KEY POINTS

  • In "Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit," car racing meets augmented reality like never before as players use their Nintendo Switch to drive remote-controlled cars
  • You can also place gates and customize courses in the real world then see them come alive with different in-game environments like jungles and snowscapes and obstacles
  • The announcement of "Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit" is one of many to coincide with the 35th anniversary of "Super Mario Bros."

As part of the Nintendo Direct celebrating the 35th anniversary of “Super Mario Bros.,” Nintendo made a surprise announcement about its latest title in the “Mario Kart” series.

“Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit” is a racing game that allows players to use their Nintendo Switch to drive remote-controlled cars, The Verge reports. Those same cars appear with a virtual racecourse on the screen of the Switch, taking augmented reality to a different level.

The game was developed in partnership with New York-based Velan Studios and allows you to use the Switch to control your kart and watch as it reacts to what’s happening in the game as you boost and drift to victory.

You can also place gates and customize courses in the real world then see them come alive with different in-game environments like jungles and snowscapes and obstacles like Piranha Plants. “Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit” lets you use objects from around the house to customize your courses or add challenges.

It’s actually pretty stunning to watch as your in-home course comes to life on the Switch with a view from behind the driver’s seat. “Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit” transforms your home in the Mario Kart world that, until now, could only be seen on gaming consoles.

The first game in the series was “Super Mario Kart” on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Family Computer back in 1992. No less than “Super Mario Bros.” creator Shigeru Miyamoto oversaw the development of that title. Since then, the “Mario Kart” series has sold over 150 million copies worldwide.

As one of several announcements made today to commemorate the 35th anniversary of “Super Mario Bros,” this is definitely one of the more “out of the box” games featuring Mario and Company yet.

Nintendo describes “Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit” this way:

The physical kart responds to boosts in-game and in the real world, stops when hit with an item and can be affected in different ways depending on the race. Players place gates to create a custom course layout in their home, where the only limit is their imagination. Race against Koopalings in Grand Prix, unlock a variety of course customizations and costumes for Mario or Luigi, and play with up to four players in local multiplayer mode.

“Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit” is set for an Oct. 16 launch, and it will come in two varieties — Mario and Luigi — for $99.99 each.

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