How to Turn Off Smart Steering in Mario Kart World

By Ambar Jimenez | 2025-06-08 10:18:13
Smart Steering, a familiar accessibility feature from previous entries, makes its return in the highly anticipated Mario Kart World on the Nintendo Switch 2. While it serves as an excellent tool for newcomers to the chaotic world of kart racing, seasoned veterans often find its automatic assists to be intrusive and, at times, downright annoying. This guide will fully explain what Smart Steering is in Mario Kart World and provide clear instructions on how to disable it, allowing you to enjoy your races with complete, unassisted control.

What Is Smart Steering in Mario Kart World?

A Pretty Noticeable Assist

By default, Smart Steering is turned on in Mario Kart World. Its primary function is to actively help the player steer their kart, providing assistance with navigating corners and, crucially, automatically guiding them away from track obstacles and edges.
For novice players and younger audiences, this feature is a significant boon. It can be incredibly beneficial for those who might find the fast-paced, often chaotic action of Mario Kart World challenging to keep up with. On particularly perilous tracks like the iconic Rainbow Road, where the risk of falling off the track is constant, Smart Steering acts as a virtual safety net, ensuring players remain on course and engaged in the race. This makes multiplayer sessions among friends and family more inclusive and enjoyable, allowing everyone to feel competitive.However, while Smart Steering undoubtedly has its benefits for inexperienced players, more seasoned racers will likely find it intrusive to their experience. This is because the assist can actively prevent them from executing advanced techniques like drifting around corners and building up vital Mini-Turbo boosts – maneuvers essential for propelling oneself into pole position. The automatic corrections can feel restrictive, hindering a player's ability to take optimal racing lines and master the nuanced control Mario Kart is known for.You can easily tell when Smart Steering is enabled and actively influencing your kart's movement by observing a distinct visual cue: the antenna on the back of your kart will flash yellow whenever Smart Steering is active and taking control.

How to Turn Off Smart Steering in Mario Kart World


Know Where to Look

Disabling Smart Steering in Mario Kart World is a straightforward process, accessible directly from within the game:

  • Access the Pause Menu: During gameplay (whether in a race, time trial, or the free-roam open world), press the + button on your Nintendo Switch 2 controller. This will bring up the in-game pause menu.
  • Enter Settings: From the pause menu, press the X button to access the controls/settings menu.
  • Toggle Smart Steering: The Smart Steering toggle is conveniently located at the very top of this menu. You can easily switch it on or off whenever you desire, even in the middle of a race or during exploration in the free-roam open world.
  • Important Considerations for Online Play:

    It's crucial to note that if you attempt to turn off Smart Steering in the middle of an online match, the race will not pause. This means you could quickly fall behind your opponents unless you areincredibly quick at navigating the settings menu, or if you already have a substantial lead in the race. Given that most players will typicallydecide whether to enable or disable Smart Steering based on their skilllevel, chances are you'll set it once and likely won't need to adjustthe setting again during competitive play.

    Should You Use Smart Steering in Mario Kart World?


    No Single Answer for Everyone

    The decision of whether or not to use Smart Steering ultimately comes down to individual preference, skill level, and playstyle.

    • For Newcomers and Casual Play: As noted, Smart Steering is an excellent feature for gaming novices and younger players who might need a helping hand to remain competitive and enjoy theexperience without constant frustration. It can genuinely help keepmultiplayer games among friends and family competitive and enjoyable,fostering a more inclusive environment for everyone.
    • For Experienced Racers and Competitive Play: More experienced players will almost certainly want to turn the setting off. For skilled players, Smart Steering can feel very intrusive whileplaying and will generally be more of a hindrance than a help. Disabling it is essential for mastering advanced techniques like drift-boosting, taking precise shortcuts, and optimizing every curve to shave precious milliseconds off your lap times. If you're aiming for top leaderboard times, competing seriously online, or simply seekingthe purest, most challenging Mario Kart experience, playing assist-free is the way to go.

    Ultimately, Mario Kart World's Smart Steering is a valuable accessibility option. Its presence allowsthe game to cater to a broader audience, ensuring fun for players of all skill levels. Choose the setting that best suits your racing style andget ready to conquer the tracks of Mario Kart World!

    Platform(s): Nintendo Switch 2
    Genre(s): Kart racing
    Developer(s): Nintendo
    Publisher(s): Nintendo
    Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
    Age rating (PEGI): +3
    Video preview



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