KYOTO, Sept 25 — Following on from Apple Arcade and Google’s Play Pass, Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour is chipping in with a US$4.99 (RM21) monthly pass of its own. Here’s what it is, and how to turn it off if you want to avoid any unintended charges.
Just in front of the Mario Kart Tour launch as the latest iteration of the Mario Kart franchise and the first to release on mobile, Nintendo has outlined one of several ways players can pump revenue into the free-to-start game.
A US$4.99 per month Gold Pass allows players to unlock a more challenging 200cc mode, win more drivers, gliders, and karts, and receive in-game badges as Gold Challenge rewards, according to a official website.
First-timers can try out the scheme through a two-week free trial, bearing in mind that they’ll be signing up for the Gold Pass and then charged for a one-month term if they don’t cancel during the trial.
Mario Kart Tour marks the first time that Mario Kart, one of Nintendo’s most popular and longest lasting franchises, arrives on mobile.
This version of the racing game sticks with a vertical, portrait-style aspect ratio, in contrast to conventional Mario Kart entries and similar titles.
It features courses inspired by different real-world cities, with each under a two-week spotlight before another main attraction is rotated in; New York City is first up, with Tokyo and Paris having also been teased by Nintendo.
In addition to the Gold Pass system, Mario Kart Tour already contains a virtual currency, inviting players to purchase packs of rubies that they can then use to speed their progression.
Such in-app purchases start at US$1.99 for a pack of three rubies, rising to US$69.99 for a pack of 135.
Players will need to use a free Nintendo Account in order to play, whether pre-existing or created especially for the purpose. The company advises that parents create specific child accounts for children aged 12 or younger within a Family Group of Nintendo Accounts.
Nintendo also advises that in-app purchases can be restricted if parents or guardians use certain iOS and Android system settings.
On iOS, the system’s Settings menu contains a Screen Time option that enables users to allow or disallow iTunes & App Store Purchases.
On Android, the system’s Settings menu contains an option entitled Require Authentication for Purchases. Users can then specify how often and in what manner the device will check for permission to authorise spending through the Google Play store. — AFP-Relaxnews
