Mario Kart RC Cars From Hot Wheels Let You Take Out Friends With Shells And Banana Peels

Ready to wave the checkered flag? The @Hot_Wheels A.I. Mario Kart Special Edition will be [...]

By Nathan Birch

Apparently, we're entering a golden era of real-life Mario Kart experiences, with the latest addition being the upcoming Mario Kart Special Edition version of the Hot Wheels AI Intelligent Race System. You may not know what those words mean, but trust me, this is pretty cool.

The Hot Wheels AI Intelligent Race System is an interesting new tech-infused take on remote-control cars. You lay out the track pieces in whatever configuration you want, then take your special Hot Wheels "smart cars" for a spin around your course. Obstacles like puddles and oil slicks will appear on your track, and if you drive over them, your car will actually react – you can also turn on an AI assist that will make sure your cars stay on the track. The whole concept seems perfectly suited to Mario Kart, so perhaps its unsurprising that Mattel has announced officially announced official Nintendo-sanctioned cars and track pieces.

You can check out a demo of the Hot Wheels AI Intelligent Race System Mario Kart Special Edition from San Diego Comic-Con, above. Scroll on down for more information…

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As you can see, the cars, featuring favorites like Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi look great, and Mattel promises all the proper Mario Kart features will be included in the final product. While it wasn't yet implemented for the SDCC 2017 demo, the karts will actually be able to fire off virtual turtle shells and banana peels, which will slow down your opponents if you manage to "hit" them. As the Mattel rep mentions, there will be three modes available – practice mode will automatically keep you on the track, RC mode lets you drive wherever you want, and Championship mode, which lets you race against other players.

The Mario Kart version of the AI Intelligent Race System will be a Toys R Us exclusive, and will sell for $135. That's a fairly hefty price tag, more than twice as much as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch, but there's no denying this is a pretty nifty concept. Keep on scrolling for release info.

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(Photo: Mattel/Nintendo)

As mentioned, these RC cars are just the latest "real life" take on Mario Kart to be revealed recently. Nintendo and Universal Parks & Resorts are also working on a Mario Kart ride for the new Super Nintendo World, and a virtual reality version of the game now exists, and you can even hop in real-life karts and cruise around the streets of Japan. Now, just let me install a red shell launcher in my car, and we're all set.

The Hot Wheels AI Intelligent Race System Mario Kart Special Edition drifts onto Toys R Us shelves in October.

[via CNET]

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