Mario Kart Tour Is Now Playable But It Has A Critical Requirement

Nintendo was initially doubtful of the mobile gaming market but, after seeing its profitability, finally tried to carve its own place in that crowded market. In typical Nintendo fashion, it did things on its own terms and at its own pace. Sadly, that hasn't always worked in the gaming giant's favor, even with its popular properties. It's trying again with the new Mario Kart Tour for Android and iOS but, immediately, the game is meeting some criticism.

Mario Kart grew to become one of Nintendo's most popular spinoffs from the Super Mario universe. Its whimsical nature and competitive gameplay give it the perfect combination for an addictive game. It's also the perfect formula for a mobile game where the likes of Gameloft's Asphalt has reigned almost unchallenged.

Mario Kart Tour, as it would be launched for mobile, is naturally a highly-anticipated title. And yet after confirming its existence, Nintendo would delay its intended launch just a year later. The time has finally come and Mario Kart Tour is now available to install on Android and iOS but eager beavers found out quickly that they couldn't even start playing.

That's because the game itself was scheduled to become playable starting only at 1 AM PT, September 25. It also requires a Nintendo account to play, which practically means it is tied strongly to Nintendo's servers. Despite that partially online nature, there is no mention of any multiplayer gameplay, pitting players only against AI and the tracks themselves.

There are quite a few excited players but many have already expressed disappointment in Nintendo's initial experience. That's not yet counting the expected in-game purchases and arbitrary playing time limits. Hopefully, the full experience will be good enough to make those first missteps a bit more forgivable.