Review of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit: Is it the ideal holiday present?
Our Verdict
The best iteration of toys-meets-games yet is a fantastic Christmas gift for the creative younger crowd
Once again, Nintendo has succeeded. At first glance, Nintendo's most recent venture into the toys-meets-games genre, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, seems a little gimmicky. And it is, in a lot of ways. When I initially took the little plastic kart out of its box, I had to fight off some cranky scepticism, but after a few minutes of mindlessly driving the kart about my house, I realised how thrilled I would have been if I had been a child getting this for Christmas.
I think I can speak for most people when I say that playing games and collecting toys was my favourite thing to do when I was younger, so I never really had any trouble understanding why products like Skylanders and Amiibo were so well-liked. Who wouldn't want to combine their favourite pastimes?
But none of the other attempts could match the feeling of childish delight I had while racing the unexpectedly sensitive and quick small plastic kart around my living room. This, in my opinion, is the first video game and toy cooperation where the toy is the main attraction instead of just an add-on.
So this is how it works. A plastic kart with Mario or Luigi, depending on the version, four pre-made cardboard checkpoints, and your Nintendo Switch are all that you have. The actual game starts after a very easy setup that involves aiming the kart's camera at a QR code on your Nintendo Switch.
For the first hour or two of the game, you'll undoubtedly be both amazed with Nintendo's ingenuity and eager to test the limits of the kart. It isn't so frail that a scrape with a wall or cat won't do any harm, yet it goes surprisingly rapidly and easily around tight corners.
We did, however, have trouble navigating the kart over carpets or rugs. It moves, but even little bumps may cause it to slow down or come to a stop. Additionally, the kart is completely immobile in relation to your Switch, and even when it was just a few yards away, we had trouble connecting. Even while it's not actually intended for large courses over a massive estate, it's still important to mention.
After getting over your first shock at the fundamentals, you'll follow the simple setup instructions to begin your first course, which is presented with traditional Nintendo charm. Place the preassembled checkpoints in predetermined spots throughout your house, starting with the first one. Now that you have paint on your wheels, Lakitu will let you drive around your house painting the course. The combination of both leads you in the direction of your journey since the camera has the intelligence to read the numbers on the checkpoints as well.
It feels a lot like the original Mario Kart at this stage. In single player, you race against other Koopalings, while in multiplayer, you race against up to three pals. You may employ objects around your track, including the traditional drift boost ability (yes, mushrooms really can help your plastic kart move faster), as well as a variety of other boosters.
The nice thing is that building a functional small circuit doesn't really need a lot of room. With Mario Kart Live, Nintendo has obviously thought of everyone; you can build a functional circuit for anybody, whether they live in a massive house or a little apartment. It's unfortunate that your hard work may be undone by something as trivial as a carpet or rug.
Even while we think Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a great game overall, it is important to note that it is somewhat restricted. It would be wiser for you to continue playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe if you just purchased this for the racing. Since the duration of Home Circuit depends on how creatively you create courses, I would contend that this is far more intended for younger audiences than for older ones (as if that wasn't instantly clear). That being said, there are several cups to compete in, and just as in the original Mario Kart, you can get new clothing and accessories by collecting money while racing.
In the end, we believe Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is an excellent holiday present for a younger audience, especially if you can join together with other parent friends to purchase karts for your four children. Kids may easily spend hours playing this creatively stimulating game and building ever-more-outlandish courses.