The long-awaited mobile racing game from Nintendo, Mario Kart Tour, has finally been confirmed for its debut across mobile devices. Nintendo announced that the game will launch for iOS and Android devices on September 25, 2019.
Mario Kart Tour will take players on a journey across the globe with Mario and his friends. The racing circuits are inspired by real-world cities in addition to classic Mario Kart courses (Rainbow Road, anyone?). The game will also employ twists on traditional races, meaning that getting first place will no longer be the only goal. With challenge races such as “Vs. Mega Bowser” and “Goomba Takedown”, these bonus courses demand a different approach to your tried and tested gameplay strategy.
Monetization has always been an issue for mobile games that are free-to-play. For Mario Kart Tour, it will involve the usual microtransaction model and a cooldown system. There are features in the game that are not confirmed whether they will involve transactions. Here are some of the notable ones listed on the website:
- Frenzy Mode - Players would have access to an arsenal of in-game powerups or weapons. By using Frenzy Mode, it will provide players with unlimited supply of certain items and grant invincibility. This will only last a short duration.
- Drivers, karts, badges, and more - collectibles that are granted when an achievement in-game is made. Until the game is released, we have yet to confirm if some or most of these achievements are behind a paywall.
According to reports from Kotaku, a lootbox mechanic is also present in Mario Kart Tour which give players cosmetic upgrades, in-game powerups depending on the course, new karts, gliders, and drivers.
Nintendo’s recent smartphone game release Dr. Mario World is currently sitting on a comfy 4.5 out of 5 Stars rating on the App Store and a 3.9/5 Stars rating on the Google Play Store. It’s too early to tell, but judging from its success, along with their other popular mobile titles (Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Super Mario Run), it’s not unlikely that Mario Kart Tour will also experience the same reception, considering that the Mario Kart franchise has a much more established fanbase.
