When the Nintendo 3DS launched in 2011, it had big shoes to fill. Following the monstrous success of the Nintendo DS and the fan-favorite Mario Kart DS , expectations for a handheld Mario Kart title were astronomical. Enter Mario Kart 7 (stylized as Mario Kart 7 ). Released in late 2011 (and early 2012 in some regions), this entry didn't just iterate; it revolutionized the franchise’s physics engine and level design. For anyone searching for , you are looking at the title that bridged the gap between the 2D sprite-based past and the 3D verticality of modern racing games.