Hold onto your hats, the next installment of the Mario Kart series, Mario Kart 7, has just released a trailer that shows off some of the interesting new features this title will drive up with.

This marks the first numbered Mario Kart and is the 7th installment in the series, not counting the GP arcade versions, for those keeping track at home. Nintendo wants to take a different approach with Mario Kart 7 and have given the go-karters some interesting new terrain to race and battle over. In the new Mario Kart 7 trailer we get to see how the gliding and underwater track sections will work. Unlike previous versions where water was to be avoided at all costs, here they have incorporated it by slapping a propeller on your kart to keep players from losing momentum.

New racers, online capabilities and 16 new tracks are nothing to scoff at, but 16 remastered classic tracks has Mario Kart 7 going for the gold. All the classic tracks are hinted at each having a twist. It’s suspected they’re talking about altering the tracks to make them more challenging and not something as simple as turning Rainbow Road monochrome, but we'll see.

The customization for your kart seems to be amped up, which is nice for those who like to trick out their ride. As previously announced, Nintendo is releasing a racing wheel peripheral to use with the optional 3DS motion controls so players can actually have the feeling of steering the wheel. However, using 3D with the motion controls could leave you feeling carsick.

The real stars of any Mario Kart though are the items. The trailer shows off a bunch of the ones we’ve come to know and love, but also a few new ones such as the raccoon tail. Spinning your tail and knocking back opponents looks deeply satisfying. Doesn’t look like building up speed with the tail will allow you to fly for a short period, but it does seem like that would be a no-brainer when introducing flying mechanics into the series.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH7xtP6JaPA

Nintendo has been feeling the heat as of late and is relying on the cool holiday season to pull them out of the fire. Mario Kart 7 is just one of many titles predicted to do just that and, from the looks of this trailer, they might just be on the right track.

Mario Kart 7 releases December 4 for the Nintendo 3DS.