Finally: A chance to put all those 'Mario Kart' skills you built up on N64 to good use

Best Buy is hosting Nintendo World Championships qualifiers – including in Minnesota.

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Updated:: Mar 8, 2018
Original:: Aug 8, 2017

All those hours you've spent navigating the valleys of Choco Mountain and avoiding the lava pits of Bowser's Castle might actually come in handy now.

Best Buy is hostingMario Kart competitions in the coming weeks, where you can earn a spot in the 2017 Nintendo World Championships. There are only eight of these happening, during each of the four weekends starting Aug. 19-20.

And Sept. 2-3, Best Buy's Richfield store – just down the road from its corporate headquarters – will get in on the action. You can see the full schedule here.

But this isn't a free-for-all. There are some things you'll want to be prepared for.

1. There's no pre-registration needed

To compete, it's first come, first served – registration starts when the store opens in the morning, and Best Buy will try to fit in as many competitors as possible during the race times, a spokesperson said.

Competition times are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Best Buy said there were hundreds of people at each qualifier last time they hosted these (in 2015), and they're expecting just as much interest – maybe more – this time around.

2. This isn't an old-school N64 battle

You're playing Mario Kart 7 on the Nintendo 2DS XL – so don't expect an N64 trident controller.

3. You can't pick your character or course

This will be kind of a bummer for you Yoshi or Toad devotees: The driver and course are set ahead of time.

Racers under 13 years old will use Mario, and race on the DS Luigi's Mansion course. If you're 13 or older, you're stuck with the uncontrollable behemoth Bowser on the GBA Bowser Castle 1 course.

Both age groups will use Standard Kart, Standard Wheels and the Super Glider.

4. It's a time trial – not an actual race

You'll get two runs to clock in at the fastest time you can. The person with the fastest single time in each age group will go on to the finals this fall. If there's a tie, the person whose second run was fastest gets the nod.

5. The winner takes off to New York

The Nintendo World Championship finals are Oct. 7 in NYC, so the top time trial finisher in each of the eight cities will be brought out there to compete.

That's not just Mario Kart, though. Details haven't been revealed, but the finalists will go at it in a variety of Nintendo games – getting eliminated or advancing based on how well they do.