The open world is an extra. It's a down time task, a bonus. The game itself is a Mario Kart game and is designed like a Mario Kart game. Gameplay involves you driving from A to B, sometimes in a circle. You have races and battle modes. These are the core of the game. They are the big colourful options on the main menu. The open world is not the crux of the appeal of the game, it is a canvas for the core gameplay to exist within and for you to explore outside of that. The Free Roam is intentionally not given a part of the main menu in the same way for exactly this reason.

It only exists as set dressing because that's literally what it is. It is set dressing. The design intentionally tells you this - this is why there is no open world story, why there is no extrinsic motivational element to open world exploration, and why the only time other than when you specifically choose to Free Roam (which the game intentionally visualizes as a side thing on the main menu, not a major option)

You bought a Mario Kart game, you got a Mario Kart game. The difference this time is that the tracks exist in a map you can explore in the down time between races and that's fine (which is literally the only time the game intentionally drops you in free roam). It's okay for a game to be designed like this. In fact frankly, I think it's an interesting form of game design you don't see often - an open world that truly exists to just be set dressing but is still fully explorable is fascinating from a game design perspective.

You are not required to compulsively engage with every single piece of content in every video game.

*sniffs*
Ooh... copium.

then tell me why I should spend 80 bucks

game still sucks

>>714608412 (OP)
>You bought a Mario Kart game, you got a Mario Kart game
Then why is it an $80 Mario Kart game when the previous entry had three times the content?

>>714608667
respect the value

>>714608412 (OP)
Why is Rosalina so hot?

>>714608667

>>714608987
>muh inflation
Now adjust for cost of living

>>714608987
inflation isn't real

Really hope it gets some free updates since it’s 80 dollars

Reminder that shitposters are poorfags

when will i be able to emulate it and play online with others

>>714609394
Never

>>714608935
Rosalina is hot to only niggers, at least that's what I've observed from talking to my black friends. Daisy is the hottest for skinny white guys, and peach for fat Mexicans.

>>714610137
why not

Post swimwear daisy

>>714610526
Why did you make this a race thing

>>714610895
Sorry, you're a nigger.

>>714610526
I think they are all hot, and the hottest of them all is Pauline.

>>714608412 (OP)
Exactly this. People acting like the open world should have been some full-blown RPG hub with side quests and item progression are missing the point. It’s a Mario Kart game, not Skyrim with go-karts. The open world is just the platter the appetizer sits on-it makes the presentation nicer, lets you mess around between races, maybe find a shortcut or two, but the meat’s still the races and battles. Honestly refreshing to see a dev not feel the need to cram in a bloated checklist just to justify buzzwords.

>>714611425
And before someone thinks I am weird: I meant the normal Pauline, not the one in the new DK game.
I am glad she's become a regular to the cast during the Switch era.

>>714612073
Okay pedo

>>714608412 (OP)
>Gameplay involves you driving from A to B, sometimes in a circle

>>714608412 (OP)
didn't read but sex with Peach.

>>714614383