There's a new 'Mario Kart' game coming to smartphones this summer, and Android users will be able to try it first for free
- "Mario Kart Tour" will be the first Mario Kart game to hit mobile devices later this summer.
- Nintendo is now letting Android users sign up for a closed beta test; the beta will run from May 22 to June 4.
- "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" is the best-selling Nintendo Switch game with more than 16 million copies sold.
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Mario Kart fans will soon be able to play the game on their smartphones: "Mario Kart Tour" is coming to mobile devices later this summer.
Android users in the United States and Japan can sign-up for a closed beta test on Nintendo's website; the exclusive test will run from May 22 and June 4. Not everyone who applies will be invited to participate, and beta participants will be chosen at random.
"Mario Kart" is one of Nintendo's best-selling franchises: "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" has sold 16.69 million copies since it was released in April 2017. While the Nintendo Switch already lets fans take "Mario Kart" on the go, a mobile version of the game would bring even more potential fans in the fold.
Read more: Here's everything we know about 'Mario Kart Tour,' the huge new game coming to smartphones this year
It's unclear if "Mario Kart Tour" will play like previous games in the series; Nintendo may need to cut down on features and simplify the gameplay to make the game work on smartphones. Microsoft's popular racing franchise, "Forza," just released a mobile entry called "Forza Street" that shifts the gameplay completely. When playing "Forza Street," the car drives automatically, and players try to time button presses to increase their speed.
Nintendo has been making a slow but successful entry into the mobile gaming market with some of its most popular franchises. "Fire Emblem Heroes" has generated more than $500 million with microtransactions, while "Super Mario Run" and "Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp" have been well-received by fans as scaled-down versions of familiar games.
Visit Nintendo's official site to sign up for the "Mario Kart Tour" beta; registration will stay open until May 7.