Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Review
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VOICE OVER: Riccardo Tucci
WRITTEN BY: Ty Richardson
As kids, we dreamed of the day that Mario Kart could be brought to life, and Home Circuit brings us as close to that dream as we've ever come! Welcome to MojoPlays and this is Ty's review of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit.
Script written by Ty Richardson
We’ve often dreamed of how “Mario Kart” could be possible to pull off in real life. As kids, we’ve longed for the days of having our own kart to drive around in and chuck bananas and shells with reckless abandon. Well, we’re inching closer to that dream thanks to the newest entry in the Nintendo’s famed kart racer franchise. Instead of racing across the Mushroom Kingdom and raging on Rainbow Road, our races are being held within the comfort of our own homes. But should we accept Mario’s road rage and vehicular mayhem?
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of the internet! My name is Ty with MojoPlays, and this is my review of “Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit”!
Before we begin, we publish new videos every day. So, be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos. And if you’re curious as to what else I may be playing, you can follow me on Twitter at GhostRyderTyler.
I cannot stress how long I’ve been waiting for “Mario Kart” to merge with the real world in some capacity. I’ve been a fan of “Mario Kart” (and racing games as a whole) ever since I was a little kid. As if the “Mario Kart 64” toys weren’t enough, my parents would tell you the countless times I’d use shopping carts to pretend I was drifting around the aisles. (Let me tell you, the cereal aisle was loaded with Thwomps!)
As much as I would have loved seeing a “Mario Kart 9”, “Home Circuit” still managed to strike a nostalgic chord upon its reveal. A “Mario Kart” toy that turns my room into a real-world race track would have made me flip out had it existed during my youth. Now, here I am with over a quarter of my life gone. Is it enough to bring out my 8-year-old self? Not gonna lie - opening my box (provided by Nintendo) had my blood pumping! Unfolding the gates and getting the parts set up unleashed a wave of ideas on how to turn my office (and the house) into a living “Mario Kart” track.
I bring all this up because there was something gratifying about “Home Circuit’s” potential at this moment. The easy assembly meant I could show this to family whenever I go visit (on top of it being another peripheral that doesn’t take up a lot of space). Mario and his kart, on the other hand, was a sight to behold. The kart is well crafted and feels durable enough to sustain just about any crash. During my playthrough, I crashed into furniture several times, and surprisingly, my kart has no scuffs or scratches. Then again, this is coming from a company that drop tests just about all of their hardware. So, what else can you expect?
Unfortunately, this excitement died down the longer I played as I quickly discovered some of “Home Circuit’s” shortcomings, particularly in how restrictive I found the system to be. After creating a couple of courses within my office, I tried to extend the race into the bathroom that was literally right outside my door. Unfortunately, the thin wall between the rooms was strong enough to severely disrupt my connection. I couldn’t even get Mario to drive halfway down my already short hallway! Eventually, I would move the game into my living room, but even with a bigger room, I was experiencing a fair amount of lag and latency issues. Note that I was only using about two-thirds of the room. I did attempt to play with my settings connected to a mobile hotspot, but that didn’t fare any better. This limitation kind of dampened my ambition; I was really looking forward to turning the house into the ultimate course, but that doesn’t seem possible now.
Another one of “Home Circuit’s” shortcomings is the obviously small roster of characters. Yes, I know you can only play as Mario and Luigi, but I only bring this up to mention how the game makes up for it. Rather than unlock other racers, “Home Circuit” offers unlockables in the form of different karts, horns, and outfits for the Mario brothers, all of which are unlocked by collecting coins during your races. It isn’t an exceptional reward system, no, but in retrospect this was actually a blessing in disguise after I tried playing a few cups. If collecting a few coins is all that stands between me and playing as Doctor Mario, I’m all for it. Tell me to do a Cup, though? That’s where things get iffy.
The three-race cups were actually a bigger letdown than I would like to admit. “Mario Kart” has been infamous for getting chaotic at times, but this is ridiculous. For starters, the various visual themes were a bit loud with their effects and obstacles, making it tough to pay attention to the road and anticipate turns. Equally frustrating to tolerate was the AI. The “Mario Kart” series has been notorious in the past for its rubberbanding, and here, it’s freakin’ relentless! Even on 50cc, I was getting bombarded with items almost every second! In a game where your character takes up most of the screen (and you’re playing with insanely tight controls like the Joy-Cons), this level of rubberbanding and harassment from the AI just doesn’t work. Fair warning - if you found “Super Mario Kart” frustrating to deal with, “Home Circuit” is on par.
Regardless of these issues, I did find my own fun with the game. When not in races, you’ll spend your time in Explore Mode, which is exactly what it sounds like. Simply drive Mario around your room, customize gates, see how your pets react… Yeah, that last one was absolutely hilarious to witness. (Phoebe was not thrilled…) When I wasn’t making my dog bark her head off, I was testing the kart around the rest of the house, seeing what furniture it could drive under, which rugs it could drive over, and what objects it could push or crash into. Simple, but enjoyable!
It goes without saying, but “Home Circuit” is far from being a true “Mario Kart” game. I admire the effort on display, the technical prowess, and unique concept, but those considering their purchase should not go into it expecting a brand new video game. Under this light, “Home Circuit” is a very uncomfortable speed bump in a reputable franchise. However, when approached as a tech toy and nothing more, it’s a solid package that will entertain kids and longtime “Mario Kart” fans. Although, the $100 price tag makes me hope that Nintendo is busy working on “Mario Kart 9”. I’m okay getting this as a way to hold me over until the next entry, but I don’t see this pulling me away from my standard game time.
