The long awaited request for Mario Kart to become a downloadable app has finally come true on September 25, 11 years after it was introduced to the Wii . But does the app maintain the same beloved features as the console game?

The first and main difference in the game is the controls. The Wii was a revolutionary gaming device with it’s one of a kind motion sensor remotes, which is something no other console had before. So with the remote you were able to steer the kart in the game by holding the controller sideways. In the app, the game is played by dragging your thumb across the screen to drift the character left and right. Tilt is also available to use in the game instead of using your thumb, but is much more difficult to use because unlike other mobile games, this one is played vertically and not horizontally.   

Another huge feature is multiplayer mode. The app game is solely played as multiplayer but with a random selection of people. While the choice to play with friends is currently unavailable, it was announced that it would be included in a future update. The Wii version has split screen multiplayer version that was already installed in the game that could have up to four players at once.

While those differences were features the console game had that the app didn’t, the app includes a way to make a chain of combos by doing tricks to have a higher final score. The score you get determines the amount of stars you get that helps you unlock different racing cups and to help you get a higher ranking in the game. 

Even though the app is nowhere near being exactly like the Wii version, nonetheless, it’s still a fun and addicting game that’s already Nintendo’s biggest mobile launch with 90 million downloads and will  likely continue to get better with every update.