Some eagle-eyed gamers had spotted it and pointed it out.
Easily one of the most popular and most enjoyable video games ever made, about the only offensive thing you could find in a game of Mario Kart is being hit by a red turtle shell by a fellow player just as you were about to cross the finish line.
Until now, that is.
According to Mashable, Nintendo have had to release an update for the latest incarnation of one of their most popular games after gamers picked up on a gesture made by one of the game’s characters that could be deemed as offensive.
Before the update was released, the character in question, Inkling Girl, could be seen making a celebratory gesture in which she raises her fist while her other arm rests on her bicep.
In some parts of the world, particularly in Europe, it could be interpreted as a symbol for that most universal of phrases, ‘Up yours’.
Did Nintendo slip an "up yours" pose into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or is it a reference to "We Can Do It!"? pic.twitter.com/oOrmL29dOs
— Samuel Schultz 🌵 (@Lunick_Fiore) April 28, 2017
This is the original, would appreciate if someone can check the game for me. (Busy atm) pic.twitter.com/wtSunvWCBN
— Pedro L.🫧🤿 (@BubblemanPedri) May 18, 2017
The gesture was spotted and posted on Twitter by some eagle-eyed gamers and Nintendo have now confirmed that “Inkling Girl’s animation has been adjusted” in the notes on their latest update.
In fairness, the temptation to unleash such a gesture once you’ve bested an opponent in a game as crazily competitive as Mario Kart is hard to resist, but, much like a footballer scoring against his former club, Inkling Girl’s celebrations are going to have to be a little more muted from now on.
