Released a few years after Super Nintendo, Super Mario Kart was an odd proposition: Nintendo mascot Mario, his brother, friends and enemies get in go-carts, racing around flat, pseudo-3D tracks based on some very familiar Mario worlds.

The weapons included turtle shells, fire flowers and, er, bananas. They’re all linchpins of the Mario Kart experience now, but at the time, compared to the more buttoned-up racing games of the 1990s, it all seemed so silly. And fun. Super Mario Kart was a critical and commercial hit, with multiplayer races and battles further bolstered by the N64 version, which had four controller ports from the outset.

Nintendo has continued to evolve the series across three decades and 14 games, offering different vehicles, copilots, handheld versions and just… so… many... tracks. The company’s official celebration of this milestone (pun intended) appears to be the addition of eight new tracks to the latest iteration of the game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but the racer’s influence goes beyond the console.

It’s spawned remote-controlled cars, theme park rides, mobile spin-offs, and an army of pretenders trying (and failing) to replicate the magic of the Mushroom Kingdom racer. Here, on the eve of the franchise's 30th birthday, a few of Engadget’s most avid Nintendo gamers reminisce about their favorite Mario Kart moments.

Throwing turtle shells in Tokyo arcade

I wish I was writing about the Super Nintendo Land Mario Kart ride, but COVID-19 derailed my plans to visit (in the name of journalism, of course). So I’ll talk about my favorite version of Mario Kart: the arcade version. Settle behind a cute cartoon steering wheel, adjust the seat because it was nearly always set up for a child, and play Mario Kart as if it’s a hyper-real driving experience.

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX is actually the third arcade edition of Mario Kart, made in collaboration with Bandai Namco, which meant including the likes of Pac-Man and other third-party characters. I played it while living in Tokyo, which meant that the race announcements were voiced by Rika Matsumoto, who I later learned also voiced Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon anime. (Yes, it was a peak Japan experience!)

These machines also had a little camera that would take a picture of the racer in the share, and superimpose a Mario hat and other items on them. It was cute, but dumb. You could save your progress on a card system, the kind of thing you’d see on many arcade machines – especially in Japan, but that seemed a little too serious for me. I was there, I was sometimes a little drunk, and I wanted to beat my friends at Mario Kart, from behind a steering wheel. When I wasn’t hanging out at home with my Nintendo console (tragically, at this point, the Wii U), this was my Mario Kart home away from home. But I still haven’t played Mario Kart VR. I’m sure I can fit in a quick race when I revisit Japan to tour Nintendo’s theme park. – Mat Smith, UK Bureau Chief

Battle Mode with an elder millennial

Nintendo

It’s a little painful to admit that my introduction to Mario Kart came via the original Super Mario Kart. Yes, I am a geriatric millennial. I didn’t get it on launch day, but I’m pretty sure that it was mine by Christmas. I’ve played nearly every installment since then, with some particularly fond memories of the ridiculous battles I had with my post-college friends on Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Double Dash. But the original will always hold a special place in my heart because of one very delightful feature: Battle Mode.

My best friend and I played a positively startling number of Battle Mode matches over the years. Sure, we’d dabble with the Grand Prix mode too, but there was something intensely satisfying about going head to head, trying to pop each other’s balloons with red shells and banana peels. It was the great equalizer; in race mode, there’s at least some skill that comes into play.

But Battle Mode is more about getting as many weapons as you can as quickly as possible in hopes you luck into a red shell. You don’t need to be a skilled racer, though it can certainly help escape doom. The near-total randomness of Battle Mode was a big part of its appeal, though — it’s hard to get too mad at your friend when you’re just as likely to take them down on the next round.

Don’t get me wrong, I played the traditional Mario Kart Grand Prix levels incessantly, as well — I still love those ghost house worlds, not to mention the sheer terror that Rainbow Road still evokes after all these years. But Battle Mode was a great little experience when you just wanted to focus on throwing shells and nothing else. Given that Nintendo has dabbled in battle royale-style games with Tetris 99 and Super Mario Bros. 35, it seems like a great time to bring Battle Mode back in the next Mario Kart. – Nathan Ingraham, Deputy Editor

Let’s talk about Rainbow Road

There have been a ton of epic tracks throughout Mario Kart’s 30-year history, but to me, there’s one course that rose above its place on the circuit and left a lasting impression unlike any other: Rainbow Road. Now, I’ll fully admit that when it comes to pure gameplay, there are plenty of raceways like Wario Stadium, Baby Park or Koopa Troopa Beach that are more fun and engaging. And if the only version of Rainbow Road we got was the one from the original Mario Kart on SNES – which was a somewhat crude and spartan affair – I probably wouldn’t have written this snippet at all.

