Hands-on with Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo 3DS

Let's be honest: if you own a Nintendo 3DS, you will, at some point, buy Mario Kart 7.

The Mario Kart series is one of those intriguing franchises that technically never changes much, yet captures our hearts so intensely that every single release is all but essential.

Understandably, then, Mario Kart 7 isn't looking to meddle with the secret formula, instead serving up racing action that is incredibly similar to its Wii counterpart.

What's really fantastic is that Mario Kart 7 looks and feels just as good as the Wii version, if not better - and it's all in the palm of your hand.

Same Mario, same karting

From the moment the timer starts counting down to the end of the race, we feel right at home.

This is classic Mario Kart, make no mistake. In Mario Kart 7, Nintendo shows its years of experience in the field, masterfully piecing together what may potentially be the best Mario Kart to date.

Everything feels spot on. The old jump, slide, and wiggle is there for experienced players to gain either a blue or orange boost, depending on how much you move that Circle Pad around as you slide.

All the classic items are there: from your standard shells to your ink splats on the screen. There are also 'brand new' items such as the Fire Flower that throws fireballs all over the track.

Coins make a re-appearance, giving players a slight increase in speed and adding towards your total rank for the current championship.

Soar or swim

Apart from the new tracks, which also feel like classic Mario Kart, you've got the new flying and diving abilities.

Take off from a ramp into the air and your paragliding wings will pop out. These allow you to swoop through the air, grabbing coins and landing with a bump.

Control in the air feels slick, and experimenting with how you fly is exciting stuff. Will a simple 45-degree angle get you there more quickly, or do you want to stay up as long as possible and grab those extra coins?

Fall into the water and your propeller will extend from the back of your kart, pushing you along underwater. Your speed is reduced underwater and it feels slightly different to control - this'll really separate the pros from the more casual players.

Of course, none of that matters in Mario Kart, as the winner is going to be constantly blue-shelled anyway. But that's why we love it. For the drama!

Karting all over the world

The thing we're most looking forward to finding out, though, is what Nintendo does with the multiplayer.

The Mario Kart series has been left wanting online, if we're being entirely honest. The Wii version had the best functionality, allowing you to battle up to 11 people online and featuring a ranking system.

For Mario Kart 7, however, we're hoping this is just the start. We want leagues, special events, and more.

Mario Kart 7 will be released for 3DS on December 2nd. Our crystal ball suggests a high score is quite probable.