Mario Kart Tour

Mario Kart Tour brought the basic wheel of Mario racing to mobile, but simplified the controls to touch – the kart steers automatically by tilting the phone or dragging a finger, and the player focuses on collecting items, drifting with a tap, and precisely aiming shells or banana peels, so the game stays playable even on a small screen without a physical controller or a second hand. The tracks draw both from the series' classic circuits and from real cities – New York, Tokyo, Paris, London – reimagined in Mario style with the usual shortcuts and bonuses, which was one of the main draws for series fans and newcomers alike since its 2019 release.

Content unlocks primarily through a gacha system called pipes, where the player obtains new drivers, vehicles, and gliders through random draws, with certain combinations noticeably changing a character's equipment, available special items, and thus real in-game performance. The game also offers a paid monthly Gold Pass subscription that unlocks a faster race class, bonus rewards, and exclusive content, so a player wanting the best equipment and to compete at the top of the leaderboards will find it hard to manage without repeated spending.

Seasonal tours with themed tracks, character outfits, and limited-time bonuses keep the game moving, similar to other Nintendo mobile titles, though comparison with the full console entries in the series inevitably favors the latter, which offer the same racing core without gacha.

Why play it: Mario Kart fans who want quick races on their phone, but should expect gacha-based equipment collecting and an available subscription.