Nintendo Announce Locations For Regional Mario Kart 7 Heats

About a month and a half ago, Nintendo announced they were embarking on a search to find the UK's fastest family by taking the 3DS title, Mario Kart 7 on tour across the UK, designing a competition made out of regional heats, leading to a national showdown, with the winners coming away with a family car and a year's supply of 3DS titles. Now, we have news on where and when you'll be able to get behind the wheel and race your way to victory – whilst spamming the other characters with shells, bombs and more, naturally. Taking place in HMV stores across the country this August, starting tomorrow, the places are as follows:

Scotland

Aberdeen: 113 Union Bridge - 3rd & 4th
Edinburgh: 129/130 Princes Street - 17th & 18th
Glasgow: 235 Buchanan Street - 10th & 11th

England

Newcastle: 56 Northumberland Street - 24th & 25th
Gateshead: 22 (68a) Cameron Walk, Metro Centre - 3rd & 4th
Leeds: 1 Victoria Walk, Headrow Centre - 10th & 11th
Manchester: 90/100 Market Street - 17th & 18th
Sheffield: 34 High Street, Meadowhall Centre - 3rd & 4th
Nottingham: Unit 28, The Victoria Centre - 17th & 18th
Derby: 2 Albion Street - 10th & 11th
Birmingham: MSU2A, Bullring Shopping Centre - 24th & 25th
Norwich: 21 Gentlemans Walk - 10th & 11th
Milton Keynes: 78 Midsummer Arcade - 17th & 18th
Oxford: 43/46 Commarket Street - 24th & 25th
Bristol: Unit 47/48 Lower Level Mall, Cribbs Causeway - 17th & 18th
Reading: 13 Holy Brook Walk, The Oracle - 3rd & 4th
Basingstoke: Unit 28/29, Festival Place - 17th & 18th
Guildford: 75/79 The Friary Centre - 10th & 11th
London: 150 Oxford Street - 24th & 25th
Kingston: Units 11/12, First Floor Bentalls Centre, Clarence Street - 17th & 18th
Croydon: Unit 18-22 Centrale - 3rd & 4th
Canterbury: 12 St Margaret's Street - 10th & 11th
Brighton: 48-50 Churchill Square Shopping Centre - 24th & 25th
Southampton: 56/58 Above Bar Street - 10th & 11th
Exeter: SU 20/21, Princesshay Shopping Centre - 24th & 25th
Plymouth: Drake Circus Shopping Centre, 1 Charles Street - 3rd & 4th

Wales

Cardiff: Unit 4, 53-57 Queens Street - 3rd & 4th
Swansea: Unit 1, 18-20 St. Mary's Square - 10th & 11th

It's worth bearing in mind though, that the competition does have a few odd rules. In order to ensure it's a family affair, you have to be in a team where the age gap between players is at least ten years, and at least one person has to be over 18, while the younger must be over 7. Teams can only be two players, and it's not possible to enter as a pair of siblings – although families can enter more than one team.

The Grand Final will take place on the 27th of October in Birmingham, and those that make it through to the final will be telephoned/emailed by the 9th of September. Until then, Rufus Hound has a few tips and details about his patented P.E.A.C.H training system to help you with your last minute practice: