Right now, somewhere in Fukuoka, a miniature Mario is circling the outside of a steel can. No one is steering him around it. Magnets keep him stuck to the curve.
That is the new Mario Kart release Nintendo has confirmed for October 2026. It is not a game. It is the Wall Run Collection, a range of small pull-back karts designed around one of Mario Kart World’s trademark mechanics. Of all the merch the Switch 2 game has received so far, it may be the oddest.
A collectible that does something your shelf display can’t
Most kart collectibles stay put. These ones actually move. Every vehicle can travel along the curved outside of a steel can that comes in the box, mimicking the Wall Run technique Mario Kart World brought to the series.
As the kart moves, magnets keep it attached to the curved surface. The gimmick is modest, but it is a clever one. It gives what would otherwise be an ordinary collectible line a purpose beyond looking nice beside your amiibo.
Six racers are available to collect: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi and Toad. They are sold blind-boxed, so you only find out which character you have after opening the package. (Anyone who has hunted for one Toad through six boxes of repeats knows how that ends.)
The price of skipping the gamble
One box sells for ¥2,200. Collectors who would rather not leave it to chance can buy a complete six-piece box from Nintendo for ¥13,200, which guarantees the full set.
With the can included, each toy comes in at about 9 cm tall and 7.5 cm wide. The recommended age is 6+, although plenty of them will probably end up on adults’ desks.
The collection first appeared in August as an early-release item at Nintendo FUKUOKA. From there it reached Nintendo’s official stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka, and since September 29 the toys have been on sale at those physical shops in Japan. Nintendo’s Japanese online store is accepting orders as well, and deliveries are currently set to begin on October 10, 2026.
The catch for anyone outside Japan
A worldwide launch has not been confirmed. Nintendo’s announcement mentions only its stores in Japan and its Japanese online storefront, and as of September 29 no release in North America or Europe had been announced.
Third-party sellers have already begun posting import listings, so committed collectors may be able to get the set abroad. That still does not count as an official international release.
This could change, particularly if the toys sell well in Eastern markets, and Mario Kart merch usually does sell. For now, though, the Wall Run Collection is officially a Japan-focused release.
Why Nintendo keeps investing in the series
For more than thirty years, Mario Kart has put Mushroom Kingdom characters and locations into one of gaming’s most recognizable racing franchises. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe pushed it further than ever. As of June 2026 it had sold more than 71.5 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling Nintendo Switch game by a wide margin. In fairness, some of that total comes from Nintendo bundling the game with Switch consoles since launch.
Nintendo is still supporting it. A free September 2026 update added Nintendo Switch 2 enhancements: sharper visuals, quicker loading, eight-player local multiplayer and CameraPlay support. Mario Kart World also keeps expanding on Switch 2, most recently with 10 new courses inspired by the original Super Mario Kart and new Knockout Tour routes.
The games keep getting bigger, but this latest release heads the other way: a Yoshi small enough to sit in your palm, hanging sideways off a can.