Mario Kart World's latest patch allows players to get a hold of the Coin Block item in first place which is a great addition… or it would be if there wasn't one crucial flaw.
Mario Kart World update 1.2 arrived yesterday, and – what is a pretty unprecedented move from Nintendo – included a big batch of patch notes. These included assurances that three-lap races would be easier to get (they're not), and a bunch of balance updates including when you can get certain items. One of these was the ability for players to get a Coin Block in first place, which is a really cool upgrade, effectively giving you a way to get even more coins than the standard coin item, except there's one glaring issue with it.
For those confused, the way this game (and MK8DX) have always worked is that if you pulled two items in 1st, one would always be guaranteed to be defense.Now, you can pull a Coin Block in 1st, which can result in you being defenseless even after hitting a double box (as shown)July 30, 2025
As shown by Twitter user Chase247, it's now possible to get a double item box and receive both the standard Coin and the Coin Block item at the same time, leaving you completely defenseless when in first place. Chase247 said "The three-lap track update barely doing anything is disappointing, but this other change might honestly be worse."
Considering the game is already tough for a first place player thanks to the likes of the Spiny Shell and Lightning items, but now it's even more of a preferred strategy to intentionally avoid being in first until the very end.
As Chase247 notes, the way double items boxes worked in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart World was "if you pulled two items in 1st, one would always be guaranteed to be defense." However, with this latest update Nintendo has killed that, meaning you can just be out of luck if you get a rough item pull in first place.
