Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Uses Real RC Cars And Augmented Reality

My inner child died and went to heaven during this trailer. Too bad my place is way too small and carpeted. There’s no chance I could get this to work practically at home.

This looks pretty cool, if my apartment was bigger I'd jump right on it. It'll make a great Christmas gift

This is pretty cool if you have the space for it. Thinking about picking this up for my nephew and I to play together.

It’s really cool, I just wish my place wasn’t carpeted. Kids would go absolutely wild for this though.

Looks nice, but my kids would destroy everything. I'll pass on this...

I was shocked.
I thought it was Mario Kart 9.

@BenAV
Well, we can make Baby Park course if we have very tiny space. 😆

Love the idea, but would never work in (this) crowded family home.

I imagine you'd ram the kart into a sofa/table leg/skirting board/cat/general floor tat/door about five times then put it away in a cupboard.

So there is a Hot Wheel Mario Kart set and now this.... could it be that this is leading up to a proper MK for the Switch?

I've just moved to a house with laminate flooring and my sons birthday is coming up, so I know what needs to happen now 😉

Move over Mario Maker, because people are gonna get super creative with this one.

First thought in my head was to have non-players stomp across the tracks like living obstacles during play. Man, I announcements like this make me wish I was a kid again.

Not enough space in the houses in Europe to use that nicely.
The idea is cool and kids are going to love it but it's certainly not for me.

Like Lego Super Mario, not sure if I'm the target audience, but this seems like a really neat idea, and lots of fun for those who are able to use it.

Toys to life is back, and this time it actually functions as a toy.

Is this what Nintendo thought we meant by wanting a new Mario Kart game on the Switch
A spinoff of a spinoff
They must be trying their hardest to take the mick now

Looks really fun, but only if you own a massive house with a hard floor.

@Anti-Matter I genuinely don't expect a Mario Kart 9 until Switch 2

I would absolutely be in for this, but looks like 1 car per Switch, and surely the real appeal here lies in multiplayer mode?

@thesilverbrick My place is too small and has three dogs. I don't think they'll only damage the cars in augmented reality...
Otherwise, I'd have loved this!

Great time to be. A wonderful idea. I wonder if you can use it outdoors too.

You gotta have a clean house. And a big living room.

I went from screaming in delight to realising that it wasn't Mario Kart 9 and then wondering whether it was possible to un-s**t one's pants.

Muahahaha! Suck it, scalliwags! I have a wooden floor AND a large open space!

But seriously, this is so creative. I could see this being a hit without the Mario branding attached, but having it be part of the Mariokart line seems right on brand for that Nintendo style of creativity (even though they didn't even come up with it themselves) good move on their part to scoop this one up.

Also, I can see them releasing a sort of laminated tile set to lay over carpeting as an extra accessory.

If this takes off and ends up being a hit, they can go full Amiibo and release new racers one by one.

did anyone else notice the lines on the floor for the track. ie carpet rugs your stuffed. do you have to stick outline of track to floor or mark it on floor. neat idea but will await full details and price. but my little boy would go nuts for this

@rockodoodle Nah mate. The next console will see MK9. Makes sense.

Best Buy has this listed at $100. Preorders are not up yet.
Just a Notify Me. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/mario-kart-live-home-circuit-nintendo-switch/6414101.p?skuId=6414101

This is really gimmicky. Which is a shame. =( Oh well, glad to see some effort in giving the Switch its own Mario Kart.

@Anti-Matter Just what I was thinking 🤣🤣

I think this looks fantastic — yes, especially for kids, but it is really creative and fun, regardless.

MK8 on switch is so rich that going a totally different route and pioneering a new style of game makes sense.

Absolutely brilliant.

But it won't be practical for a lot of people.

It will also be horrendously expensive getting all the karts with their in-built HD cameras.

I think this is a super cool and creative idea! I wonder if they'll add some other characters?

@Shambo

When the Nintendogs assist tropy enters your Mario Kart game for real.

All very nice but there aren’t that many working class homes that will have the floor space to do this.

And... the software is download only.

I will never understand why they make such stupid decisions for games that require physical toys to operate (and vice versa).

That has cut my enthusiasm by nearly 100%.

I'm tempted, but what's the price of the RC cars themselves?

@tourjeff

Speak for yourself.

My living room #1 is 50 Square feet.
My living room #2 is 30 square feet.
Both living rooms have laminate floor like in video.

Do you still think your place is the biggest in whole europe?

This is a really cool idea for a Mario Kart spin-off.

This looks extremely fun! If I was a kid I would be absolutely begging for this (although I wouldn't get it unless I paid for it myself, because my parents didn't usually spoil me with $100 gifts.) Imagine how much I could've annoyed my parents or brothers with this by following them around as they tried to work.

As an adult... I feel like I would play with this for an hour or so and then get bored and go check Twitter again or something. Sigh. How boring I am now. Maybe someday if I have my own kids...

Really really cool looks like you need a smooth floor though.
I hope they still bring mario kart vr out oneway to homes.

