If you have been keep track on all things Nintendo and virtual reality (VR) related, then you would of seen our recent coverage of Mario Kart Arcade GP VR. The popular racing videogame has bring brought over to VR thanks to HTC Vive and Namco Bandai and is now available to play in London, after previously only being available in Japan. If you were wondering what the title was like to play then you’ll be in luck, as we have some gameplay to share.
In Mario Kart Arcade GP VR players can expect the same experience they are use to but with the level of immersion that comes from VR along with the freedom to reach out, pick up objects, and throw them at other races. The experience is powered by a HTC Vive head mounted-display (HMD) – with the HTC Vive Pro coming soon – along with the HTC Vive Trackers placed on the the players hands, plus a kart themed to around the ones seen in the title. All of this comes together to offer a unique experience that is unlike anything else.
As seen in the gameplay video below, Mario Kart Arcade GP VR captures the look and feel of the series along with the colourful design that makes Mario so well known. It’s fast paced, immersive and has plenty of charm to keep players engaged all while enriching the fun of Mario Kart like never before. Items pack a punch, the karts move smoothly across the track and hitting your friend with a shell is still as satisfying as you would hope. There is even a giant inflatable hammer.
“Everyone has come out with a massive smile on their face.” Said Graham Wheeler, VP Sales, Product and Operations HTC Vive, Europe, when asked how the response to the experience has been in our recent interview: “We sent some of our office here when I came back from a business trip and literally the entire office just didn’t stop talking about it. So it just shows that even though we’ve been in VR a lot it’s a great kind of company to be in and VR experiences but this is just really immersive level people know Mario Kart, everyone has played it so they just naturally go into it so even the skeptics love Mario Kart VR.”
The Mario Kart Arcade GP VR experience is now open in London and you can watch the full gameplay footage in the below video. For more on the title you can watch our interview with Graham Wheeler and read our hands-on. For all things on VR in the future, stay tuned to VRFocus.