Ladies and Gentlemen, start your proverbial engines! Mario Kart is back with it’s ninth installment in the series, Mario Kart Tour … and guess what … it’s free!
Barring some optional DLC and a few money grabs (as many mobile games are known for) the game is completely free to download. Better yet, Mario Kart Tour actually holds up to its previous console versions. I would even go so far to say this game is right up there with Nintendo Switch’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
In fact, Mario Kart Tour is a direct parallel to the popular Nintendo Switch game with a few upgrades. (Did I mention it’s FREE?) New features include a frenzy item mode which is essentially a rapid fire item blast of shells, bananas, and more. All of your classic Mario Kart characters are back along with a few new ones. Newer characters include Mario Odyssey characters, Shy Guy, and more. A lot of the new and old favorites also have character specific items which adds a whole new dimension. There’s also new levels like New York, and a few spins on some old classics..
The racing gameplay is nearly identical to that of MK8 Deluxe but scaled down in terms of race length (two Laps instead of the standard three). In fact once you get the steering down it is nearly impossible to fall off of a course or even miss an item. There’s been some online complaints about the steering but honestly after a few attempts, it’s a non-issue. Pro Tip: Turn off Manual Drift and turn on Smart Steering in settings.
There’s also plenty to do outside of the racetrack. There are so many unlockable stars, drivers, karts, gliders, levels, and challenges to keep players busy for hours at a time. Challenges include collecting coins, attacking opponents, making jumps, and destroying parts of the course. My personal favorite thing to do in the game is to fire the warp pipe which randomly generates a new driver or kart.
As MK fans play this one you will definitely notice the emphasis on points and coins over race placing. Combos, attacks, jumps and more are the keys to success. This adds another level of fun to the classic gameplay.
Although the game is only a few days old, it’s nearly perfect. My biggest complaint is the lack of multiplayer which at the moment is listed as, “Available in a future update.” Also certain cups and challenges require a few days wait still, as the game is very new. For players who want to play the game for free, you will however, still see a few menu screen ads for in game purchases. For players who want to pay to play you can unlock a Gold Pass which allows more rewards and new items.
For a seasoned Mario Kart player like myself, (who may or may not have a rotating MK Championship Title Belt that rotates among his family) this game may straight up be a sixty dollar Value for the price of zero dollars. The new game has already surpassed Pokemon Go’s opening day downloads by millions. Save yourself a trip to GameStop and download Mario Kart Tour now.
Review: 9.5 out of 10
