Mario Kart Tour Multiplayer Guide: How to Play Online Multiplayer With Friends, Tips and Tricks, and More

Mario Kart Tour finally has online multiplayer, though it’s only for Gold Pass members right now. The current iteration is only available in beta, so expect a bunch of issues, missing features, and a pretty barebones experience all round.

In this guide, we’re going to detail exactly how to play online multiplayer, how you can play with friends, and also generally provide you with tips and tricks to make the most out of it.

Looking for more Mario Kart Tour content? Check out everything else we’ve written in our Complete Guide.

Mario Kart Tour Multiplayer Guide

How to Play Online Multiplayer

Before we even get into that, there’s one important detail you should note: online multiplayer in Mario Kart Tour is currently limited to Gold Pass members.

If you don’t currently own a Gold Pass, you can grab the free trial to check it out (provided you haven’t used it already) or you can purchase it from the in-game shop. It costs roughly $5 per month, and provides extra challenges and rewards during each Tour.

If you do own the Gold Pass, you can get started with online multiplayer right away. Simply hit ‘Menu’ and tap on ‘Multiplayer’. There are two options: ‘Random’ and ‘Create Lobby’. For now, we’re going to hit ‘Random’ to get playing right away.

This will throw you into an online room with seven other players. You’ll then face off against each other in a particular cup, with the cup changing on a regular basis.

How to Play Online Multiplayer Against Friends

However, if you’d like to play with friends, we’re going to pick the second option on that list: ‘Create Lobby’. You need simply then ask your friends to open Mario Kart Tour, hit ‘Menu’, tap on ‘Multiplayer’, and pick your lobby, which should have appeared near the ‘Create Lobby’ button.

Mario Kart Tour online multiplayer is best played against seven other players, but we’re sure you’ll have fun with less.

How does Online Multiplayer Work?

Online multiplayer works exactly the same as the main game, with you competing against either randoms or friends across three different races. Your score is then tallied at the end, with the winner being the player who earns most points.

Well, presumably this is what happens. Right now, online multiplayer doesn’t actually have an end, with you and your opponents completing the same series of courses over and over again until you quit out of boredom. We’d expect that to change in time.

Online Multiplayer Tips and Tricks

• Choose favoured drivers, gliders, and karts: Just like in the main game, favoured drivers, gliders, and karts are the best options, as they’ll provide you with the most points.
• Hold onto protective items: Protective items are arguably more important in online multiplayer, as everyone is out to get you. Actual players are, for the most part, smarter than their AI counterparts, and a heck of a lot more ruthless.
• Expect racers to do anything to stop you: That’s right – your opponents are cruel, vicious, and will stop at nothing to hurt you. Expect it, and play defensively – particularly when you’re holding a lead.
• Play for points: Points are the most important part of Mario Kart Tour, so play for them. Focus on your own game and use items smartly, get coins, use every dash panel, and jump off stuff.

Glen Fox

Head of Editorial

Glen has over a decade's worth of experience in gaming journalism, writing for Pocket Gamer, Pocket Tactics, Nintendo Life, and Gfinity. When he's not badgering everyone about the dangers of passive text, you can probably find him playing Wild Rift.