Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour update has finally arrived. The main one is the additional option to play in Landscape Mode. This means players may hold their phones horizontally when playing Mario Kart and is set to release on July 21st on the App Store and Google Play. The game also includes new characters from the Mario Kart franchise that provides various new experiences with favorites from Nintendo’s previous Mario themed games.
Both Portrait (vertical) / Landscape (horizontal) Mode changes with the orientation of the device. This means players can switch between the two modes depending on their gameplay style. The main hype, however, is the new Landscape Mode, where players may be able to better navigate their controls with intuition. While the left side of the screen steers the players’ kart, the right uses items throughout the race. For some players, this new mode may fully recreate the Mario Kart experience that is similar to the nostalgic Nintendo DS or Switch.
In addition, there are new characters arriving for Mario Kart Tour. Announced yesterday, the update will assemble a “collection of the game’s heaviest hitters including Dry Bowser, Funky Kong, Wario, and Rosalina!” — stated in Nintendo’s Twitter post. Players can race against these characters in The Heavy Hitters Pipe from July 18th to 23rd (10:59 pm, PT). In combination with the Landscape Mode, the new characters arriving to mobile devices may provide players a new racing experience that is fresh yet nostalgic.
Nintendo, however, may not provide these additional updates for long. According to a Bloomberg article, Nintendo announced that there will be less support for their mobile platforms due to their concern with revenue. Though there are no details about whether the company will continue their updates on Mario Kart Tour in the near future, players may want to be on the lookout for the most recent updates before Nintendo decides to completely stray from mobile. If interested for more information, check out “Nintendo Appears To Be Moving Away From Mobile Games” by Nicholas Robinson. For more information on Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour, check out the official Twitter page.