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Gamers jump into new Mario Kart Tour smartphone game

The first Mario Kart title to appear on mobile devices launched on Wednesday.
The first Mario Kart title to appear on mobile devices launched on Wednesday. The first Mario Kart title to appear on mobile devices launched on Wednesday.

Gamers are able to play a version of classic racing title Mario Kart on their smartphones for the first time.

Mario Kart Tour was launched on Wednesday on iOS and Android, meaning Nintendo fans can now access the game on their mobiles and tablets.

While the basic mechanic, which sees players take the roles of popular Nintendo characters in a series of kart races, remains the same, there are aspects of the game which have been tweaked for the mobile platform.

The kart remains moving forwards, so there is no need to hold down an accelerator button, with players instead swiping from side to side to direct their vehicle, and tapping the screen to use special items.

Meanwhile, the races will take place in a number of locations, some of which are familiar from previous games and others which are based on real-world places.

Mario Kart Tour is free to download and play, but offers various in-app purchases – including a subscription mode, which unlocks special gifts, badges and faster races for £4.99 per month.

While some players were frustrated early on by a message telling them that “servers are experiencing heavy traffic”, many seemed to be having fun trying the new game out.

Others found the new control system hard to get a handle on.

One complaint about the game from some players was the lack of a multiplayer option – but that option is set to appear in a future update.