It’s the end of the road we all saw coming, but that doesn’t make it sting any less. Nintendo has confirmed the Mario Kart Tour shut down date, and mark your calendars as the service closes at 11:00 p.m. Pacific on 29 September (that’s the morning of the 30th for those of us checking the clock outside the US). Seven years after it first launched on our phones back in 2019, our beloved Mario Kart fan will need to say a proper goodbye to Tour.
Why This Mario Kart Tour Shut Down Feels Different
Unlike a simple pause on updates, this is the real thing. Nintendo has been quiet on the content front since 2023, so the writing has been on the wall for a while. What stings most is that there’s no offline mode planned, so once the servers switch off, that’s genuinely it. No replaying old tours, no revisiting favourite tracks, nothing. For anyone who’s spent years building up their driver and kart collection, it’s a tough pill to swallow, and plenty of comment sections are already flooded with fans reminiscing about their favourite seasons.
What A Mario Kart Fan Should Do Before Time Runs Out
There’s still time to make the most of what’s left. Rubies are off sale now, but any you’re holding onto can still be spent in the Spotlight Shop, Mii Racing Suit Shop, or Coin Rush before the cut-off. Gold Pass subscribers won’t be charged again, and everyone, subscribed or not, gets full Gold Pass perks free from 4 August right through to shutdown. So if 200cc or Gold Challenges have been on your bucket list, now’s the time.
It’s a bittersweet farewell, but Tour gave us years of daily races and silly costumes worth celebrating. Here’s hoping our beloved Mario Kart fan carries a bit of that joy over to Mario Kart World after Mario Kart Tour shut down.
Photo Credit: Nintendo, Mario Kart World | Sources: Nintendo US, siliconera
