Have you ever wanted to play Micro Machines with your console in the real world? What about a Mario Kart version of it? That essentially is the pitch of Mario Kart Live Home Circuit, as you set up a course in your home and race against friends or CPUs, using your Nintendo Switch to control the vehicle.
Partnering with Velen Studios, you create the course in your home by placing the gates around (four come with the kit), which the game turns into your course. This course then gets transformed on Switch into things like piranha plants, and various Mario world settings, and on it you can find boosts, items to use, and other Mario Kart general trouble - bananas and the Squid were seen at least in the trailer.
CPU opponents are merely visible in the Switch track screen, and the kit comes with one car, containing either Mario or Luigi. Battle the Kooplalings in grand prix and make various courses to try out things and you can meld the real world and in-game features. Real world hazards, or surfaces that might go faster can provide another element of design that is unique to this, and is perhaps best experienced in local multiplayer.
As is probably unsurprising, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit doesn't have online multiplayer support, although an ability to share course layouts easily would be really cool, it isn't announced at this time. It does however support up to four player local multiplayer, with some caveats. In thise case, everyone is going to need their own Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite, and their own copy of Mario Kart Live: Hmoe Circuit and the accompanying kart. If you've all got that though, this may be the AR RC Racing experience you've been waiting for.
That said, it will cost you a pretty penny to get Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. On launch it will cost $99.99 and comes with either a Mario or Luigi kart, 4 gates, 2 arrow signs, a charger, and a copy of the software. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit release date is set for October 16.
Are you interested in Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit? Do you think this is a neat way to use AR? Do you want a Mario Party in your home? Let us know in the comments below!
