Technologies

Nintendo Fails to Justify $80 Price Tag in Mario Kart World Direct

Nintendo still hasn’t explained why it’s charging more for the game.

Nintendo held its Mario Kart World Direct on Thursday morning to show off the flagship game that’ll launch with the Switch 2 in June. But even as the company showed off the game’s new features, most people watching wanted one thing: For Nintendo to lower the price.

Mario Kart World received backlash when it was revealed to have an $80 price tag after the Switch 2 reveal event on April 2. Those interested in the Switch successor are excited about the new games but concerned that its higher price may be the start of a new trend. There are already concerns about the Switch 2’s price and whether it will increase from the announced $450 mark following recently instituted tariffs, which caused a delay to preorders for the US. The price of new games currently tops at $70 across different platforms.

While Nintendo didn’t justify the price, the showcase did go over all the details about the game.

Mario Kart World will be the biggest Mario Kart game, giving players the freedom to travel across the map on their own. This is the first time racers can freely roam with no need to stay on the track — unless, of course, they want to win the race.

The Mario Kart World Direct showed off the game’s new courses: Mario Bros. Circuit, Crown City, Salty Salty Speedway, Starview Peak and Boo Cinema. Reimagined tracks from older games will also be included. There are three new racers: Goomba, Spike and Cow.

It couldn’t be a Mario Kart game without new items to use during a race. Those items include the Coin Shell, which can knock out opponents as well as drop coins, the Ice Flower to freeze other racers, the Mega Mushroom to grow huge to bump everyone out of the way and the Feather to make some big jumps. There’s also Kamek, the longtime magical enemy of Mario who will help a racer by transforming everyone else on the course.

There are two racing tours: Grand Prix and Knockout Tour. In Grand Prix, there are three cups to choose from — Mushroom, Flower, Star — and players compete in multiple races to earn points in order to win the cup. Nintendo teased that after completing the Grand Prix, the beloved Rainbow Road track might be unlocked. Knockout Tour is similar to Grand Prix except that you have to place or else get kicked out of the next race. In both tours, players will have to drive from one track to another.

New techniques are making their debut in #MarioKartWorld!

With Charge Jump you can leap over obstacles, grind along power lines, and dodge attacks from rivals!

Charge Jump toward a wall to Wall Ride for a short period of time! pic.twitter.com/xuFqRsFDny

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 17, 2025

During that roaming time between races, players can experience the Mario Kart World map. There are hidden coins and panels, as well as P buttons that will start quests to collect blue coins in a certain amount of time. The world also has Yoshi drive-thrus, where players can pick up food that will unlock new outfits for characters.

One of the big new additions in Mario Kart World is the Rewind function. During a race, a player can rewind themselves to make a jump or reach a platform. However, if done during a race, all the other racers will continue forward, which could cost you the race.

For multiplayer, one person with Mario Kart World can let up to four players play on the same system via split screen. Online races will support up to 24 players, and with the Switch 2 Camera and GameChat, players racing against each other can see their faces positioned over their characters while playing.

Mario Kart World launches on June 5 for $80 with the Switch 2. There is a Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle for $500, and during the Direct, Nintendo mentioned that this bundle will be available for a limited time.

Technologies

The Galaxy Z TriFold Is Back. You Can Buy It From Samsung Soon

The $2,899 phone paused its sales in March after selling through its inventory, but Samsung is bringing it back to its online store.

Samsung’s $2,899 Galaxy Z TriFold is going back on sale on Friday, following a halt to its sales in March after the foldable phone sold through its inventory. Samsung has announced the TriFold’s return with a countdown clock on the phone’s online store page along with a Wednesday newsletter email sent to customers.

The initial pause, which Samsung said at the time was related to the TriFold being a «super-premium device in limited quantities,» happened after just three months of availability. The TriFold first went on sale in South Korea on Dec. 12 and then arrived in Samsung’s US store on Jan. 30. The TriFold sold out in the US within minutes of going on sale — which I know personally after joining my colleagues that morning in an attempt to buy it. Thankfully Senior Reporter Abrar Al-Heeti succeeded, and then reviewed the TriFold.

It’s unclear whether the Galaxy Z TriFold is now permanently returning to Samsung’s online store or if it is again on sale until its stock sells through. Given that the phone is very expensive, and unfolds to reveal a large, 10-inch display, it wouldn’t be surprising if its stock will be in limited quantities. We’ve asked a Samsung representative to clarify and will update if we hear more.

The Galaxy Z TriFold’s return also comes ahead of the summer season when we expect a slew of other foldable phones: Samsung typically refreshes its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip line in July or August, and Motorola has announced its first book-style Razr Fold phone will also debut during the season. And Apple’s rumored iPhone Fold (or perhaps iPhone Ultra based on latest rumors) could also be teased later this year.

Technologies

Help Us Crown the Most Loved Headphones and Earbuds of 2026

Got a pair you swear by? Take our People’s Picks survey to help us find a winner.

CNET just launched People’s Picks, a series of surveys where actual humans like you vote for the products and services you use. Starting in April, we want you to weigh in on your favorite headphones and earbuds. We’ll pick a winner based on which ones you love the most.

Why we want to hear from you

Our writers and editors test hundreds of products each year, but your real-world experience with these devices is something we can’t replicate in our labs. You’ve used these headphones at the gym, on your commute to work and on long flights, and that perspective is invaluable. Your voice helps others know about the headphones or earbuds you love, too.

«I review a lot of headphones and earbuds for CNET, and there are plenty of great models from the top brands in this survey that I rate highly. I’m always curious about what models people ultimately choose and why, so I’m excited to get your feedback and learn the results of this survey,» says David Carnoy, CNET’s executive editor and headphones expert.

With our survey, we’ll collect answers from real-world users like you. The headphones and earbuds chosen through our 3-minute survey will be featured in our People’s Picks roundup of the top picks based on your recommendation.

Make your voice heard

Whether you swear by a pair of $25 earbuds or love a pair of high-end headphones, your pick counts. The survey takes just a few minutes to complete, and after we gather enough information, we’ll tally the results and publish the winners.

Not sure what to pick? Check out our Best Headphones to revisit your favorites before voting.

Technologies

Google’s Pixel 10A Is Coming to Japan With an Exclusive Blue Edition and Special Wallpaper

This model comes with creatively designed stickers and a special look for Pixel’s 10th anniversary.

Don’t be blue: Google is releasing an Isai blue edition of the Pixel 10A to celebrate the Android phone line’s 10th anniversary, setting it apart with its own sticker set, specialized wallpaper and custom icons. But it’ll only be available in Japan.

Announced Tuesday on the Google Japan blog, the Isai blue Pixel 10A has a dark blue look and includes bonus decorations designed in collaboration with Japan’s Heralbony art company. These include an exclusive bumper case and stickers for customization.

This edition of the Pixel 10A will arrive in Japan on May 20, following the April 14 release of the Pixel 10A in its original colors of lavender, berry, fog and obsidian. The Isai blue model costs 94,900 yen, which roughly translates to $595, and includes 256GB of storage.

This makes it slightly less expensive than the US model’s 256GB edition, but it comes with a number of fun extras at no additional cost.

Google’s creation of a country-specific model for Japan may also reflect strong sales in that market. In 2023, the IDC analytics firm (via 9to5Google) reported that the Pixel 7 series accounted for 10.7% of the country’s market share, a 527% increase from 2022.