Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit video review, gameplay, verdict
Mario Bros. have had a 2020 makeover – and the augmented reality Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is unlike any other game out there.
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Of all the Nintendo franchises out there, Mario Kart is my favourite.
It’s the one that has brought the most joy over the years from the iconic Mario Kart 64 to the excellent Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – the latter really brings out the competitive streak in me when playing online.
But when Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit was first announced back in September, I was both excited and sceptical.
In theory, the idea of a remote-controlled kart that uses augmented reality (AR) technology via the on-board camera to transport your living room into the Mario Kart universe sounds incredible – but how well does it work?
WATCH THE VIDEO REVIEW TO FIND OUT
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The initial set-up is a breeze. Download the free software from the Nintendo eShop and fire it up – follow Toad’s instructions for pairing the kart with your Switch via a QR code, then watch as Mario or Luigi (depending on which set you buy) jumps into a warp pipe, immersed in your world.
Each kit comes with four cardboard gates, plus two directional cardboard signs, creating your own larger-than-life Mario Kart course.
How you set up your track is completely up to you and the limitations of both your space and the local Wi-Fi/bluetooth signals that communicate between your Switch and the kart.
While the game trailer suggests that wooden floors are the optimal surface, I’m happy to report that carpet and tiled surfaces also work. Nintendo does recommend Mario Kart Live is played within a flat, indoor space of at least 3m x 3.5m.
Once the four gates are in place, Lakitu will splash paint on your virtual kart and it’s up to you to drive around and connect the four gates in numerical order to map out the physical course.
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In typical Mario Kart fashion you race in a Cup series, gaining coins to unlock more kart designs, outfits and power-ups, while racing against the CPU. Multiplayer is an option but each player will need their own physical kart and Switch to play.
The kart itself has very responsive handling, great for tight turning, and you can also power slide around corners for a quick turbo boost – just like any kart racer worth its salt. What blows my mind about the AR technology is that it actually works as advertised – mushroom power-ups bring a speed boost while shells, bananas and more will literally stop you in your tracks.
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Living in a smallish Sydney apartment, I chose to push those aforementioned limitations with my first creation – stretching from my living room, to the kitchen, and back again, with the help of boxes, figurines and cushions to enclose the track.
Once I hit the kitchen, the camera feed from the kart started to cut out intermittently with steering still intact, and then video would properly restore once closer in range. For the purpose of this review I had my Switch docked to capture gameplay footage, but I would recommend playing handheld while being situated around the centre of your playing area.
Reining things in a little bit on my second course design, I created a figure-eight loop around the living room with plenty of space for drifting, plus generous straights to pick up speed. Now we’re talking.
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In Mario Kart 8, 50 or 100cc feels slow to me but in Mario Kart Live with my small space it was just right – truth be told, 100cc did get a little hairy at times so I can only imagine what 150 and 200cc is like once unlocked.
As you progress through a series, you are given the option of either repeating the course or changing it for the next race – I’m happy with repeating it as the game throws different environmental challenges at you to keep things interesting.
The carpet in my apartment is on the thicker side, causing the kart and its camera to get bumpy at times, but I will let you decide whether it was a hindrance to my driving or if perhaps my Mario Kart skills hadn’t properly translated to the real world yet.
As a quick test, I made up a short track on a large rug to test the kart’s performance on a carpeted surface that wasn’t so plush – this was a definite improvement. Just know that different surfaces may factor into how you play.
If you have the space and the creative vision, you can go all out with your course designs. Upon the game’s release I’ve seen some awesome looking track layouts, serving as inspiration for the next time I play.
VERDICT
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit could be high on the Christmas wish list for many this year – this isn’t your typical pick-up-and-play racer; it’s a full-on event.
While the price of entry isn’t cheap at $140, with the amount of hours spent creating your own courses and ultimately having a blast racing on them, it feels totally worth it.
Logan Swinkels is a sports video specialist for News Corp Australia – catch more of his gaming content at fb.gg/swinksgaming.
Originally published as Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit video review, gameplay, verdict