Mobile game Mario Kart Tour adds Vancouver course in time for Olympic anniversary

Vancouver's Olympic torch in Jack Poole Plaza features prominently in the preview image included in the tweet, and stylized versions of Vancouver landmarks including the Lions Gate Bridge, Coal Harbour and the North Shore mountains can also be seen. (Twitter/@mariokarttourEN)

Vancouver — Racing on the streets of real-world Vancouver is generally frowned upon, but starting Tuesday night, users of the popular mobile game Mario Kart Tour will get a chance to race through a virtual version of the city.

The racing game invites users to participate in themed "tours" that change every two weeks, and its developers recently announced on Twitter that a Vancouver course will be added for the next tour.

The course will be available beginning at 10 p.m., Pacific Time, just hours before the 10-year anniversary of the 2010 Olympic Games, which began on Feb. 12, 2010.

Vancouver's Olympic torch in Jack Poole Plaza features prominently in the preview image included in the tweet, and stylized versions of Vancouver landmarks including the Lions Gate Bridge, Coal Harbour and the North Shore mountains can also be seen.

The special course is not the first time Nintendo has brought its most famous character to Vancouver. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, a licensed video game tie-in with the 2010 games, featured characters from the Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog universes competing for Olympic gold in the city.