Mario Kart VR looks like the most fun anyone could ever have with a headset on, but it seems highly unlikely that it will ever be rolled out for use at home.
Virtual Reality isn’t exactly a new concept. However, it is currently experiencing something of a boom in the gaming world. Developers have caught on to the fact that many players want to be fully immersed in worlds they know and love, and with advances in gaming tech, that is now very possible.
Imagine being able to step into Avengers Tower, the Mushroom Kingdom, or San Andreas. Okay, maybe that last one wouldn’t be the best idea. How about sitting behind the wheel and feeling as if you are literally racing around your favorite Mario Kart tracks? That one is actually possible, but only if you have been lucky enough to stumble upon Nintendo’s Mario Kart VR booth.
If you’re not one of the lucky few, then you can check out what it’s like above. Needless to say, it looks pretty awesome. Having to physically grab and literally throw the items is a very nice touch. Clearly, Nintendo has put some work into developing what we assume is just a short demo. Why not push the boat a little more and create a full Mario Kart VR title for everyone to enjoy?
Well, Nintendo doesn’t seem to be all that bothered about the hype that currently surrounds VR. It has no products in development, and the only way Nintendo players can currently use VR at home is via Labo. So how about a Mario Kart VR game on Labo? That also seems unlikely. It might be on the same platform, but we all know how reluctant Nintendo can be to share its IP. It’s why tourists aren’t allowed to drive around Tokyo in go-karts dressed as Mario characters anymore. For a company that is centered around fun, they sure like to ruin our good time.
All of that means for the time being, and probably for the foreseeable future, is that we’ll have to settle with using a controller or a novelty steering wheel while driving our karts. Mario Kart VR does move around though, so you never know, one day soon it might be at a show or a convention near you. We’d imagine the queues will be long, but the experience at the end looks like it’d be worth the wait.
