical skill. Along with the typical powerslide boost, you can do a charge jump to hop onto nearby walls and grind on rails. This is still Mario Kart, so a random powerful item like a Bullet Bill or lightning bolt can and will ruin your day. However, these tricks empower anyone who puts in the work to master them. In solo modes, you can rewind if you mess up and want to quickly try again. These controls also just feel fantastic in their own right, with physics as kinesthetically pleasing as a skateboarding game or a full-on 3D like . The movement is inherently fun, even when nothing is really happening. That last part is crucial because there's one major knock against Free Roam: It doesn't have things to do. Eventually, I wanted a little more meat and a meaningful sense of larger progression. Give me a story to play through, or boss races unlocked by finishing missions in one area, for instance. Free Roam doesn't even support easy local split-screen multiplayer. You can only play with friends online, a disappointing limitation. There's value in open worlds that are charmingly quaint, as they provide a nice antidote to bloated blockbusters desperate to shovel as much distracting content down your throat as possible. But Mario Kart World's Free Roam sometimes seems more like a -style blueprint for a more fleshed-out take on this idea. Mario Kart World's most unexpected joy is simply vibing inside an extremely cool, big environment. It's such a novelty seeing Mario's world expanded into a space where you can imagine these characters actually existing and living. It naturally motivates you to seek out and investigate neat little scenes, like Yoshi and friends sitting at a campfire or a train you can ride on top of. I spent hours aimlessly cruising across the map, unlocking new costumes by eating regional food, because I simply wanted to absorb it all. An open world set in a fantastical land provides a different kind of transportive fantasy than Forza Horizon's real-world locales. Gorgeous as they are, they cannot match Mario Kart World's whimsy. There are familiar biomes, from deserts to beaches to snowy mountains. But here, the highways turn into giant beanstalks, dinosaurs smile at you, and you ride on rainbows. I am tired of Earth, get me to Mario's country. It helps that, thanks to the added power of Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World is a visual feast. Even compared with prior Mario Kart games, Mario Kart World features a more exaggerated, cartoonish aesthetic. The emphasis on character personality recalls . Running at up to 1440p/60fps, fast races and scenic vistas look stunning in motion. Changing weather and the day/cycle dramatically alter the mood of any given area. The in-game photography tool makes you slow down and appreciate the craft and detail as you compose the best shot. Meanwhile, the is Nintendo's best remix album since , offering more than 200 live arrangements of Mario music from various eras. There are too many amazing tunes to list, but Super Mario 64's file select theme is now a chillwave banger. Hearing these tracks kept my spirits consistently high, even while driving to nowhere in particular. I wish I could pick specific songs to listen to on an in-game radio station. Mario Kart World's new modes and systems are so fascinating that they can make you forget the strength of the normal modes, even if they aren't a revolutionary upgrade from prior Mario Kart games. Accessibility features help younger players stay on track, while time trials push pros to shave seconds off their record. Or, you can ignore the interconnected map and just participate in traditional versus races. You can play local split-screen mode with up to four players, as long as you can tolerate the halved frame rate. Or, you play online with 23 other humans. With the Switch 2's new feature, you can talk with friends or see their faces if you have a USB-C webcam. Even during local play, the camera has a use, putting your face in the game. Finally, there's Battle Mode, a mix of nostalgic maps and new arenas derived from existing tracks. It's a lot of fun shifting the focus from being fast to being furious as you blast opponents with weapons. But by not taking advantage of the open world, Battle Mode feels like a missed opportunity. The formula was right there. Plus, with only Balloon Battle and Coin Runners, Mario Kart World doesn't have as many battle modes as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
