Nintendo and Retro Studios appear to be moving closer together, as designer Shigeru Miyamoto revealed the Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns developer is also helping contribute to the development of Mario Kart 3DS.

“It’s thanks to Retro Studios that you call can play Mario Kart later this year,” he said.

Miyamoto said Retro is designing a number of tracks for Mario Kart 3DS.

The latest version of Mario Kart includes both underwater and kite sequences, and as Miyamoto himself pointed out, Nintendo’s set to release it sometime this year.