Have I answered any questions or concerns about the game? Do you agree or disagree with my critique? Let me know IN A CIVIL MANNER in the comments below!
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Review
We’ve often dreamed of how “Mario Kart” could be possible to pull off in real life. As kids, we’ve longed for the days of having our own kart to drive around in and chuck bananas and shells with reckless abandon. Well, we’re inching closer to that dream thanks to the newest entry in the Nintendo’s famed kart racer franchise. Instead of racing across the Mushroom Kingdom and raging on Rainbow Road, our races are being held within the comfort of our own homes. But should we accept Mario’s road rage and vehicular mayhem?
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of the internet! My name is Ty with MojoPlays, and this is my review of “Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit”!
Before we begin, we publish new videos every day. So, be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos. And if you’re curious as to what else I may be playing, you can follow me on Twitter at GhostRyderTyler.
I cannot stress how long I’ve been waiting for “Mario Kart” to merge with the real world in some capacity. I’ve been a fan of “Mario Kart” (and racing games as a whole) ever since I was a little kid. As if the “Mario Kart 64” toys weren’t enough, my parents would tell you the countless times I’d use shopping carts to pretend I was drifting around the aisles. (Let me tell you, the cereal aisle was loaded with Thwomps!)
As much as I would have loved seeing a “Mario Kart 9”, “Home Circuit” still managed to strike a nostalgic chord upon its reveal. A “Mario Kart” toy that turns my room into a real-world race track would have made me flip out had it existed during my youth. Now, here I am with over a quarter of my life gone. Is it enough to bring out my 8-year-old self? Not gonna lie - opening my box (provided by Nintendo) had my blood pumping! Unfolding the gates and getting the parts set up unleashed a wave of ideas on how to turn my office (and the house) into a living “Mario Kart” track.
I bring all this up because there was something gratifying about “Home Circuit’s” potential at this moment. The easy assembly meant I could show this to family whenever I go visit (on top of it being another peripheral that doesn’t take up a lot of space). Mario and his kart, on the other hand, was a sight to behold. The kart is well crafted and feels durable enough to sustain just about any crash. During my playthrough, I crashed into furniture several times, and surprisingly, my kart has no scuffs or scratches. Then again, this is coming from a company that drop tests just about all of their hardware. So, what else can you expect?
Unfortunately, this excitement died down the longer I played as I quickly discovered some of “Home Circuit’s” shortcomings, particularly in how restrictive I found the system to be. After creating a couple of courses within my office, I tried to extend the race into the bathroom that was literally right outside my door. Unfortunately, the thin wall between the rooms was strong enough to severely disrupt my connection. I couldn’t even get Mario to drive halfway down my already short hallway! Eventually, I would move the game into my living room, but even with a bigger room, I was experiencing a fair amount of lag and latency issues. Note that I was only using about two-thirds of the room. I did attempt to play with my settings connected to a mobile hotspot, but that didn’t fare any better. This limitation kind of dampened my ambition; I was really looking forward to turning the house into the ultimate course, but that doesn’t seem possible now.
Another one of “Home Circuit’s” shortcomings is the obviously small roster of characters. Yes, I know you can only play as Mario and Luigi, but I only bring this up to mention how the game makes up for it. Rather than unlock other racers, “Home Circuit” offers unlockables in the form of different karts, horns, and outfits for the Mario brothers, all of which are unlocked by collecting coins during your races. It isn’t an exceptional reward system, no, but in retrospect this was actually a blessing in disguise after I tried playing a few cups. If collecting a few coins is all that stands between me and playing as Doctor Mario, I’m all for it. Tell me to do a Cup, though? That’s where things get iffy.
The three-race cups were actually a bigger letdown than I would like to admit. “Mario Kart” has been infamous for getting chaotic at times, but this is ridiculous. For starters, the various visual themes were a bit loud with their effects and obstacles, making it tough to pay attention to the road and anticipate turns. Equally frustrating to tolerate was the AI. The “Mario Kart” series has been notorious in the past for its rubberbanding, and here, it’s freakin’ relentless! Even on 50cc, I was getting bombarded with items almost every second! In a game where your character takes up most of the screen (and you’re playing with insanely tight controls like the Joy-Cons), this level of rubberbanding and harassment from the AI just doesn’t work. Fair warning - if you found “Super Mario Kart” frustrating to deal with, “Home Circuit” is on par.
Regardless of these issues, I did find my own fun with the game. When not in races, you’ll spend your time in Explore Mode, which is exactly what it sounds like. Simply drive Mario around your room, customize gates, see how your pets react… Yeah, that last one was absolutely hilarious to witness. (Phoebe was not thrilled…) When I wasn’t making my dog bark her head off, I was testing the kart around the rest of the house, seeing what furniture it could drive under, which rugs it could drive over, and what objects it could push or crash into. Simple, but enjoyable!
It goes without saying, but “Home Circuit” is far from being a true “Mario Kart” game. I admire the effort on display, the technical prowess, and unique concept, but those considering their purchase should not go into it expecting a brand new video game. Under this light, “Home Circuit” is a very uncomfortable speed bump in a reputable franchise. However, when approached as a tech toy and nothing more, it’s a solid package that will entertain kids and longtime “Mario Kart” fans. Although, the $100 price tag makes me hope that Nintendo is busy working on “Mario Kart 9”. I’m okay getting this as a way to hold me over until the next entry, but I don’t see this pulling me away from my standard game time.
Have I answered any questions or concerns about the game? Do you agree or disagree with my critique? Let me know IN A CIVIL MANNER in the comments below!
