Mario Kart frenzy
Promotional art for Nintendo’s “Mario Kart Tour.”
September 30, 2019
“Mario Kart Tour,” released last week for iPhone and Android, has taken over the mobile gaming world with 10.1 million downloads in its first 24 hours.
The first mobile game for Nintendo’s flagship racing series is the venerable Japanese developer’s sixth entry into the mobile market. Nintendo first broke into mobile gaming with “Super Mario Run” in 2016.
So far, reaction across the WHS campus has been generally positive, despite the lack of original courses or vehicles.
“It’s really cool because it’s a Nintendo game on an iPhone,” sophomore Jordan Jay said. It’s really cool because it’s a Nintendo game on an iPhone. — Jordan Jay
Others agree, like sophomore Caleb Bostwick.
“It’s really fun and addicting,” Bostwick said.
The game is not without controversy, however. Criticisms range from the subscription model, titled Gold Pass (costing $4.99 per month) to the gacha (lootbox) mechanic to the controls and difficulty level. Notably, the fastest game mode, 200cc, is locked behind the Gold Pass paywall, while online multiplayer, a staple of the series since 2005’s “Mario Kart DS,” is not included in the launch version of the game.
“Nintendo has made some questionable decisions with their mobile games, and this is no exception,” senior Eric Speelman said. “As much as I love Mario Kart, I’ll have to pass on this one.”
Some people still prefer the main console versions.
“I’d rather play it on a console because the karts on there are faster,” sophomore Ja’Kayla Culpepper said.
If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, it’s free and worth the download – but not the investment.
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