Mario Kart Tour is finally getting online and local multiplayer

Starting this weekend, the free-to-play Mario Kart Tour mobile game will let you play with real people online and locally in three new multiplayer modes. The long-awaited new feature kicks off Sunday, March 8 at 8pm PT / 11pm ET / 3am (March 9) GMT.

It's never as satisfying lobbing a masterfully-angled green turtle shell and overcoming a competitor when there aren't any real people to witness the feat or suffer the consequences. Thankfully, Mario Kart Tour will soon let you race against seven other players, including in-game friends, nearby racers, and players around the world.

You can play with friends or local players and choose the rules for each match, or you can play online in Standard Races with pre-set rules that change daily, which increases your rank. Gold Races are 150cc and 200cc competitive rounds only available to Gold Pass subscribers. 

Course selection includes three courses from the current tour's featured cup, which changes every 15 minutes.

If you've yet to check out Mario Kart Tour, I'd say it's worth a download for fans of the franchise. And if you hate it, at least you didn't lose any money. But now with online and local multiplayer, there's a good chance you'll find a new game to keep you entertained in dental office lobbies and train rides. Heck, you might even like it enough to subscribe to the $5-a-month Mario Kart Tour Gold Pass subscription service.

If you foresee a lot of dental office lobbies and long train rides in your future, you'd do well to check out our list of the best Apple Arcade games to play right now.