Mario Kart Tour is a new mobile game that has been sweeping the nation. Released on Sept. 25, Mario Kart Tour has been downloaded more than 20 million times across all mobile platforms. One particularly hot place for playing Mario Kart is right here in school.

The game offers a multitude of characters, carts, and gliders to collect all based off of the world wide franchise that is the Mario games. The main gameplay is a tour-based system where each cup is character themed. The cups include three separate races and a mini game, and success is measured by the points players score during the race. These points are earned by using items, performing jump boosts and ending placement at the end of the race. 

Each cup has a specific set of modifiers, in which different cart, glider, and character combinations can allow for the use of more items, and a bigger score multiplier. The game is particularly addictive due to the main loot system, which is players gaining rubies through playing on tracks and getting perfect scores. With these rubies, players can buy pipes which will grant the player items such as the aforementioned characters, gliders, and carts that can lead to scoring more points. 

The biggest issue of this game is its inherent mobility. Since it’s a  mobile game, people can play it anywhere they have an internet connection, and that includes places such as school. 

“Mario Kart has impacted my class,”- Economics teacher James Pavone said

“Students are playing the game instead of doing what is academically expected of them,”

Mario Kart Tour has introduced a distraction to the classroom due to its fun gameplay and addictive reward system.