Which Mario Kart game was the first entry released for Nintendo 3DS?

Mario Kart 7 was the first Mario Kart game released for the Nintendo 3DS. It launched in Japan on December 1, 2011, followed by North American, European, and Australian releases later that month.

The game was originally announced as Mario Kart 3DS before Nintendo settled on the title Mario Kart 7. Its 3DS design introduced several major series features, including gliding sections, underwater driving, vehicle-part customization, and optional first-person gyro controls.

A common mix-up is Mario Kart: Super Circuit, which was the first Mario Kart released on any handheld system, arriving for Game Boy Advance in 2001. Mario Kart DS followed in 2005, but neither was a 3DS title. Mario Kart 7 also became the best-selling game on the 3DS, with nearly 19 million copies sold worldwide.

Its title refers to its position as the seventh mainline Mario Kart game, following Mario Kart Wii and preceding Mario Kart 8.