mario kart
Latest
Super Nintendo World theme park is a 'life-size, living video game'
As promised, Universal Studios Japan is on track to open its Super Nintendo World park this summer ahead of the Olympic Games. Now it's teasing the new area with a mostly-CG music video and song made by Galantis with Charlie XCX. If you were hoping for a glimpse inside the new area or some idea of what rides are in store, you won't see them. Instead there's a dance sequence and some dreamy segments showing how players go from hanging out at home with their Switch to enjoying an in-real-life experience. However, on a website that launched along with the video, it did mention the real-life Mario Kart experience we'd heard about, and says that families will be able to travel the park on Yoshi's back. Also, there's a "power up band" teased that appears to be your wearable park pass, while you traverse the world and encounter Mario-style blocks in real life. Bloomberg reports, based on a briefing with Universal Studios Japan CEO J.L. Bonnier, that the wearable and a smartphone app will allow visitors to battle bosses and collect coins. As it says at the end of the video, "Play in real world this summer." Update: On Twitter Bloomberg reporter Kurumi Mori has posted more images and information from a briefing event. There, Universal Studios Japan showed the Power Up Band that will track visitors progress in its "life-size, living video game," as well as a mention that future parks will come to Hollywood, Orlando and Singapore.
'Mario Kart Tour' is a simple racer surrounded by free-to-play complexity
Mario Kart is a gloriously simple video game. Yes, there are some advanced techniques -- rocket starts, drift braking and the like -- that are borderline essential if you want to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe online. For the most part though, it's an approachable racer for the masses. With Mario Kart Tour, the first installment for mobile devices, Nintendo has managed to simplify the control scheme even further. In this touch-friendly version, your racer drives forward automatically. Swiping horizontally will cause them to turn or drift, depending on the control scheme you've chosen, while dragging up or down will fire the item they're holding forwards or backwards.
'Mario Kart Tour' mobile racing is now available on Android and iOS
We've been waiting since January of last year to get a taste of Mario Kart on mobile devices, but it's almost here. After a few delays, Mario Kart Tour launches today on compatible Android (4.4 or higher) and iOS (10.0 or higher) devices, and many people are reporting it's already installed on their iPhones and iPads. The bad news is that you can't play until the servers open at around 4AM ET / 1AM PT / 10AM CEST.
Nintendo is holding an online 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' tournament this Sunday
Top-tier Mario Kart 8 Deluxe players better limber up with some thumb exercises. Nintendo has announced a North American online tournament which will take place on Nintendo's Switch Online service from 1 PM to 11 PM ET on September 22nd. The top eight racers will take home prizes of 2,500 Gold Points ($25).
Mario Kart VR comes to Southern California
Mario fans in Orange County are in luck. Mario Kart VR is in Irvine for the next stop in its US tour. The game launched on June 12th at VR Zone Portal Irvine, located at the K1 Speed entertainment center. Players will get the chance to hop inside a Mario Kart and explore the Mushroom kingdom. The immersive VR experience previously had tenures in Washington, DC, London and Tokyo.
'Mario Kart Tour' beta will arrive on phones next month
It's almost here! Today, Nintendo announced a "Closed Beta Test" for Mario Kart Tour, a long-delayed mobile spin-off that we currently know diddly-squat about. (Seriously, Nintendo hasn't released a single screenshot.) The sneak-preview will be available to Android users in the US and Japan between May 22nd and June 4th. (The final game, of course, will also be available on iOS devices.) If you're intrigued by the title, you can sign up using the QR code on the official Mario Kart Tour website. The long-delayed app is scheduled to come out in "summer 2019," the same time as Doctor Mario, a new game co-developed with messaging titan Line.
Nintendo may have put an end to Tokyo's real-life 'Mario Kart' tours
Chances are you've probably glimpsed or partaken in Japan's "real-life" Mario Kart. The rent-a-kart service finds locals and tourists dressing up as Mario, Peach, and Luigi and driving around the busy Tokyo streets. What's not to like? Well, turns out Nintendo itself was never a fan. Last year, the gaming giant sued the company behind the service, Marika Co., for copyright infringement. Now, a fresh ruling could derail the entire attraction.
30 years of Super Mario in pop culture
Mario may have cut his teeth hopping barrels as "Jumpman" in Donkey Kong back in 1981, but his true claim to fame came with Super Mario Bros. Created by acclaimed video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, that game launched in September 1985, landing on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)/Famicom consoles. This year, the highly influential Mario series celebrates its 30th birthday, having entertained generations of arcade and console fans throughout several iterations over three decades. The impact of Nintendo's iconic Mario and his player-two bro Luigi on pop culture has gone far beyond just gaming itself; they've appeared in cartoons, movies, comics and even art. To join in celebrating 30 years of Super Mario Bros., we've put together a photo album of all things Mario over the years.
