Between the large open world to the brand-new Rail and Wall Riding mechanics, Mario Kart World offers plenty to discover. One notable feature that isn’t explained at all are the handful of giant vehicles you can briefly take over. It doesn’t take long to figure out that driving into the large question mark opening on their backside is key to controlling them, but none of that matters if you can’t find any to begin with. Read on for a handy breakdown on where to find every transforming vehicle.
Where to find Semi-Trucks
The one you’ve likely seen the most is the Semi-Truck. This is the biggest NPC vehicle by far. It stands out with its two containers that display Mario Kart in large red letters. Semi-Trucks are typically encountered on wide paved roads with multiple lanes. I’ve often seen them in connecting races with Toad’s Factory as well as the Golden Gate Bridge lookalike that connects Crown City and Faraway Oasis.
The standard circuit races don’t feature long stretches as much, so you won’t see any of these unless you’re driving between tracks. No need to worry about the sanctity of an old-fashioned race ruined by an obnoxiously fast automobile.
Another way to drive Semi-Trucks, as well as the other vehicles we’ll be covering, is to take on P-Switch Challenges. The unfortunate caveats here are that it’s limited to certain challenges and there isn’t a decent method to keep track of them besides your own memory.
Where to find Speedboats
Next up are the dark blue Speedboats that race on water. Speedboats can be found all along the coasts in Free Roam, but I’ve mainly seen them in connecting races with Wario Shipyard. There is a good chance you’ll find a Speedboat if a connecting race takes you out into the water for a prolonged period of time.
The pitch motions for gliding do affect this vehicle. Pushing the stick up will plunge the nose of the boat into the water, while pushing the stick down will lift the nose up. Alternating between the two can help you soar above big waves.
Where to find Helicopters
Special vehicles only get rarer from here. First up is the Helicopter, which is easy to spot in the air thanks to their chunky orange design. Bear in mind that these are separate from the tiny yellow MKTV helicopters that spectate races. Helicopters fly in a preset loop, so the best way to take one over in Free Roam is to follow it until it lands for a short period.
Finding them during a race is also a mixed-bag. They’re not located in similar environments the way Semi-Trucks and Speedboats are. I’ve also seen more variance in how they’re presented, such as being an integral part of the race from DK Spaceport to Peace Stadium. Conversely, you can find one hidden behind a building when racing between Mario Bros. Circuit to Toad Factory.
Controls for the Helicopter also make full use of your Joy-con’s stick, and in proper inverted orientation for flight: Moving it up will make the Helicopter descend, while moving it down makes the Helicopter climb up.
Where to find UFOs
That brings us to the last and rarest of the bunch–the UFO. I’ve yet to see this one during an actual race, although it does appear randomly in the Free Roam mode. Keep an eye on the sky and you just might see this saucer with colorful lights hovering by. UFOs typically stay in motion, but following one for long enough will make it come down to the ground and allow you to drive into its tractor beam to take it over.
You don’t have to rely on luck to find one out in the wild. There is at least one UFO that remains idle in the Free Roam mode and resets after you’ve interacted with it. This stationary UFO can be found on a cliff overlooking the river between Dry Bones Burnout and Mario Bros. Circuit. More specifically, it’s on the cliff to the left of the great staircase that leads towards the Dry Bones Burnout area. Follow the mountainside left until you can drive up the slope and see a set of torches and a metal fence. Drive along the path to find the UFO, a couple of cows, and a Nabbit to catch.
Controls for the UFO are similar to the Helicopter, with the stick controlling both descension and ascension. One standout difference is that pressing the R button will enable the tractor beam. You can use this to pick up everything from other cars, coins, and even enemy NPCs.
Even if the open world can feel bare at times, Mario Kart World has a lot of fun interactables and secrets to discover. Keep exploring the environment and the tracks themselves! You never know where any large vehicles might be available.
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