Nintendo has revealed Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, a mix between a video game and a physical toy which will allow you to race around your own home in that classic Mario Kart style.
This unique product is out now, with fans able to order the Mario version or Luigi version from retailers such as Amazon. You can click either of those last two links to fly away to a product page with all the speed and intensity of a blue shell.
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Much like the LEGO Super Mario Kit and LEGO NES kit, Mario Kart Live has been developed as part of the 35th-anniversary celebrations for Nintendo's iconic plumber.
Keep reading for all the essential info on Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit...
Mario Kart Live explained
Is Mario Kart Live a game or is it a toy? Well, actually, it's both! You'll be setting up a course in your living room, plonking your specially-made toy cars on the floor, and controlling them via Nintendo Switch!
"Things that happen in-game will even affect how your kart moves in real life," Nintendo explains. "If you use a Mushroom, your kart will get a small burst of speed, but you’ll come to a stop if you’re hit by another racer’s Red Shell." It's a really cool mixture of game, toy and augmented reality tech.
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Mario Kart Live courses
To make a course for Mario Kart Live, players will need to assemble and place down the four cardboard gates that are included in the box. Once in place, you can create your course layout by driving through the gates however you want, going underneath furniture or around obstacles as you please. As shown in this screenshot from the trailer below, this can lead to some interesting track designs...
However, Mario Kart Live still has 'Grand Prix' races, which each come with their own theme and aesthetic that will influence how the race looks and plays out. These themes will see players racing underwater, through fire, and across ice, for example. There are nine available Grand Prix's to complete, consisting of three races each.
Nintendo recommends players have at least 10x12ft of space available for their track, or 15x15ft when racing at higher CCs.
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Mario Kart Live gameplay video and details
Mario Kart Live pits players against Koopalings as you race to win the Grand Prix trophies. Currently, there are no other characters available for players to race against.
Aside from Grand Prix, other Mario Kart modes such as Time Trials, Mirror Mode, and VS Race (Custom Races) return in Mario Kart Live.
Players will have access to classic Mario Kart items such as Red Shells, Banana Skins, Lightning, Bullet Bill, Mushroom, Blooper and the Blue Shell (described as the 'Spiny Shell' by Nintendo). When these items hit or are used by the player, they will have an impact on the real kart, either speeding it up or stopping it entirely based on the items used.
Mario Kart Live can be played in 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, or 200cc. Just like in classic Mario Kart titles, higher cc's will mean karts will go faster.
During races, you can collect coins to earn cosmetic rewards, including new outfits for Mario and Luigi, new Kart designs, and steering wheels. As you'd expect, however, these customisations will only show up on your screen.
Mario Kart Live price
Nintendo website has put up an official product page for Mario Kart Live (you can click here to see it), confirming that this set will cost £99.99 - not a bad price to pay for all the things you get!
You'll have a choice of two products to buy: there will be a Mario version and a Luigi version. Whichever one you choose, you'll find a kart, four gates, two arrow markers and a USB charging cable in the box. You'll also need a Nintendo Switch console (which is sold separately).
However, if you want to play Mario Kart Live with a friend, you'll have to buy a second kart, and another Nintendo Switch, as there is currently no split-screen available.
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Mario Kart Live deals
At ShopTo, you can buy the Luigi version or a Mario version of Mario Kart Live for £89.85 - that's a saving of about a tenner, which certainly isn't to be sniffed at!
Right now, ShopTo seems to have run out of stock - but you know what limited edition Nintendo products are like, you might get lucky with a restock if you check back regularly enough! You can click here for the Luigi version or here for the Mario version.
Mario Kart Live pre-order, release date and where to buy
Mario Kart Live came out on 16th October 2020, so the pre-order window has now ended! You can buy one instantaneously instead.
You can click here to see the Mario version's product page on Amazon, for example, or you could click here for the Luigi version. And, unlike some stores, Amazon still seems to have stock at the moment - in the UK at least!
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