A memory strikes across the minds of Generation Z; you are sitting on a stained carpet. In one hand rests a Berry Blue Koolaid Burst and in the other is a Wii remote. Player One, of course—you would not even consider to let your younger sibling have the superior controller, regardless of how hard they pulled on your hair. Eyes wide due to adrenaline from your sugar rush stare at the television as words flashed across the screens: Mario Kart. 

From Coconut Mall to Rainbow Road and every course in between, Nintendo engrained our childhood memories with Mario and Luigi, whether it be on the Wii, D.S or another gaming device. And now, this game from our youth is back in a big way. Early Wednesday morning, Nintendo launched Mario Kart Tour, a mobile version of the video game. In order to play Mario Kart Tour, you have to download it off of the app store onto your phone.

So, does this smartphone game live up to the hype and fame of the original Mario Kart?

In my personal opinion, I would rate this game a 3.1 out of 5 stars. This game is one of those classics that you can never go wrong with. If you and a friend want to race each other, it is much more difficult to whip out a Wii gaming set. The convenience factor is definitely there for sure. Almost immediately, you get to experience racing from the most nostalgic of characters, like Toad or Princess Peach.  

However, that does not mean Nintendo’s newest hit is without flaws. First of all, the controls are quite difficult to use and to get used to; the drift is out of control and often times the game does not register certain movements as a demand to turn left or right. In simple mode, this drift makes the game almost downright unenjoyable. Being able to play Mario Kart is frustrating when its less racing and more trying to avoid slamming into walls. 

Despite all of these ups and downs, one statement is still clear: the game is nowhere near being developed. Regardless of being put on the homescreen, Mario Kart Tour does not have a fully functional multiplayer option. Some other reports state that traffic flooded the app and for periods of times the game was unplayable. Why Nintendo would release a game that is still in progress is unknown, but there are promises for future advancement in these technicalities. 

Love it or hate it, Nintendo revived a classic childhood game that already been seen all over Roswell High School. Senior Carter Horvath raves about the game by promoting its features, especially how easy it is to understand how to play.

“I feel like everyone grew up playing Mario Kart on the Wii,” says Horvath, “I especially can’t wait for the multiplayer feature to be available”.