@Scoopz I don't understand the sentiment here. There seems to be a idea that it would be better for both the fans and even Nintendo to not release a proper MK for the Switch. I don't think it is outside the question that this would outsell MK8d, not to mention sell more consoles.

@Anguspuss What I gather from the description and trailer, is that you'll setup the checkpoint markers and then drive the course yourself to "create" it. I assume this from the "paint" sound effect in the trailer as Mario drove a path without racing UI, and then it started the actual race.

This is bonkers in the best way.

I hope it works as advertised!

I'd love to play this at my house but there are piles of dog crap all over the floor

I wonder if this'll work outside on pavement or in a driveway.

@Ventilator where did I say my place was the biggest in Europe?
I was saying the exactly opposite. Most of the people that I know that live in London don't have a massive living room area like the one in the video.
And, as far as I know, in most of the European capitals, the average population live in apartments that are not big.

@rockodoodle Dont understand or wont accept my perspective? We've been through this in depth on another post

MK8D is still selling extremely well which means it would be insane from a business perspective for Nintendo to cannibalize those sales

Wii U only sold around 14 million. Not every Wii U owner bought MK8 and there are near 65 million Switch owners.

Therefore there are still many more people for whom MK8D would be a new experience. This isn't just about you.

I understand you were probably a Wii U owner, but youre in the minority. Come out of your bubble and accept the situation. Again i repeat this isnt just about you. Nintendo are a business and their business decision to port and remaster MK8 was evidently a wise move going by its sales performance.

As a fan of the franchise and Nintendo, new DLC would make sense. Then when we have a more powerful successor we can get a new MK with better graphics, better physics and an overall more distinct experience from what Switch could produce.

As a true fan i want whats best for the franchise and Nintendo themselves.

Kids and kids at heart can use toys and diorama pieces to really jazz up their tracks too.

@leathco I think someone said it was $100 on best buy

@KingBowser86 hopefully but in trailer you can see like white lines on the actual floor. might just be the floor joints tho

@thesilverbrick,

I was thinking with the Switch portability, I could take the races outside as well.

Agreeing with the others here, cool tech toy w/ AR but don't have the space for it and even if we did I'd use it for like 15 minutes.

Nintendo is going all in on making Switch a "toy" hub though, Labo, Ring Fit, RC cars. I suppose a drone or helicopter is next, RC Pilotwings.

60 comments so far, and nobody has pointed out that you DON'T need a house or a big floor for this game.

• driveway
• cul-de-sac
• parking lot
• open street (talk about track hazards!)
• school gym (or adult gym, when they reopen)
• playground

I can even imagine packing dirt and making Excitebite-style motocross tracks with bumps and banks. The karts would probably need extra maintenance afterward from the dirt, but it should work.

Also, I think the game will be popular on YouTube and Twitch because people are going to go bonkers with track decorations. Imagine Jelle's Marble Run-style presentation with this game. Some people might even sell advertising on the track walls.

This better not be the only other Switch MK title. The Switch needs a proper Mario Kart 9, not a port or a toy based spinoff.

I hope the toy communicates with the switch directly rather then through WiFi. If so I could see this getting more use outside then in the house.

@bubicus Your comment wasn't showing when I wrote mine but essentially you've summed up what I was thinking better then I could.

Sorry, but Mario Kart 9 looks really crappy. I know it's cool having virtual augmented reality, but I don't like it.

@Scoopz and Mario Kart 8 Wii U outsold Double Dash, but you don't see Double Dash getting re-released.

@hotgamer77

Did I miss something? I didn't see any news about Mario Kart 9. The RC version looks like fun, but we know so little - how long does it take to charge a kart and how long does it drive with one charge? If it is depleted after 30-40 min that would be a bummer. Otherwise to play that game that long you need to change your course a lot, I guess. Still nice, and I would have a lot of space to play that here, but I am not fully convinced. The beginning of this trailer really made me think of finally getting Mario Kart 9.

My first thought upon viewing this trailer is that I REALLY hope it isn't the only Switch-original Mario Kart title we end up getting on the system. Sure it looks like a novel concept, but honestly I doubt that it will have legs for many people due to requiring real toy cars (which for all we know may end up being expensive on their own) and a proper space to lay out a track and play. It definitely isn't an all-in-one, portable experience like a mainstream Mario Kart.

I don't know how far out Mario Kart 9 may be, but regardless of MK8's sales figures (yes, I know certain folks here like to keep beating that drum, but stuff like that's a lot more important to corporations and stockholders than to the average consumer), the Switch is way overdue for an original first-party multiplayer title not named Smash Bros.. Hopefully no later than the end of next year, but then with Zelda and Metroid possibly lining up for that same release window, that would make for an awfully crowded holiday 2021.

Good luck finding this! I'm sure the typical thing will happen. Nintendo will produce like 5 of each!

