On twenty fourth September 2019, Nintendo launched Mario Kart Tour for cellular units. This was Mario’s second outing in cellular gaming, following 2016’s Tremendous Mario Run, which had a powerful preliminary reception however seemingly did not generate a lot income (in contrast with different large cellular video games, together with Nintendo’s personal Hearth Emblem Heroes).
Mario Kart Tour aimed to vary that, constructed with cellular participant expectations in thoughts, and in the end proved extra profitable than Tremendous Mario Run on the time. So it is ironic then that Mario Run remains to be getting updates whereas Tour will finish service on Wednesday thirtieth September 2026.
And I’ve bizarre emotions about it.
The lengthy drive
I’ve been enjoying Mario Kart Tour day by day since its launch seven years in the past.
Each Tuesday, I’d spend an hour in mattress earlier than sleeping, attempting to high the weekly rankings and get these valuable Rubies. I’d play it whereas commuting on the practice or throughout lunch. I’d undergo each cup, do each problem, and slowly construct up my characters and karts till they reached their most potential (Stage 8 with variable rating relying on their rank). It was an enormous a part of my life by way of the COVID days, when transferring home and metropolis, and even by way of profession modifications.
I’ve been enjoying Mario Kart Tour this entire time, so it’s odd realizing that I received’t have the ability to anymore – and never by my very own alternative.
However, it’s additionally sort of a reduction. Whereas Tour is closing down now, it stopped including new content material a very long time in the past. Other than a single tour that dropped to advertise Mario Kart World in 2025, Mario Kart Tour formally stopped getting new content material on 4th October 2023. From then on, it simply repeated and recycled all the pieces it had already arrange for addicted followers like me.
So there was nothing new for me to see on this sport, but I used to be nonetheless placing within the hours each week, and these are hours I’ll by no means get again, however will lastly have free once more. Possibly hours I’ll put in direction of my intimidating backlog (Silksong has been watching me for over a yr now).
Though I’m relieved to be getting that point again, it was clearly enjoyable enjoying this sport even with out something new from Nintendo. I’d’ve stopped enjoying if it was boring. Whereas many would possibly see nothing new being added and lose motivation to maintain enjoying, for me it meant the sport had an actual endpoint to work towards, since there was nonetheless loads of content material I hadn’t unlocked.
By nature of the gacha system (till it was eliminated), unlocking distinctive racers, karts, and gliders trusted luck, and I’m not a really fortunate particular person. So as a substitute of needing new content material, I felt I had on a regular basis on the earth to unlock all the pieces and ultimately have a whole Mario Kart Tour file. Then, for positive, I’d cease enjoying realizing I’ve received one other Mario Kart sport absolutely accomplished.
Now it will by no means occur, and that brings out one other emotion in me: anger.
Too Quick, Too Livid
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is responsible. I received into Animal Crossing’s cellular outing after they introduced it was ending service, as I believed I ought to a minimum of give it a go.
And I’m glad I waited as a result of I received actually into it; how little free time I’d have had if I might been enjoying Pocket Camp, Mario Kart Tour, and Hearth Emblem Heroes day by day… I don’t wish to give it some thought.
One other advantage of beginning Pocket Camp late was that Nintendo had already introduced an offline Full version. None of my adorning, befriending villagers, doing missions, and unlocking options felt wasteful as a result of I had this everlasting save file I might dip into at any time when I needed. It was identical to a daily Animal Crossing sport. And whereas Nintendo didn’t do that for Miitomo or Dragalia Misplaced, I used to be positive that with Mario of all franchises, an offline version was a given. I’d have infinite time to grasp it absolutely.
Because it seems, an offline mode for Mario Kart Tour wasn’t within the playing cards. Seven years of onerous work, these three years of steady play post-final-content launch, will quickly all be gone. And that actually sucks.