“Mario Kart Tour” is finally arriving to IOS and Android on Sept. 25th, and it is just one of many other “Mario”-based apps, such as “Super Mario Run” and “Dr. Mario World”. It is mostly based on their console game,”Mario Kart”, but with a couple of added twists for your mobile device.

Many gamers who grew up playing on console are concerned that the “Tour” version will destroy the nostalgia of the sacred Wii edition. For these gamers, “Mario Kart” was one of the most iconic Wii games you could have; users would spend hours racing each other on the multiple tracks the game had to offer. Although this concern is valid, “Mario Kart Tour” creates a unique experience for the mobile device while retaining many aspects of the Wii console version that fans hold dear to their hearts.

Even though this app is slightly different than the original “Mario Kart”, the “Tour” still takes inspiration from the gaming experience of the original. In “Mario Kart Tour”, there are still many elements that link back to the original “Mario Kart”. For example, the unforgettable power-ups that you can easily deploy either in front or behind you as you race are still available in the newest version. The power-ups include the iconic red and green shells, the banana peels, the mushroom speed boost, the blinding squid ink and even the dreaded blue shell from which there is no escape. It also kept some of the game’s iconic race tracks, such as “Rainbow Road” and “Koopa Troopa Beach”. Lastly, the characters will remain the same with a few new additions. With these essential additions, the spirit of Mario Kart will not be lost as “Mario Kart Tour” reaches the mobile device.

“I feel like, with it coming to iPhone, a lot more people will be able to play it rather that people having to go through the process of buying a console,” freshman Austin Yagoda said. 

On the other hand, “Mario Kart Tour” also has many elements that are nonexistent in “Mario Kart” to ensure that players remain interested with the mobile version. Nintendo is implementing a timer system that limits your playing time on the app, similar to the software of the app “Trivia Crack”, so players will have to pay or watch ads to play for a longer period of time. This amps up the competitive nature of the player by forcing them to compete within the time restraint. In addition, they are also adding timers on some of the racing cups, which are trophies earned once you win a tournament that consists of four different racing tracks. This means that certain cups will not be accessible until a specific amount of time has passed.  Slightly changing the gaming experience inflicts a new sense of wonder while playing, all while keeping the central aspects of the original that everyone has grown to love.

Some might say that by adding in-app purchases, Nintendo is just trying to suck money out of its players. However, these purchases are completely optional and in no way affect the experience of the player. These potential additional costs make up for the price of the game, as the original version did cost money but “Mario Kart Tour” will be free on the App Store. They added these costs in order to make the necessary profit for this game to be successful. When the players finally get the chance to play, they are going to put in all of their effort to finish within the time limit, keeping the game interesting.

“I think it does not really matter since you still have the console as an option, so the nostalgia will never truly be lost.” freshman Andrew Lee said.

All in all, anyone who grew up playing “Mario Kart”, and has continued to play it over the years, should find this revival to not only be engaging, but enjoyable. Whether they are able to dump an hour into the game in one sitting or whenever they have a moment of free time, the mobile version provides the flexibility that the “Mario Kart” franchise needed to adapt to modern gaming. Although the timers may present an issue for some players, it is not a game-changing problem that would make people want to stop playing “Mario Kart” forever. “Mario Kart Tour” is not erasing the original “Mario Kart”; it is simply giving players a more accessible way to play one of their most beloved childhood games.