Mario Kart Tour is officially out on mobile devices and while many Nintendo fans were excited to see another creative iteration of a beloved franchise, it definitely didn’t skimp on microtransactions which many feel overpower the enjoyment of this experience.
Disclaimer: we are aware that microtransactions in mobile games is nothing new. In fact, it would almost be odder to see none (which is while the Apple Arcade has been such a huge success), so to be clear the issue isn’t that this game has them, it’s how they are handled that is ruffling a ton of feathers.
What should have been a really nifty game with its familiar aesthetic and tracks kind of actually turned out to be quite the bummer. The monthly subscription aside, the overall framework of this mobile game entirely dictates how rewards are allocated based on how much cash players are willing to spend. With the scope of mobile gaming being taken more seriously in recent years as a part of a growing market, monetization means were also expected to grow, but the way the company handled them in Mario Kart Tour seems sloppy, greedy, and without real purpose.
Just started out in the game? You might not see what we mean just yet. The studio behind this mobile title were sneaky, they definitely didn’t pull out all of the stops right out of the gate. Once you get that first driver, however, that’s where the money drain journey begins.
In the Mario Kart Tour store, players will see how the Ruby currency plays a part with a scale-up reaching upwards to 70 bucks. The Gold Pass, the subscription, is an additional 5 bucks a month and allots players with Gold Gifts that includes currency, the coveted 200cc races, and other in-game items.
Players quickly took to Twitter to voice similar concerns, making it interesting to see if the devs will tailor the mobile experience based on the wave of scrutinous feedback:
speaking as a beta tester i am under obligation as a human being with thoughts and feelings to tell you
please don’t play mario kart tour, it’s disgustingly greedy and you would be better off playing the actual games
and if you do, please be careful about the microtransactions— Ivan (@seeqadvocate) September 25, 2019
So you think that making games with shit tons of microtransactions makes it a “game”? No, it’s not.
A game shouldn’t make you wait hours just to play more.
The prices look more macro than micro.
Shit stamina system
Shit prices
Mario Kart Tour is automatically SHIT#MarioKartTour— MapleSyrup666 (@Maplesyrup6661) September 25, 2019
A paid subscription service, a gacha system and overpriced, highly predatory microtransactions. Jesus fuck Mario Kart Tour is horrifically egregious with it’s monetisation. Gonna give that game a miss….
— Macarou (@GrumpyGekko) September 25, 2019
To be fair, others have chimed in to say that it’s nothing they can’t overlook but for me personally? The gacha mechanics makes this one a hard pass.
