Mario Kart 7

Mario Kart 7 is a 2011 kart-racing game developed by Nintendo EAD in collaboration with Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. The seventh main entry in the wildly popular Mario Kart series, it brings the franchise's signature blend of accessible, chaotic racing and item-based combat to Nintendo's handheld, with players choosing from a roster of Mario-universe characters and competing across colourful courses, both new tracks and remastered classics, while flinging shells, banana peels and other power-ups to gain an edge. Mario Kart 7 introduced several notable innovations to the series: hang-gliders that let karts soar through the air over gliding sections, underwater driving with propellers for submerged stretches, and extensive kart customisation, allowing players to mix and match bodies, wheels and gliders to tune their vehicle's performance. It also added a first-person, gyroscopic steering option using the 3DS's motion sensor, and robust online multiplayer for racing against players worldwide. A major critical and commercial success, it became one of the best-selling games on the 3DS, praised for its polished racing, inventive new mechanics and strong online play. Mario Kart 7 stands as a beloved entry in one of gaming's most enduring and accessible franchises, and a standout title in the 3DS library.