Taking gaming into the real world
Playing video games and enjoying the outdoors don't have to be mutually exclusive. Various creative minds have come up with ways to take gaming into real-world environments. Why chill at the crib when you could be out driving a real-life Mario Kart or letting hadoukens fly at Burning Man? We've highlighted just a few of these pioneering projects this week, so head to the gallery for a look at the gaming experiences you've missed by staying home.
ICYMI: Massive Minesweeper, Android 4 BlackBerry and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-935334{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-935334, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-935334{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-935334").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It, I've replaced Kerry Davis in a sinister plot to take over the show while she's on vacation drinking Angry Orchard by the lake. In actual news, we celebrated Windows 95's 20th birthday with a throwback to "The Rachel" in a promo video for Microsoft's famed OS, starring Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry. In related, albeit more panic-inducing news, someone's made a giant game of Minesweeper to drive you bat shit crazy. A Brazilian vlogger gave us a glimpse of the world's most popular operating system on one of the world's least popular phones. And, finally, someone with a whole lot of time on his hands came up with the ultimate way to sink your battle ship. If you come across any interesting videos, we'd love to see them. Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd. And if you just want to heap praise on your handsome guest host, feel free to hit me up @mr_trout.
Mario Kart 8's super-fast 200cc class almost made me puke
It could've been the latent heatstroke setting in from the three days I spent tut-tutting millennials under my breath at Coachella, or the five coffees I'd drunk to sustain some form of consciousness. But when I finished playing a demo of the new 200cc level in Mario Kart 8 with some folks from Nintendo on Monday, my eyes felt looser in their sockets and a barely containable feeling of nausea lingered in my gut for about an hour. It was as if I'd come off a roller coaster -- like one of those daring, metallic serpents from Six Flags or Busch Gardens in the '80s that jolted you just a bit too much and gave the impression you'd nearly avoided whiplash. All of which is to say, 200cc is not for the weak. It is stupid fast and stupid good.
Teens playing Mario Kart 64: 'Who designed this?'
Ready to feel old? The Fine Brothers' latest React Gaming video shows teens playing another classic game, 1996's Mario Kart 64. The ten-minute competition is entertaining through the final close race while taking older players back to simpler times. Among our favorite quotes is one of the test subject's confusion over the Nintendo 64 controller, turning it over while pondering, "Who designed this?" The React Gaming series pairs retro games and consoles with youthful players, putting their bewilderment on display for the benefit of all. Past videos showed teens failing at Mega Man, discussing the size of the Game Boy and the absurdness of the NES, the latter featuring Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams. Younger players may have a greater appreciation for the latest game in Nintendo's racing series, Mario Kart 8, which was one of Joystiq's best games of 2014. [Image: Nintendo]
Mario Kart 8 closing on 3.5 million copies sold
When Nintendo reported its net profit of 29.2 billion yen yesterday ($224 million), it also revealed that it sold 3.22 million copies of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS since the game's mid-September launch in Japan. The company's improved sales can also be credited to the continued success of another staple in its catalog: Mario Kart 8, which has now sold 3.49 million copies to date, Nintendo revealed. As for other sales figures the company reported in yesterday's earnings statements, Tomodachi Life crossed 3.12 million copies sold and Pokemon X and Y sold a whopping 13.29 million copies to date. Following its launch in May, Mario Kart 8 provided a boost to Nintendo's Wii U shipments, which have now reached 7.29 million consoles worldwide. The racing game may have a longer tail on store shelves than previous games in the series, as Nintendo will introduce its first downloadable content pack in November for $8. The first DLC pack will feature new race tracks such as the Excitebike Arena and Yoshi's Circuit, new racers like Link, Cat Peach and Tanooki Mario as well as new vehicles like the Zelda-inspired Master Cycle and Mario's returning B-Dasher kart. [Image: Nintendo]
Race around Yoshi's Circuit in Mario Kart 8 DLC video
Mario Kart 8's first paid DLC pack will feature the return of a track from previous Kart games, Yoshi's Circuit. Racers can catch a glimpse of the Double Dash and Mario Kart DS track in the video provided by Nintendo of Japan after the break. The trailer also shows off some of the additional goodies players will receive when they pick up the add-on content pack, such as the Cat Peach, Tanooki Mario and Link racers. It also features the multi-colored Yoshis available to those that buy both the first and second DLC pack. The DLC packs are $8 individually and $12 when purchased together. The first pack will also include F-Zero's Blue Falcon vehicle, Mario's B-Dasher kart and a special Master Cycle based on The Legend of Zelda series. The DLC will launch next month, followed by the second, Animal Crossing-themed pack in May 2015. [Image: Nintendo]
