Face-off
Mario Kart World or It Takes Two?
One is for a room full of people, the other for exactly two. Which suits your household and your budget?
Mario Kart World
From £66.99 · 55 h+
It Takes Two
From £34.99 · 14 h, for two
These are the two best games in our set for playing with other people, but they answer different questions. Mario Kart World is for families and friends dropping in and out; It Takes Two is a shared adventure for a pair.
Their bills differ just as much: one needs a Switch 2 and, for online play, a membership; the other runs on almost anything and covers two players with one purchase.
Round by round
Players
Mario Kart World takes up to four on one screen and 24 online. It Takes Two is strictly for two players, together or online, and cannot be played alone.
EdgeMario Kart World
Depth together
It Takes Two is a 13-hour story in which every chapter invents new ways to co-operate. Mario Kart World is endlessly replayable, but the same kind of fun each time.
EdgeIt Takes Two
Younger players
Mario Kart World is PEGI 3 with steering and acceleration assists. It Takes Two is PEGI 12, with one darkly comic scene worth knowing about.
EdgeMario Kart World
Hardware
Mario Kart World needs a Switch 2. It Takes Two runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch, with a Switch 2 edition from 15 October 2026.
EdgeIt Takes Two
Cost for two
It Takes Two: one copy at £34.99 covers both players. Mario Kart World: £66.99 for the game, plus £17.99 a year for each player who races online.
EdgeIt Takes Two
The money, side by side
For a couple who already own a PC or console, It Takes Two costs £34.99 in total, or £10.49 in the Steam sale to 28 September. Mario Kart World costs £66.99 digitally, plus Switch Online for online racing; for a household with a Switch 2, the family plan at £31.49 a year covers up to eight accounts.
Our call
For a couple, It Takes Two, and it is the better value by far. For a family or a group of friends round one screen, Mario Kart World, which nothing else here can match.