Mario Kart World: Smart Steering setting explained

Nintendo's latest title, Mario Kart World, has Smart Steering turned on by default to help players stay on track during races. It is mainly for the budding gamers and for the younger kids who are learning how the game works. This setting helps players steer around the corners and helps prevent them from falling off those tricky parts of the track, making it especially useful for those unfamiliar with racing games.

Here's more on the Smart Steering setting in the game.

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What does Smart Steering do in Mario Kart World?

Blinking antenna is directly proportional to Smart Steering (Image via Nintendo)

When the feature is active, it slightly controls your kart to help you stay on the road. If you're heading toward the edge or about to miss a sharp turn, the system will adjust your kart to keep you on track. You can tell it’s on when the antenna on the back of your kart flashes yellow.

It works well for those still getting used to Mario Kart World, especially on tough tracks like Rainbow Road. But if you’re more experienced, it can feel limiting. You might notice it prevents you from drifting properly or taking certain shortcuts.

How to turn it off in Mario Kart World

The menu still from Mario Kart World (Image via Nintendo)

You can turn it off in two ways:

1) While choosing your kart

• Press the + button to open the menu. Then press X to go to controller settings. You’ll see Smart Steering listed at the top — just switch it off.

2) During a race or in Free Roam

• Press +, then X to open the same menu. You can turn it off even mid-race, but keep in mind the race won’t pause, so do it quickly if you're in the middle of a match.

Once you turn it off, it stays off until you manually turn it back on.

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Where Smart Steering doesn’t work

The feature is not available in Time Attack mode. If you're trying to beat track records or improve your lap times, you’ll need to race without it. This makes Time Attack a good way to practice real handling without any assists.

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Should you keep it on?

Ultimately, it depends on how you want to play — it's helpful for learning. But if you’re trying to get better, take tighter turns, or go for faster laps, turning it off gives you full control over your kart.

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Check out: What is Knockout Tour in Mario Kart World?