But when Nintendo recreated Rainbow Road for Mario Kart 64, the track became more than a race; it was a celebration. The added elevation and reduced gravity make it seem like you're floating down a rollercoaster, while the insertion of familiar faces from previous Mario games styled like neon lights brings warmth to the cold black void. And then there’s the soundtrack (please check out this version, which really does the song justice): It features playful woodwinds mixed with synth guitar that seamlessly transition from being soothing to energetic to almost melancholy at points. Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 64 is one part technicolor dream drive, one part Nintendo hall of fame and one part victory lap. – Sam Rutherford, Senior Writer

This week, Cherlynn is joined by UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith to discuss what they expect Apple to announce at its upcoming event on September 7th. Besides new iPhones and Watches, what might the company launch? Our hosts are also joined by senior reporter Jess Conditt to go over the highlights from Gamescom, including Sony’s new DualSense controller and PSVR2 update. We’ll be taking a break next week, so come back in two weeks for a new episode!

Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!

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Topics

• Apple confirms September 7 “Far Out” event – 1:46

• What to expect from the IFA electronics show in Berlin – 32:35

• The most interesting news out of Gamescom 2022 – 41:56

• Other news: Mark Zuckerberg's bad VR avatar and a movie based on BlackBerry – 1:11:47

• Working on – 1:13:01

• Pop culture picks – 1:15:48

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Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Mat Smith
Guest: Jess Conditt
Producer: Ben Ellman
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos
Graphics artists: Julio Barrientos, Cherlynn Low
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

A blockbuster court case centering on who had access to a celebrity’s Instagram Stories will be the subject of a new documentary on Disney+. Wagatha Christie will tell the story of broadcaster Coleen Rooney, who is married to former Manchester United and England football superstar (and current DC United coach) Wayne Rooney. After stories about the Rooney’s life were leaked to the press, stories that were only apparently communicated via private Instagram Stories messages, Coleen opted to do some detective work. After a lengthy winnowing process, Rooney believed that the source of the leaks was Rebekah Vardy, the wife of Leicester and former England star Jamie Vardy.

The case, which has taken on a new and distinct character thanks to social media, was then prompted after Rooney publicly announced that Vardy was the source of the leaks. In a single tweet containing a screenshot essay, Rooney explained how she had narrowed down the options with a series of fake stories targeted at increasingly-small Instagram close friends groups. The disclosure prompted Vardy to sue Rooney for defamation, but Vardy managed to substantially weaken her own case after failing to produce data called for as part of the trial.

(Oh, for those not in the know: WAG is an abbreviation of “Wives and Girlfriends,” a derisory term used to denote the soccer player’s partners, often while playing for the national team. Agatha Christie is the author of a number of famous detective stories, including the Poirot and Miss Marple series. Don’t say the British don’t love a good pun every now and again.)

Apple's 10.2-inch iPad is now on sale for the lowest price we've seen to date. While it's been available for $300 on a few occasions, you can now snap up a 64GB version of the 2021 iPad for $280 on Amazon. That's $49 off the regular price. Both the silver and space grey variants have been discounted.

This iPad has a A13 Bionic chip with Neural Engine, rather than Apple's M1 chipset. It features an 8MP wide-lens camera on the rear and a 12MP ultra-wide selfie camera that supports Center Stage. The idea of the machine learning-powered feature is to keep your face close to the center of the frame even as you move around. Elsewhere, this WiFi-only model has stereo speakers, Touch ID and support for Apple Pencil. Apple says you'll get up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge too.

We gave this iPad a score of 86 in our review, lauding it for the already-solid price as well as the improved front-facing camera and upgraded storage capacity. We felt the performance was better than the 2020 iPad and that the battery life was solid. On the downside, the screen is not Apple's best, while the design felt somewhat dated, particularly compared with other iPads.

You'll be able to upgrade this tablet to iPadOS 16.1 when Apple releases the update sometime this fall. Meanwhile, the company is set to hold an event on September 7th. It's a certainty that we'll see new iPhones then, though Apple may have a new iPad or two to show off as well.

Lucid has a mission: to take on the German luxury brands. Those automakers all have their own performance sub-brands, so Lucid now does. At the annual Monterey Car Week festivities, Lucid unveiled its Sapphire performance brand. As expected, the Air was the first to get the high-powered treatment. The Lucid Air Sapphire has 1,200 horsepower and will do zero to 60 in under two seconds.

