The Best Switch 2 Exclusives Just Got New Updates for January 2026

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The Nintendo Switch 2 games Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza both recently received their first updates of 2026. Released on January 21st, these free updates are available to download simply by starting up either game on your Nintendo Switch 2.

Both Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza have received several updates since they launched in June and July. Mario Kart World‘s updates have focused on things like item behavior, how spectators watch races, and online play. Donkey Kong Bananza hasn’t had as many updates, but some have been significant, like the September 12th update which added support for the DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC.

Mario Kart World Gets a New Update for January 2026

Image via Nintendo

So, Mario Kart World got its last big official update on December 15th, 2025 – it was mostly just a fix for a frustrating controller bug where things would glitch out if you unplugged and replugged your controller. But hey, there’s a new update coming on January 21st, and it sounds like it’s going to be a bigger deal than just a quick fix this time!

The latest update to Mario Kart World introduces a major new feature: teams in Knockout Tour. When creating a Knockout Tour race online or through local wireless multiplayer, players can now divide racers into teams. You can choose between two teams of 12, three teams of 8, or four teams of 6. Any remaining spots on a team will be filled by computer-controlled racers.

Unlike the usual Knockout Tour competitions where one player wins, this new version focuses on team points. Teams earn points based on how well each player performs throughout the tour, and the total points determine the team’s final ranking. The recent Mario Kart World Ver. 1.5.0 update also added support for the Polish language, along with several bug fixes and technical enhancements.

Full Mario Kart World Ver. 1.5.0 Patch Notes

  • Added team races to Knockout Tour when playing in a room during “Online Play” and “Wireless Play”.
  • The game now supports the Polish language.
    • Note: You can change your selected language using the “Language” setting in the “System” menu of “System Settings.”

Fixed Issues

  • Fixed an issue where the game would sometimes end if a player plays as Kamek on Choco Mountain.
  • Fixed an issue where the displayed rating would sometimes be incorrect when joining “Everyone” in “Online Play” while in a room.
  • Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Donkey Kong Bananza Gets a New Update for January 2026

Image via Nintendo

Prior to today, the last update for Donkey Kong Bananza was released on December 21, 2025. That update included a new “Camera auto-follow” option in the game’s settings, as well as support for the Thai language. The latest update, released on January 21, follows a similar pattern, adding support for Polish and making some unspecified improvements to how the game plays.

I’m so excited about the newest Donkey Kong Bananza update! It’s happening alongside a cool, limited-time event, but you need the Emerald Rush DLC to join in. Basically, until January 26th, we can earn statues of Lord Fredrik and Tucks – remember them from Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze? To get them, there’s a new Emerald Rush event where they’ve swapped out the random Banandium Skills for a set list, which should make things interesting!

Full Donkey Kong Bananza Ver. 3.1.0 Patch Notes

  • Added Polish as a supported language. If you set the language to “Polish/English” in the Nintendo Switch 2 system, the text will become Polish.
    • The audio is English.
  • Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Sources: Nintendo (1) Nintendo (2)

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2026-01-22 23:36