@hotgamer77 Remasters werent commonplace in 2006 when Wii launched. Furthermore with the Wiis unique selling point being motion controls it made far more sense to have a new Mario Kart built from the ground up around that instead of shoehorning motion controls into a Mario Kart that wasnt well received.

Different era, different marketplace.

The MK8 remaster however made sense and as i said before, the commercial reaction shows it was the right business move.

1 mainstream MK per system makes sense. We'll have a new console end of 2022/early 2023. Id much rather see the system seller that is MK used to ensure the Switchs follow up is a success as opposed to Nintendo catering for the more entitled sections of their fans.

Best Buy's placeholder price for this game is $99 US. Don't know if that will change once the game becomes active and up for sale on their website, but it would seem to indicate that the toy cars probably account for a large percentage of the price, especially if the comment above that mentioned the software being download-only is correct. Can't imagine too many folks having pockets deep enough to plunk $200 down for a second kart to be able to play multiplayer. Even if that second kart is, say, $50 to $75 as a standalone item, that's just too much of an investment for a single game, let alone one with this one's limitations.

@Tempestryke I have to wonder if green-screened room courses will become a thing?

@Scoopz I get that it is still selling well, but is not going to continue to do so for the duration of the projected three years remaining in the lifespan. They can do something cool like have an open world like Forza Horizon, add a team component or add a track editor, then save other innovation for a future entry..... Or vice versa....the vast majority of people have owned MK8d for at least two years.

Bottom line is as far as original content, the last year has been pretty sparse and mainly contains remasters and ports. I am losing interest in Nintendo by the day and from the sound of it, I am not alone. I would rather get a next gen console or game pass

@rockodoodle Then get a next gen console. It doesnt have to be one or the other.

As i hightlighted there are around 65 million Switch owners, only a 3rd of them have MK8D and this consoles sales projections are very healthy meaning yes it will continue to sell well over the next couple years. Mario Kart is one of Nintendos evergreen titles that sell well through their respective systems life cycles.

Youre not going to get another mainstream MK on Switch. DLC makes more sense business wise and is your best hope.

Can’t wait to see streamers dig into this and show off their courses. Would be neat if you can pair with friends for 4x4, or to make a much larger track or full circuit.

After the novelty wears off after a few races it becomes crappy courses vs bots

@Alienfreaks04 agreed. This is the kind of thing that fun for Xmas morning, then by New Years day, it goes in the closet.

Very interesting and very cool. Most UK living rooms (or rooms in general) aren't that big as shown in the video with the wood/laminate floor..but I am sure we will get clever adaptations. Maybe driveways?

@Tempestryke

the dogs here would be rather overpowered as an assist trophy... Not only would they fill the entire screen, they'd destroy the stage as well. They'd win the fight.

It sounds interesting and fun to turn your surroundings into a Mario Kart Track, though I still don't understand the tech. Isn't the Switch suppossed to have a built-in camera to make it work? It doesn't have one btw.

And thankfully! it's being developed by Velan Studios (is this the studio that is also collaborating with EA?) which means Nintendo EPD is still hopefully researching and developing a true successor to Mario Kart 8.

@kalosn
The kart toy has the camera on it and streams it to the Switch. The Switch then renders and overlays game models onto the imagery it gets from the kart.

This wasn't done by a first party team, so I don't think this makes Mario Kart 9 less likely

Karthik Bala? That’s the same dude who did all those awesome Wii Guitar Hero ports when he worked at Vicarious Visions.

@Toy_Link
Oh now I get it, thanks for the explanation!
...which sounds like a fine workaround for AR on Switch, until they finally make one with a camera.

RIP every dog

This was the Best announcement of the Direct. This Will be the favorite holiday gift for this year.

@tourjeff Yeah, apartments is often small in big cities.
Still. Most people lives in houses anyway near cities.

In my case i live in big a house 2 minutes from a city as i can't stand apartments for several reasons. Way too little space, wall to wall neighbors, noise rules etc.
Great thing is that big houses is cheaper than city apartments. lol

I've heard from Vergeben (who is a credible leaker) that Mario Kart 9 is not a 2020 game and is delayed to 2021 due to coronavirus so there's a chance a proper Mario Kart Game for the Switch may come in Summer 2021 cause the Mario Direct only revealed things up to March 2021

@Shambo. 😆 Oh no!

Looks awesome. Reminds me of those videos on Youtube of people's model railways going all the way round their house. Perhaps a rogue dog or cat steps over the track like something from Jurassic Park.

I have space for this and if it gets tight I could set something up in the back garden XD

@bubicus if these were RC ATV's with decent range that can outrun big dogs and withstand an attack, it'd be slightly different. But it would have to be really strong and really fast for the dogs here, or it would be broken within seconds. I'd gladly get one, to race through my forest here and see the dogs chasing it on my Switch. When I saw the trailer I thought of how awesome an AR Excite Truck game would be here. Or just a strong RC ATV with a forward and backward facing camera.

Who says you have to do it in your house? A playground, parking lot, gym, or lots of other places could be used just as well, if not better.