Nintendo's mobile games library is to expand with a smartphone version of its most-loved gaming series after the Mario platformers themselves.

Mario Kart Tour will be the first in the company's long-standing racing franchise to make it onto a non-Nintendo platform. It is coming soon for phones and tablets and that gives us an ideal opportunity to look at what to expect.

We have gameplay footage videos, pre-registration details and much more. Here then is everything you need to know about Mario Kart on mobile.

Mario Kart Tour release date

After several delays, Mario Kart Tour will be available to download and play on 25 September 2019.

It was previously promised for March 2019, then "summer", but at least the wait is now almost over.

Mario Kart Tour gameplay

The game was first announced through Twitter early 2018, with just a logo unveiled.

Now though, we have gameplay footage. You can see several key locations in an official video below.

You can also see from a separate teaser video that the game runs only in portrait mode and is designed to be played using just one hand (on a phone). Swipes and presses will control steering and drifting.

Locations in the game will include Mario Kart classics, such as Rainbow Road, but also tracks based in major worldwide cities, including Paris, Tokyo and New York.

Other features of play will include different, collectable drivers, karts and gliders. Plus, there will be special in-game events during different time periods.

Mario Kart Tour platforms and pre-orders

Mario Kart Tour will be available for iOS and Android.

You can pre-register for each version on the respective app stores, with the iOS version available for pre-order here and Android version here.

Mario Kart Tour price

One aspect of another Nintendo mobile game, Super Mario Run, that has been heavily criticised is its business model, but we expect Nintendo to follow a similar pattern with Mario Kart Tour.

Nintendo describes the new game as "free-to-start", but there will be plenty of in-game purchases.

We don't yet know whether that will require a major purchase to unlock the game beyond a few beginning tracks. If so, Super Mario Run costs £9.99 to unlock the rest of the game after the first demo world, so you could expect a similar outlay.

Mario Kart Tour Nintendo registration

As well as the pre-registration pages for each format, you will also need register a Nintendo Account before you can play (if you don't already have one).

It is free and you can do it ahead of release. Just head to accounts.nintendo.com/register to sign up.

If you already have a Nintendo Account (for example, if you own a Switch or play another Nintendo mobile game) then you do not need to register again and will simply be able to log into Mario Kart Tour on release.