Mario Kart 7 will gain an officially licensed steering wheel attachment, it has been revealed.

The steering wheel will be manufactured by Japanese company Hori, and has been approved by Nintendo, reports Andriasang.

The wheel utilises the 3DS’s gyroscopic controls, although players can also use a regular control scheme with the add-on attached.

The 3DS slots into the centre of the wheel, which is due to launch alongside Mario Kart 7 on December 1.

Costing ¥1,280 (£10.50), the Hori steering wheel is currently only confirmed for Japan.

Mario Kart 7 will be released on December 2 in Europe and December 4 in North America.

‘Mario Kart 7’: Preview

Mario Kart 7 is the latest instalment in Nintendo’s long-running racing franchise. New features include the ability to fly through the air and race underwater, alongside increased car customisation and 3DS SpotPass and StreetPass features, and, of course, 3D. We go hands-on with three courses and reveal the strengths of Mario Kart’s latest additions.

Just when I thought I didn’t need another Mario Kart game in my life, the 3DS edition proved me absolutely wrong. While Nintendo has shrunk the racer into the palm of our hands before – 2005’sMario Kart DS remains one of the series’ finest outings – Mario Kart 7 still manages to come across as a bit of a marvel. Analogue control, well-implemented 3D visuals and an incredibly smooth framerate make an old favourite feel brand new again, but of course there’s plenty more to it than a new lick of paint.

Read out for more on Mario Kart 7 in the next issue of DYRT