It’s more than just throwing another motor in the back for a tri-motor system. The automaker also enhanced the suspension, added some aero bits, and unveiled a new sport mode called Sapphire. With a starting price of $249,000, it’s not for everyone, but if you’re interested, the automaker will start deliveries in 2024.

Ooni pizza ovens have been popular outdoor gadgets as of late, and now you can pick up any of the company's 12-inch models for less. Ooni's early Labor Day sale knocks 20 percent off the Fyra, the Karu 12 and the Koda 12 through August 29th, so you can get the Fyra for $279 and the Karu or Koda 12s for $319. We've recommended these pizza ovens in outdoor guides in the past because they're relatively easy to use and produce delicious, bubbling pizzas that are as close to restaurant quality as you'll get in your home.

All of the models on sale are 12-inch machines, so they're designed to make personal-sized, 12-inch pizzas. The Fyra uses wood pellets to heat up to 950 degrees, while the Koda 12 uses propane to reach the same maximum temperature. We appreciate that the Fyra is pretty portable, too — it has foldable legs and a detachable chimney, and since it weighs roughly 22 pounds, it won't be too difficult to transport.

The Koda 12 gives you a bit more flexibility as it takes wood, charcoal or propane as its fuel source, and it's made of brushed 430 stainless steel. If you plan on using gas, you'll need the gas burner adapter that Ooni sells for this one. The Koda 12 also has a max temperature of 950 degrees and all three of these Oonis take only 15 minutes to heat up. Ooni rarely has sales like this, so now's a good time to pick up one of these pizza ovens while you can get it for less — and while you still have a bit of summer left plus the whole fall season to use it in your backyard.

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Mark Zuckerger has confirmed at The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that Meta will be releasing its next virtual reality headset in October. While he didn't mention a product name, he described a device that's consistent with previous reports about the headset that's codenamed "Project Cambria." He said the company will likely launch it around its annual Connect event, which took place in late October last year.

According to a previous report by The Information, Reality Labs employees described the new headset as "laptop for the face" or "Chromebook for the face." It will reportedly have outward-facing cameras enabling mixed-reality experiences. Also, the publication said back then that it will have the capability to allow users' avatars in the metaverse to mirror their expressions and to show where they're looking in real life. 

As The Verge notes, Zuckerberg has also confirmed those features during his guesting. He said the headset's features allow some kind of eye contact in virtual reality and that it will be able to translate users' expressions in real time to their avatars, whether they're smiling, frowning or pouting. 

The Meta chief didn't delve into pricing and other release details, but the device is expected to be much more expensive than the Quest 2, which itself got a price hike in early August. Bloomberg reported back in July, however, that the upcoming device will be called the Meta Quest Pro and that it will cost upwards of $1,000.

Solo Stove is celebrating Labor Day a bit early this year by discounted all of its fire pits and bundles. This is the first big sale we've seen on the new, second-generation fire pits, which debuted earlier this month. The Ranger 2.0, Bonfire 2.0 and Yukon 2.0 are up tp 40 percent off and down to $200, $230 and $430, respectively. Most bundles are around 45 percent off, including the Bonfire Backyard Bundle 2.0, which includes a spark shield, stand, shelter, carrying case and lid along with the aforementioned fire pit.

We've been fans of Solo Stove machines for a long time here at Engadget. They've made it into numerous guides in the past because, while pricey, they produce less smokey fires and will last longer than cheaper alternatives you can pick up at a local hardware store. Once you get a fire going, Solo Stoves channel smoke away from you using a double-walled design that pulls hot air through vent holes and back into the fire. This setup reduces smoke while also creating a fine ash and keeping the fire hot.

The 2.0 models that recently came out fix arguably our biggest gripe with these machines — how difficult they can be to clean. After a couple of uses, you used to have to pick up the whole fire pit and hold it upside down over the garbage to get all of the ash and debris out. That's not necessary now thanks to the removable base plate and ash pan that come with the 2.0 models. Once the fire pit has completely cooled, you can simply reach in, remove the base plate and then pull out the ash pan to dump out leftover debris.

This is a big improvement and will make the overall experience of using a Solo Stove much easier. Plus, the company didn't mess with the design otherwise. The new models have the same 360° Signature Airflow Technology of the previous versions, plus all of the first-gen accessories work with the new fire pits. Whether you're picking up a Solo Stove for the first time or upgrading from your current fire pit, now's a great time to grab one of the latest machines while they're on sale.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

We’re in the middle of a major wearable refresh. With Apple’s latest Watch expected to surface at its iPhone event in a few weeks, we’ve already seen updates from Fitbit and been testing out the latest pair of smartwatches from Samsung. To be honest, its outdoor-minded Galaxy Watch 5 Pro isn’t that different from the Galaxy Watch 5. 

Microsoft

Aside from a larger screen, bigger battery and more durable glass, its applications have few upgrades on the Watch 5. Still, with its rugged build and the company’s capable wellness-tracking software, the Watch 5 Pro can still claim the title of best Android smartwatch. Check out our full review of both watches.

– Mat Smith

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DJI's Avata is a cinewhoop-style FPV drone

It pairs with the new DJI Goggles 2 video headset.

DJI has launched a new cinematic drone called Avata, made to work with the new DJI Goggles 2 video headset. Since it's a cinewhoop, the Avata has the speed and agility of racers but with the stabilization technology needed to capture smooth vivid footage. The camera can shoot 4K videos in 60 fps and 2.7K videos in 50, 60, 100 or 120 fps. The DJI Avata is available today from the company's website and various retailers, with prices starting at €579. We’re still waiting to hear US pricing.

Continue reading.

Duolingo is expanding into math lessons and brain training

It's moving beyond language learning

Duolingo Math marks the learning company’s first move beyond language. The new app has two elements. The first is a math course designed for elementary school-level kids, with short, gamified math lessons. The app also has a brain training component geared toward those aged 13+.

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Sonos is reportedly developing a speaker that can beam sound in almost all directions

It will be the company's next flagship.

According to early images seen by The Verge, Sonos is working on a new high-end speaker with the codename Optimo 2. If its current design sticks, the device will have a dual-angled shell and be able to fire sound in nearly all directions, including up. Its work-in-progress images apparently make it look as big as the Sonos Five.

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The first fully hydrogen-powered passenger train service is now running in Germany

Alstom's Coradia iLint trains only emit water.

The first fully hydrogen-powered passenger train service is now up and running. Coradia iLint trains built by Alstom are running on the line in Lower Saxony, Germany. The only emissions are steam and condensed water, and Alstom notes the train operates with a low level of noise. Alstom says the Coradia iLint has a range of 1,000 km (621 miles), so it can run all day using a single tank of hydrogen.

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Helicopters and gliders are coming to '’Microsoft Flight Simulator' on November 11th

They're returning to the series for the first time since 2006.

Microsoft

We knew helicopters and gliders were coming to Microsoft Flight Simulator, but they'll arrive earlier than expected. Developer Asobo Studio previously said it would add them on November 22nd, but it will introduce both types of aircraft on November 11th instead. That's the release date for the game's 40th Anniversary Edition, which will be available as a free update for anyone who has bought Microsoft Flight Simulator. In all, Asobo will add 12 aircraft: four classic commercial airports (including Meigs Field in Chicago), 10 glider airports, 14 heliports and 20 missions from previous games on November 11th.

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After months of innuendo, speculation and rumor, German car giant Audi has announced that it will join Formula One from the 2026 season. The VW-owned company says it will build a new hybrid engine for the competition at its facility in Neuburg. Audi said that technical changes made by the sport’s governing body, the FIA, to prevent cost overruns and improve sustainability prompted it to sign up. It’s hoped Audi will help push the sport to its ambitious goal of being climate neutral by 2030.

Broadly speaking, the FIA’s new engine specifications require a V6 engine designed to run on a more sustainable fuel blend. Paired with that will be a 400kW electric motor with an output of around 544 horsepower, making it almost as powerful as the V6 itself. Audi added that its project will be led by Adam Baker, who has previously served as the FIA’s Safety Director, and had stints with Cosworth (another F1 engine maker) and BMW.

Audi said it will announce which team it will work with “by the end of this year,” but most F1 fans feel it’s already a done deal. The longstanding rumor is that Audi will buy a majority stake in Swiss motorsport company Sauber, which currently races under the Alfa Romeo livery. As Planet F1 reports, Sauber has already been the subject of takeover talks this year and could benefit from a big auto giant’s backing.

Given the fact we’re still some years away from Audi’s first race, it’s not clear how any of this will impact the storylines on Drive To Survive, which I know is what most of you are worried about. Whatever happens, I’m sure Christian Horner will find a way to be face-punchingly smug about it.