PETA asked Nintendo to remove the brass nose ring worn by Cow, a playable character in Mario Kart World, in a letter addressed to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa. The request was reported on August 15, 2025; the available record does not establish whether Nintendo responded or changed the character’s design.
What did PETA ask Nintendo to change?
PETA’s request was specific: remove Cow’s nose ring in Mario Kart World. Nintendo Wire reported the letter on August 15, 2025, and Nintendo Everything published a report reproducing its text. In the letter, PETA wrote, “We herd there’s a new star in Mario Kart World: Cow!” Nintendo Wire’s report and Nintendo Everything’s reproduction of the letter describe the same request.
Why does PETA object to the ring?
PETA’s letter argues that nose rings are used by the meat and dairy industries to control cattle, and that giving Cow one evokes those practices. That is PETA’s stated rationale for objecting to the design, not an independently verified finding about animal handling in this story. The letter’s appeal asks Nintendo: “Remove the nose ring and let Cow race freely- without any painful reminders of the industries that treat animals like profit-making machines.” The wording is advocacy language reproduced by Nintendo Everything.
Has Nintendo responded or removed the ring?
The available official evidence does not answer that. Nintendo’s support page identifies Mario Kart World as a Nintendo Switch 2 game and lists version 1.8.0 as released September 9, 2026. Its update notes include a fix involving cows and other creatures appearing through Kamek’s magic, but do not mention PETA, Cow’s nose ring, or a design change. The notes therefore cannot establish whether Nintendo responded or whether the character’s model changed. Nintendo’s update history for Mario Kart World is the official source for the listed release and notes.
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#1 Best Overall
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
- Explore courses at your own pace and wander the world to discover fun surprises in Free Roam
How does Cow fit into Mario Kart’s history?
Cows have appeared in the series as part of Moo Moo Meadows, a course that first appeared in Mario Kart Wii. Nintendo describes them as wandering obstacles on the track in its Mario Kart 8 Deluxe feature on Moo Moo Meadows. That is useful franchise background, but it does not explain why Nintendo made Cow playable in Mario Kart World.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- A variety of playable characters are available, some with unique attributes that affect gameplay and platforming physics.
- Younger and less-experienced players will love playing as Toadette, who is brand new to both games, and Nabbit, who was formerly only playable in New Super Luigi U. Both characters offer extra assistance during play.
- Multiplayer sessions are even more fun, frantic, and exciting thanks to entertaining character interactions. Need a boost? Try jumping off a teammate’s head or getting a teammate to throw you.
- Features a wealth of help features, like a Hints gallery, reference videos, and a Super Guide in New Super Mario Bros. U that can complete levels for you if they’re giving you trouble.
- Three additional modes—Boost Rush, Challenges, and Coin Battle—mix up gameplay and add replayability, while also upping the difficulty for players who want to try something harder. Players can use their Mii characters in these modes.
Rank #4
![Mario Kart World Standard - Nintendo Switch 2 [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51zaiyfzDeL._SL160_.jpg)
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
Rank #3
- [SEAMLESS OPEN WORLD] Experience an interconnected racing environment with zero loading screens between courses. Navigate a massive world featuring 24-hour dynamic day/night cycles and shifting weather patterns that directly impact vehicle traction and handling across mountains and cities.
- [ADVANCED RACING MECHANICS] Master all-new maneuvers including high-speed rail riding, wall jumping, and tactical water skimming. These next-gen traversal abilities allow players to discover hidden shortcuts and alternate routes within a 100% seamless world-map architecture.
- [24-PLAYER ELIMINATION MODE] Compete in the high-stakes Knockout Tour, an adrenaline-packed 24-driver elimination mode where racers are removed checkpoint by checkpoint. Supports up to 24-player online multiplayer with integrated GameChat for real-time social coordination.
- [NEXT-GEN TECHNICAL SPECS] Optimized exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 system to deliver stunning 4K Ultra HD resolution in docked mode and a locked 60FPS frame rate. Features enhanced texture mapping and global illumination for the most immersive visual experience in series history.
- [OPEN-WORLD EXPLORATION] Step away from the Grand Prix in the all-new Free Roam mode to wander the world at your own pace. Discover hidden surprises, unlockable vehicle parts, and brand-new drivers across diverse biomes including dense forests and sprawling urban landscapes.
Rank #2
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
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