In a rather stunning change of events, Mario Kart Tour, a seemingly innocuous and innocent mobile game from Nintendo that is ripe for children looking to play Mario Kart on the go, has had its rating shifted in Brazil to 18+, a mark that is on par with some of the most mature titles available.
However, it has nothing to do with what's inside the game, as far as content goes. In other words, it's not like Mario Kart Tour magically has nudity, drug usage, strong language, blood and gore or alcohol.
Rather, as part of a new ratings assessment in Brazil under its Brazilian Advisory Rating or Classificação Indicativa, which reportedly aims to target games that target younger audiences with in-app purchases, like loot boxes.
On the U.S. app store, where Mario Kart Tour is also available, it's rated 4+, and notes that the game is free-to-start, but "optional in-game purchases" are available.
It's unclear if Nintendo plans to make adjustments so that the game can be reverted to its original rating, or if similar countries might follow suit. Previously, Mario Kart Tour was banned outright in Belgium over similar concerns. This was back in...
