- Daily Deals: Save on Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and More IGN
- Mario Day is here — we picked out the best Nintendo Switch deals live now CNN Underscored
- Let’s celebrate MAR10 Day with a few fun facts about our mustachioed hero! – News Nintendo
- I played the 3 latest Mario games on Nintendo Switch for Mario Day — and there’s a clear winner Tom’s Guide
- MARCH 10, 2024 | NATIONAL MARIO DAY | NATIONAL I AM DAY | DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME | NATIONAL WOMEN AND GIRLS HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY | NATIONAL PACK YOUR LUNCH DAY | NATIONAL BLUEBERRY POPOVER DAY National Day Calendar
Tag Archives: Kart
Universal’s new Mario Kart ride is under fire for size restrictions
It’s a classic theological question: Could Bowser (the Koopa King) create a theme park ride so restrictive that even he couldn’t ride it?
Said question is front and center for plenty of Nintendo fans this week, with new reports that the upcoming Mario Kart ride, Bowser’s Challenge—set to be the main draw (and only actual ride) at Universal Studio’s new Super Nintendo World—will only accommodate riders with a 40-inch waistline or smaller. This is per our colleagues over at Kotaku, who report on a number of people raising issues online this week about Universal’s decision to impose the size limits.
An import from the Japanese version of Super Mario Land, Bowser’s Challenge is what’s known as “dark ride,” i.e., one of those space-efficient, thrill-deficient arrangements where you’re strapped into a car and then swerved on a track in front of a bunch of 3D screens and actual live elements. (In this case, lifted from Nintendo’s beloved Mario Kart franchise.) As such, it’s not entirely clear why such tight size restrictions are being imposed; certainly, it seems like some alternative solution could be used. (Disney, for instance, tends to use benches and lap-bars for this sort of thing, which accommodates a much wider variety of body types.)
The 40-inch waistline requirement is fairly standard at Universal Studios, where it’s also applied to dark rides like Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey and Revenge Of The Mummy: The Ride. From personal experience, this 6′, 4″, 290-pound writer will note that there is some wiggle room on those requirements when you’re actually at the park—but also that the process of forcing yourself into those seats (or using the tester seat provided, as with Mario Kart) can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. More to the point, it all feels profoundly unnecessary: There’s no reason for Universal not to update its sizing on rides to allow a more diverse group of riders to enjoy the Super Nintendo Land fun, especially as the opening of the new area has drawn renewed interest and attention to the park.
Super Nintendo World Mario Kart Ride Has Strict Waistline Limits
Height limitations have always been a challenge for some amusement park guests, as safety features on thrill rides aren’t designed to accommodate every rider. But Mario fans flocking to Universal Studios Hollywood this month for the opening of Super Nintendo World may find themselves unable to enjoy the park’s most exciting attraction, this time because of their waistline.
According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, Universal Studios Hollywood has warned that some guests might not be allowed to ride Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, which allows guest to climb aboard a go-kart and experience the popular Nintendo racing game in real life through augmented reality effects and animatronic characters, “if their waistline measures 40-inches or more.” With the average male waist size in America now exceeding 40-inches, that limitation is going to potentially leave many guests very disappointed after enduring what will probably be very long lines at the new attraction.
In recent years, theme parks around the country have become more stringent about safety and the restraints used on ride vehicles, and it’s not just for high-speed attractions like roller coasters that can take riders through inverted loops and steep curves. As indoor rides have become more complex and now provide riders with highly immersive experiences, the technology they employ has also become more complex… and more dangerous.
Trackless vehicles now deftly weave through attractions like Galaxy’s Edge’s Rise of the Resistance with more speed and agility than the ride vehicles used on classic attractions like The Pirates of the Caribbean. As a result, while Pirates doesn’t restrain riders, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge will, as there is a serious risk of injury should a rider exit a vehicle before the ride is finished. On top of that, there’s now even more emphasis on safely securing smaller children in the same seats used by adult riders, which contributes to more limitations for larger guests.
Jeff Polk, the senior vice president of resort operations at Universal Orlando Resort, told the Wall Street Journal that many of its parks’ attractions offer test seats located outside the rides as a result, allowing guests to test restraints and capacity ahead of time to avoid finding themselves turned away after waiting hours in line. But at the same time, some park visitors also told the Wall Street Journal that testing seating ahead of time can be awkward, embarrassing, and not always indicative of the ride’s actual build and design.
G/O Media may get a commission
Some attractions, like Universal’s Islands of Adventure’s The Incredible Hulk Coaster in Florida, now offer certain seats specifically designed for larger guests. But as the pandemic-weary population is embracing travelling and vacations again, theme parks are bursting at the seams with hours-long wait lines, and there’s simply less incentive for parks to offer rides with seats they may not be able to fill every time the ride is operated.
Super Nintendo World’s Mario Kart Ride Has A “Waistline” Limit (US)
If you love Mario Kart as much as we do here at Nintendo Life, one of the first things you’re probably going want to do when you make a trip to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood is try out the themed ride.
Well, a word of warning – you’re going to need to pass a certain requirement first. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Hollywood park is apparently warning visitors with “large waistlines” that they may not be able to ride Mario Kart: Bower’s Challenge if they have a waistline of 40 inches or more.
It’s all tied to the overall safety of rides – with parks having to nowadays balance “accessibility with heightened safety requirements”. Rides are also equipped with tighter restraints now to ensure children are safely secured.
The Wall Street Journal was able to get a comment about all this from Premier Rides president Jim Seay – who reiterated how the “safety of the guests” is always the “first priority”:
“Our first priority is always the safety of the guests and the employees. We balance that with a very focused effort to make the rides as accessible as possible.”
