The new go-karts in the upcoming Mario Kart for the Nintendo 3DS might take racing to new heights and depths, but they also pose an interesting problem for one particular small-business owner. Lakitu, who operates a Mushroom Kingdom-based towing company, has so far been reluctant to embrace the state-of-the-art propeller technology that lets drivers travel underwater. He built his fortune fishing for waterlogged racers to put them back on the track, but now, these magical spinning blades threaten that.

Lakitu recently had to lay off several employees due to the decreased demand for his services. Back during the Super Mario Kart heyday, his flying-cloud-based business would come to the aid of dozens of racers who found themselves swimming with the cheep-cheeps. Even though he would only make about two coins a tow, it was more than enough to make ends meet and hire some extra staff. These days, the drivers just keep on trucking...er, diving.

He still finds work running the general races and helping stranded plumbers, toads, and reptiles -- among others -- who have lost their way from the various courses, but he has definitely fallen on hard times. Though he isn't one to be against the march of progress, at times, Lakitu wishes that this one piece of technology, like the drivers he directs, would turn around and go the other way after he holds up the "wrong direction" sign.