Link's Master Cycle makes spirit tracks in Mario Kart 8 DLC
The first downloadable content pack for Mario Kart 8 will include a special motorcycle inspired by the Legend of Zelda series, Nintendo revealed on Twitter. The Master Cycle features Link's iconic Hylian Shield on the side and a body shape that vaguely resembles a horse. Seen in the concept art above, the cycle also sports a blue and gold paint job and a Triforce on the front wheel. The Master Cycle is one of four new vehicles arriving in the November DLC pack, another being Mario's B Dasher kart from Mario Kart DS. The pack will also include three new playable racers, Link, Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach, as well as eight race tracks. Mario Kart 8's first piece of DLC will cost $8 on its own, though players will be able to pick it and another pack up in a two-for-one bundle for $12. The second DLC pack is Animal Crossing-themed and will arrive in May 2015. [Image: Nintendo]
Realistic racer Assetto Corsa takes a lap on Rainbow Road
Thanks to Italian developer Kunos Simulazioni, racing sim Assetto Corsa features some of the world's most famous race tracks. Now, thanks to a dedicated fan, the game also offers access to Mario Kart staple Rainbow Road. Redditor "N64AC" adapted the technicolor circuit for the racing sim using the Nintendo 64 incarnation of Rainbow Road as source material. This mashup of disparate gameplay styles is not without problems - N64AC warns that some cars can break their suspension by attempting Rainbow Road's sizable jump - but if you can avoid wrecking your car the track looks like a solid alternative for those moments when yet another lap around Silverstone sounds a bit dull. To witness the Rainbow Road course in action, click the video found below the break. If you like what you see, N64AC has included full instructions on how to install the addition to your copy of Assetto Corsa which can be found on Reddit. [Image: Kunos Simulazioni]
Three new 2DS Mario Kart 7 bundles race toward retail
Following Nintendo's earlier announcement of a new 3DS model, the Japanese gaming giant has also unveiled three new bundles headed to North America, including the 2DS handheld and a copy of Mario Kart 7. According to Nintendo, at some point in "early October," retailers will begin to offer bundles including a download voucher for Mario Kart 7 and one of three new 2DS colors: Electric Blue, Crimson Red or Sea Green. Despite the inclusion of Mario Kart 7, these new 2DS bundles feature the same $130 price point as standalone 2DS handhelds. Edit: This post initially stated that a standalone 2DS is available at $100, when it is in fact priced at $130. [Image: Nintendo]
Free Mercedes DLC rolls into Mario Kart 8 later this month
Following word that the previously Japan-exclusive Mercedes Benz-themed DLC for Mario Kart 8 would be appearing in the West, we now have an official launch date: August 27. "An Aug. 27 game update to Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U console will deliver a variety of new features for players, including the ability in-game to download three free Mercedes-Benz cars that players can race: the modern Mercedes-Benz GLA, the 300 SL Roadster from the 1950s and the legendary Silver Arrow of the 1930s," reads Nintendo's official statement. As fits the Mushroom Kingdom setting, each of these vehicles can be customized using Mario Kart 8's selection of whimsical automobile parts, though the GLA features its own, unique wheel options. Additionally, the update will tweak a few annoyances in Mario Kart 8. Online stability will be improved, the leaderboards seen between races will offer more useful information and players will be granted more options when viewing Mario Kart TV replays. Best of all, the update will be available as a free download to anyone with a Wii U and a copy of the game. [Image: Nintendo]
Super Mario Kart races onto North American Wii U eShop
Super Mario Kart has appeared on the Nintendo eShop for the Wii U Virtual Console. The great-great-great-great-great-grandfather to the very popular Mario Kart 8 was spotted by NeoGAF and confirmed by Joystiq earlier today. The game still features its splitscreen 2-player mode, and can be purchased for $7.99. Wii U owners, you maybe begin to rev your nostalgia-powered engines. [Image: Nintendo]
Mario Kart 8 takes a turn for McDonalds Happy Meals
If you're willing to eat McDonalds in exchange for gaming-themed desk accessories, a Mario Kart 8 pack will soon reach its Happy Meal finish line. The final turn makes for a pretty long drift through, so we'll need to wait for How To Train Your Dragon 2's toy set to finish up before we can start taping MK8 figurines in gravity-defying places at our workplaces. The miniature roster will consist of Yoshi, Peach, DK, Toad, Mario, Bowser and the mild-mannered Luigi, but you can also channel Mario while weaving through commuter traffic by wearing a visor reminiscent of his iconic cap. Unfortunately, it probably won't help you drive on the walls of buildings on your way to work, but it'll almost certainly establish your status as the coolest adult stuck in a gridlock. [Image: McDonalds]
