Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge combines AR and projection mapping to immerse you in a colorful experience with multiple endings.
Super Nintendo World is scheduled to open early next year at Universal Studios Hollywood, offering you the chance to explore an interactive theme park dedicated to the company’s most iconic video games. You enter the park through the Warp Pipe, at which point you’re then transported to a colorful recreation of the Mushroom Kingdom complete with interactive areas, themed shopping, and more.
The real action, however, will be at Bowser’s Castle. Here you’ll find Mario Kart: Bowser’s Castle, a multi-sensory thrill ride that will have you racing through memorable Mario Kart environments from aboard a “stadium-style,” four-person vehicle. In this on-rails experience, each passenger is provided a pair of Mario-themed AR goggles capable of projecting various in-game elements over the real world.
According to Universal Studios Hollywood, the ride is designed for guests of all ages and experience levels. The goal is to defeat Team Bowser by collecting coins scattered throughout your environment. The ride features a variety of outcomes depending on how you and your team play. This kind of replay value is rare among amusement park rides.
“This innovative achievement will propel guests into a multi-dimensional experience that recreates iconic environments from the Mario Kart games and where no two races are alike,” said the company in an official release. “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is also one of the most complex rides ever built within the entertainment industry.”
The ride looks fairly similar to Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, an AR-powered thrill ride available at the Super Nintendo World in Japan. In this version of the ride, visitors can collect coins and throw shells as they race other players through the multi-sensory course. It sounds as though we can explore a similar experience with Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.
The United States’ first Super Nintendo World is scheduled to open in early 2023 as an extension of Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California. For more information on Super Nintendo World visit here.
Image Credit: Universal Studios Hollywood
