As with previous games in the Mario Kart series, players participate in racing on various Mario-themed tracks, playing as one of seventeen different Mario characters. While racing, the players make use of power-up items that either assist their character or hinder opposing characters. New additions to the game include hang-gliding attachments for karts, the ability to drive underwater, the ability to drive in first person, and the ability to fully customize the vehicles' builds.[2]

The game supports both local and online multiplayer for up to eight players. It was released to positive reviews with praise for the new additions, tracks and gameplay although the limited single player modes (such as the removal of the customizable Versus mode), item balancing and difficulty curve received criticism. Mario Kart 7 was the second 3DS game to sell over five million units, following Super Mario 3D Land.

A Nintendo eShop version was released in 2012. By December 2019, it had sold over 18 million copies worldwide, making it the 3DS's best-selling game.