On Wednesday, I got a text message from my boyfriend before I headed into my plant biology class. The message read “Babe! You have to download Mario Kart!”
I was not tracking the release of Mario Kart Tour. I had heard speculation of a Mario Kart mobile game in 2018, but that was all. I downloaded the game before the start of class and managed to play one game, and now I’m hooked.
Mario Kart Tour is the mobile version of the famed Nintendo game. The game has different, classic Mario Kart courses and special courses in real cities around the world. Using only one finger, the controls are easy: simple steering and drift steering. With simple steering, players are able to turn normally around curves and have the option of drifting, whereas drift steering is constant drifting.
The classic items from the original games are included. There are, however, special items tailored to specific characters. There are also special characters for each course location. For example, the New York Tour is the current tour and the special characters include Pauline and Musician Mario. There are some other classic characters included such as Mario, Toad, Peach, Daisy, and Yoshi. What came as a shock was the lack of Mario’s partner-in-crime and brother, Luigi. Players can only hope that Nintendo has not forgotten about the tall, green legend.
There is not only the ability to collect characters but karts and gliders as well. The game has daily challenges that, if completed, earn players grand stars, which are used to unlock gift boxes with typical prizes such as coins. Some gifts also have characters included in them such as Metal Mario.
The mobile game is free, but, like any other mobile game, in-app purchases are optional and available. The Gold Pass, and rubies, are the only thing players can buy. In purchasing the Gold Pass, players unlock 200cc and extra rubies, coins and karts. The Gold Pass is $4.99 a month and there is a free two-week trial included.
Mario Kart Tour is #2 in ranking on the iTunes App Store under Top Free Games and #1 in the racing category. In the week and a half that the game has been out, 90 million people have downloaded it. That being said, I am completely obsessed with the game because I am a big Mario Kart fan and would recommend this game to everyone.
Iana Fields is a freshman studying english creative writing at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Iana? Tweet her @FieldsIana.
