How the Mario Kart Ride Works – Technology and Game Controls Explained

https://www.patreon.com/ThemeParkStop NOTE: Reuploaded video due to footage asked to be removed, now with updated information! — Super Nintendo World has officially grand opened, so let’s dig into the technology behind the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge ride—And how to score and win the race!

Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan, (and also coming to Universal theme parks in Hollywood, Orlando, and Singapore,) features interactive elements, dining, shopping, and rides, including Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge. Let’s go over how the ride system, Augmented Reality technology, and game mechanics work together, to let you play a video game in real life on the Mario Kart ride.

Article version of this video here:

How the Mario Kart Ride Works at Super Nintendo World

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Sources
Super Nintendo World Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63UtzXfN15s
Super Nintendo World New Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_bb6s92ijU
Mario Kart Commerical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDy1qic-qGM
Mario Kart Photographs: https://www.themeparx.com/universal-studios-japan-expansion/
Men in Black Alien Attack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vh9TZEyc0U
AR Viewer Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn1Va2hBlaY
Mario Kart App Rankings: https://twitter.com/ThemeParkShark/status/1340505258926157824?s=20
SNW App Stamps Images: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/01/nintendos-power-up-band-a-physical-key-to-japans-upcoming-super-nintendo-world/
Super Nintendo World Website: https://super-nintendo-world.usj.co.jp/en/us/

#SuperNintendoWorld #MarioKartKoopasChallenge #Nintendo #UniversalStudios

[Music]
super nintendo world in universal
studios japan has officially grand open
to all guests
the new land which is also coming to
universal theme parks in hollywood
orlando and singapore features
interactive elements dining shopping
and rides including mario kart koopas
challenge
let’s go over how the ride system
augmented reality technology
and game mechanics work together to let
you play a video game in real life on
the mario kart ride
super nintendo world is now officially
open in universal studios japan
after being delayed multiple times due
to the pandemic
even though it just officially opened
guests have been able to experience its
attractions since december
through special previews the new land
features interactive activities and
walkthroughs
gift shops a quick service location and
two rides
a family ride named yoshi’s adventure
and the land’s main attraction
mario kart koopas challenge the mario
kart ride is about 5 minutes long
and has a height requirement of at least
42 inches tall or 122 centimeters
you enter the attraction through
bowser’s castle after ascending the
grand staircase you’ll encounter a
massive statue of bowser himself
the queue passes through several
locations within his castle
including a workshop where he’s
producing bad guys and other obstacles
that he’ll be using against you on the
ride the premise for the attraction is
that bowser has challenged mario to a
race that he designed
as a part of team mario you’ll be
helping to defeat bowser
at his own race the name of this course
is the universal cup
at the end of the queue writers are
given a visor that looks like a mario
hat
which is appropriate now that we’re a
part of team mario
this ready room allows everyone time to
adjust the hat to fit their head
while also watching a short presentation
that teaches you how the ride’s game
mechanics work
next you move on to the ride’s load area
and take your seat in the ride vehicle
which is modeled after mario’s cart
there are four seats per car in two rows
of two
the back row is set a bit higher than
the first row
this stadium seating arrangement makes
it easier for those in the back to see
over the heads of those in the front
once seated you’re instructed to snap
the main part of the augmented reality
headset
into the hat visor that you’re already
wearing this main part which is attached
to the car
holds the projection unit necessary to
make the ar work
there are two sets of cars that travel
through the ride at the same time
along two parallel tracks the ride
vehicles have the ability to spin
using a controlled spin mechanism
similar to the way the ride vehicles
rotate on men in black
alien attack at universal studios
florida
this is used at various points
throughout the ride as the story calls
for it
the ride itself uses several different
technologies
and tricks combined together to create
an entirely new type of theme park
attraction
the first layer are the physical sets
much like a classic style dark ride many
of the scenes for mario kart feature
real tangible set pieces another layer
on this attraction
is provided by both integrated screens
and
projection mapping similar to
experiences like mickey and minnie’s
runaway railway in walt disney world
the projections from mario kart are not
limited to screen surfaces
this can add some dynamic life to
otherwise non-moving scenery
it can also be used to create a moving
road surface when projected directly
towards the ground
in front of you the final layer for this
attraction is provided by the augmented
reality visor itself
this technology adds three-dimensional
imagery on top of your view
which blends into the reality around you
this is different than virtual reality
which replaces everything you see with a
completely new visual image
augmented reality instead adds extra
stuff onto what you’re really seeing
and for the mario kart ride it’s the
main way that we get to interact with
the ride
and play along throughout our five
minute journey we pass through settings
taken directly from the games
some of the scenes include twisted
mansion dolphin shoals
grumble volcano and rainbow road
different parts of the ride see us
facing off against different characters
from team bowser
to win the race you’ll need to earn as
many points as possible
by defeating enemies and collecting
coins
one of the ways you earn coins is by
paying attention to arrows that are
displayed in ar
these arrows tell you to turn the
steering wheel either to the left or to
the right
at various points throughout the ride if
all four riders in the car turn the
wheel as directed
you’ll drift into the turn and earn more
points increasing the chance of team
mario winning the match
the steering wheel will not change where
your ride vehicle goes though
as it does run along a predetermined
track
the steering wheel also has trigger
buttons on both sides
these are used for firing koopa shells
at multiple points throughout the ride
you’ll be able to collect special blocks
they will earn you 20 or more shells
each time
this ammo of shells are what you use to
fire at the koopalings and at bowser
during the race
to aim your shells you just need to turn
your head
wherever you are physically looking is
where your shells will be fired when you
press one of the trigger buttons
both buttons fire the same way so it
doesn’t matter which trigger you’re
pressing
every time you hit a member of team
bowser you will earn more coins
combine those hits with coins earned by
turning when the arrows direct you
and there’s a good chance you’ll be able
to see mario cross the finish line first
at victory lane
if your team’s cars don’t earn enough
coins during this race
you’ll end up getting the alternate
ending where bowser is on the first
place pedestal
instead before returning to load you can
compare your score
to that of the other cars as well as the
highest scores for the day
and if you’re wearing a power-up band
which is the wristband you can purchase
to interact with the land
your mario kart score will be saved to
the app and you can see a high score
listings there as well
you’ll also be able to earn stamps in
the app for achievements on the ride
like hitting bowser and all the
koopalings in a single race
or having the highest score in yours and
the other car
super nintendo world may be open in
universal studios japan
but we still don’t have opening time
frames for the other planned locations
construction is underway for hollywood’s
version which is rumored to open in 2022
orlando super nintendo world is expected
to open as part of the new theme park
epic universe which may not be opening
until 2025
universal studios singapore is also
planned to get a version
that’s all for now but be sure to
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you