Harvey Van Blerkom
Mario Kart Tour, the latest video game from the famous Nintendo company, has made it to mobile phones. The racing game had been highly anticipated since its announcement in August. The game hit the App and Google Play stores on September 25th, and immediately, many students at LREI downloaded the game and were playing it all throughout the halls. Multiple advisors noted the sheer number of kids playing the game, and a survey that opened on the day of release found that 85% of respondents had already downloaded the game on the day of the release. Many students have been playing the game as much as they can, including some who now have to wait for the next levels to be unlocked due to the speed of their progression. Many people were excited about the attractive qualities the app possesses. Finn, from the 9th grade, was excited that the app is free and downloadable for anyone. While the app requires a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, Hudson from the 10th grade believes it still is a great app to play on the go, while Cameron, a senior, wishes the game didn’t require Wi-Fi or cellular connection, specifically in the single-player mode. Rhyus from the 10th grade couldn’t pick a favorite quality about the game; he just loved all of it.
The Mario Kart series began in 1997, with Super Mario Kart as the first installment. The very popular series ended up with 13 games, mainly accessible through Nintendo systems such as the Wii and DS consoles. Mario Kart was fading out of the high school market because consoles like the Wii have been replaced by Playstations and Xboxes, while the DS has been replaced by cell phones. This new way to play Mario Kart has reached a new high school demographic. The trend has continued to gain popularity, as more and more students are downloading and playing the game. As of late September, Mario Kart Tour has been downloaded over 10 million times worldwide, and in-app purchases have reached over $1 million. Mario Kart’s takeover is not limited to the school: it’s taken the world by storm!