Mario Kart Producer Discusses Cow's Rise and Diet Mystery

After three decades grazing in Moo Moo Farm and Moo Moo Meadows, Cow has emerged as a standout star in Mario Kart World's vast character lineup. During a roundtable interview with Nintendo's Mario Kart World Producer Kosuke Yabuki, we seized the chance to delve into the popularity of this beloved bovine.

"I'm grateful for your question about Cow," Yabuki said, delivering one of the most memorable interview openings I've encountered. "We included Cow because we thought it would delight fans, and we did. But the public's reaction far exceeded our expectations—a truly wonderful surprise. Thank you."

Yabuki's astonishment at Cow's popularity echoes sentiments from Nintendo of America's Bill Trinen, who shared in an interview that their expectations for Cow were "not nearly as grand as her success has become."

Cow's origin story adds charm to her inclusion. In last month's Ask the Developer series for Mario Kart World, Yabuki revealed that a developer's playful sketch of Cow driving a truck sparked her addition as a playable character. I asked Yabuki about the development of "NPC Drivers," which expanded to include characters like Snowman, Penguin, Swooper, and others.

"Adding Cow really paved the way for us," Yabuki explained. "Once we included her, we thought, 'Why not add more?' That sparked excitement among the designers. After Cow, characters like Penguin and Pokey followed quickly. The team got carried away, and honestly, I struggle to recall which character came next after Cow. I approved her concept, and by the next day, I had proposals for ten more characters on my desk."

There's a curious twist to this tale. Among Mario Kart World's new features is Dash Food, which characters collect from Yoshi's drive-thrus in the open world. At a preview event, IGN's Brian Altano noticed Cow consuming items like steak kabobs and hamburgers, traditionally beef-based. So, we asked Yabuki the burning question: Are those veggie burgers, or what's the story?

Yes, Cow CAN eat steak in Mario Kart World. pic.twitter.com/qN5PZ9IIM4

— IGN (@IGN) April 4, 2025

"That's top secret," Yabuki replied with a chuckle. "I can't say."

The mystery persists, as does speculation about whether Diddy Kong will appear in Mario Kart World with his new redesign. Yabuki's response? "I'm afraid I can't comment at this time." With the Nintendo Switch 2 and its flagship title, Mario Kart World, launching in just two days, answers are near. For more, read our final hands-on preview of Mario Kart World, where the racing impressed us, though Free Roam still leaves us skeptical. Also, check out our preview of the $10 launch title, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.