You know that future we all dreamt of as kids where we hoped to one day live inside a giant video game? Well, it looks like we're one step closer to that becoming a reality.
As you may already know, Japan's brand new Super Nintendo World theme park – which finally opened this month after several pandemic-related delays – features a mighty Mario Kart ride that has visitors taking to the track wearing augmented reality headsets. The tech behind it has seemed impressive from the off, but new details from a recent press conference held in Osaka has us even more intrigued.
In the conference, Universal Creative executives shared more details on how the ride came to be (thanks, IGN). Global executive producer Tom Geraghty explains that the "entire land" was actually built in VR, and the Mario Kart ride was built using a game engine:
"We used the technology, also, in the design process. We built the entire land in VR and the design team could look around at a place and get sightlines and figure out where to move elements.
"Mario Kart was built in a game engine, so while [senior vice president Thierry Coup] was back in the States he could actually drive Mario Kart in a game engine, and give us notes in Japan.
Amazingly, this means that the ride can be updated with future patches, just like a video game can. If a 'Waluigi for Mario Kart ride' hashtag starts trending, for example, the team can actually make it happen "overnight".
"Because it’s in a game engine, we can keep updating, upgrading, putting new characters [in], changing themes, changing actions on the fly. So if there’s a special event, anything we want to release can be done overnight if we really wanted to. That makes it so much more flexible – it freshens up the experience. Every time you come back you could experience something new and exciting."
Do you hope to visit Super Nintendo World one day? Are you liking the sound of a ride that can be different each time you go? Share your thoughts with us below.
[source ign.com, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 22
I can see the patch notes now:
"General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience."
..and can you stop the "Waluigi" Trend in MK8 dx overnight?
@wal I've played against Japanese people where every player is Waluigi in the Wiggler kart. >_<
So SMW MK Ride is a videogame you say...
SMW MK Ride confirmed for Smash
Why couldn't we have had stuff like this when I was a kid said the very jealous 50 year old
@karatekid1612 yes, but to be fair if that was the case what would it be now? Mario Kart 78:Avatar Mode; upload your consciousness to the net and step inside your very own choice of avatars and feel every turn and twist, smell the dust and exhaust from the racer next to you (WARNING! some users have complained of suffering PTSD due to Luigi's stare of doom*). RRP: 2,599 euro (*also slight chance of being left in a permanent vegetative state).
Cool. Now they can continue adding awesome characters and costumes to everything Mario Kart related, except for the one big Mario Kart game on their own console ☺️
Would love to give this a go, but sadly I can't imagine I'll ever be visiting Japan. If/when I have the kind of disposable funds to travel that far, I'll be using it to go to America or Australia.
@Lordplops yeh, but if only, if only
@JohnnyC They're building exact clones of this at the Universal Hollywood and Orlando parks, set to open 2023 and 2025(ish) respectively, so you won't have to go to Japan for long.
@cookiex But when will they come to Europe?
Seasonal and event overlays are HUGE business for modern theme parks so I'm not surprised by this. These changes allow for repeat visits without "seeing the same thing."
@RupeeClock Read the article, and I was expecting this comment. And it’s the first one. Fine work, skeleton! Ninja is pleased.
NINJA APPROVED
In this case, I could see someone subbing in all in-game characters with random Nintendo staff as a prank. Imagine this ride with Miyamoto, Aonuma, and The Regginator!
@Muddy_4_Ever Considering most theme parks are like $100 to stand in line for 3 hours waiting to ride one or two rides and then you leave, I don't think you could ever see the same thing twice...your probably never saw any of it the first time.
@JohnnyC just need to be frugal. Travel to Japan is not as expensive as it’s perceived.
@NEStalgia Unfortunately, they've now functionally made line-skipping a microtransaction at most theme parks. You can buy a "skip the line" pass or stay at the park's super expensive hotel and get to do many of the rides without queuing up. Cynical me thinks these new "plusses" they're regularly giving rides is to get whales to pay the money to pay-to-ride again. You can still wait in line for no additional charge... but that's increasingly like EA's "pride and accomplishment" spin for making players grind instead of buying lootboxes.
@Muddy_4_Ever that’s sounds like a mess if to many people buy the line skipping pass
@BirdBoy16 The number is capped... which allows for them to charge gaudy prices for the privilege.
@JohnnyC and yet here you are
@Muddy_4_Ever ah
@Muddy_4_Ever I miss the old days. Last time I really went to a park was the late 90's or early 00's. That garbage was starting up then. Back then it was like $40 or so for tickets. And it was still a mess to ride anything. Now it's closer to $100 and it's even worse. Busch Gardens started the line jumping for a fee thing, and I just don't get how that was ever even viable. Once everybody just pays it, it's just a price increase and the lines are the same. if only some people pay it, then why is anyone else even bothering to buy tickets and go if you're always going to be second class and pushed back by higher paying customers?
"Back in my day" you just bought your ticket and everyone else had the same (bad) experience. I truly don't understand why people bother going at all otherwise. Even then you had these "the wait is 3 hours behind this line" signpost. I'd have assumed the parks would have collapsed on themselves with that premium model. Used to be an nice family trip. Now, if you're not loaded, or a local with season passes, why bother?
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