Universal Studios’ new Mario Kart ride ripped for rules restricting plus-sized visitors
Super Nintendo World made a splashy debut at Universal Studios Hollywood this month with its soft opening, and gamers and tourists alike raced to see what the park had to offer and to get in line to test out its highly-anticipated Mario Kart ride.
Featuring slow-moving carts painted in different colors, the augmented reality experience that places riders inside Bowser’s castle was destined to be a hit among Mario-lovers everywhere, but one detail about the ride is getting under some people’s skin.
“Nothing but wonderful things to say about Super Nintendo World except this: the body size limitations on the Mario Kart ride are absolutely ridiculous. I’ve never had any issue fitting into any ride in my entire life, and I can BARELY fit into this one. Completely absurd,” influencer Rocco Botte wrote, blasting the ride’s narrow seats on Twitter.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD OPENING IN FEBRUARY WITH INTERACTIVE MARIO KART RIDE
Guests ride Super Mario Kart during a preview of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California, on January 13, 2023.
(Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Another one of the ride’s critics, a Twitter user named Anna, wrote, “Can we discuss how at my biggest I would not have been able to fit on Mario Kart? A 40″ waist line is about a size 20. Are you freaking kidding me @UniStudios? It’s a DARK RIDE.”
“You can’t have a mario kart ride that Bowser and DK wouldn’t even be allowed on. Dumb,” a third user named Zaha wrote.
Postcast host Matt Mazany chimed in on the topic on Twitter as well, writing, “Trust me when I say ‘lose a little weight’ is not a novel suggestion. Universal has a history now of releasing new rides (Harry Potter, Life of Pets, and now Mario Kart) where they don’t accommodate big people yet they WILL take full admission price from us. Seems unethical.”
TikToker David Vaughn gave his followers a heads up about the size restriction on the video-sharing platform, saying. “Unfortunately, the new Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge attraction comes with a warning that guests whose waistline is at least 40 inches or greater may not be accommodated on the ride.”
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD COMING TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO, TOO
A statue of Bowser is seen at the entrance of the Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge ride during a preview of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California, on January 13, 2023.
(Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
“Though there is a test seat at the attraction entrance, it’s frustrating that theme parks are still creating family-friendly attractions that aren’t accessible to many of their guests.”
As Vaughn’s video mentioned, Universal Studios’ website says a “test seat” is available at the entrance so visitors can test whether their size will be accommodated on the actual ride.
“This ride employs safety restraints which may restrict certain guests from riding due to body shape and size,” the guidelines read. “Guests whose waist line is at least 40″ or greater may not be accommodated on the ride and are strongly encouraged to try the test seat provided at the entrance of the attraction to ensure their ability to ride.”
JAPAN’S SUPER NINTENDO WORLD WILL LET YOU ‘BECOME ONE OF THE CHARACTERS,’ ACCORDING TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN
CDC statistics show that to be a problematic number for ride goers, however, indicating that the average U.S. male scantily exceeds the 40″ limit with a waist circumference of 40.5″ while the average woman’s waist circumference measures 38.7″, leaving people to ask if the requirement is far too restrictive as some claim.
As some tweets mentioned, Universal Studios has come under fire for the same circumference issue with other rides in the past, including the popular “Harry Potter” ride.
Super Nintendo World offers more than the Mario Kart ride, however, including adorable Mario-themed pit stops, a shop chock-full of Super Mario goods, chances to meet and greet your favorite Nintendo characters and the Toadstool Café where visitors can enjoy Nintendo-themed foods.
The park’s grand opening is expected to take place on February 17.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Final Fantasy kart racer Chocobo GP being abandoned on Nintendo Switch
Square Enix is winding down support for its kart racer, Chocobo GP, on Nintendo Switch, the publisher announced this week. There will be “no further large scale updates,” including new characters or new maps, for Chocobo GP, Square Enix said. The publisher has also ended sales of Mythril, the racing game’s premium currency.
Chocobo GP players who do have Mythril better spend it, because it will become “invalid” on Jan. 6, 2023, Square Enix said in an “important notice” posted on its support website. But it sounds like players will still be able to purchase items as part of the ongoing season 5 through other means — Chocobo GP’s ticket- and gil-based shops. Those purchases will include items sold during the game’s first four seasons.
Chocobo GP itself will remain playable, Square Enix noted. The change does not appear to affect the mobile versions of Chocobo GP for Android and iOS.
Square Enix ending support for Chocobo GP comes just nine months after the game launched on Nintendo Switch. The game is a spiritual successor to Chocobo Racing, which was released on the original PlayStation in 1999. Chocobo GP’s launch came with criticism aimed at Square Enix, which released the game for $49.99 but monetized it like a free-to-play mobile game, with a paid season pass and a trio of in-game currencies.
Chocobo GP lets players race as familiar faces from Final Fantasy (and the Chocobo spinoff games), including a Chocobo wearing inline skates, Cid, Terra Branford, Vivi, and Steiner, as well as summons Shiva, Titan, Gilgamesh, and Ifrit. Racers can use famous Final Fantasy spells like Aero, Blizzard, Fire, and Thunder to battle opponents in races that echo Nintendo’s Mario Kart series.
Mario Kart 7 Gets Its First Update In Over A Decade, Here’s What’s Included
In surprise news, the excellent 3DS title Mario Kart 7 has today been updated for the second time ever. Yes, despite being released in 2011, Nintendo has randomly issued a new patch for the game bumping it up to Version 1.2.
According to the official patch notes, several issues have been addressed to improve the overall experience. This follows a previous update (Version 1.1) in May 2012. Here’s the full patch note history for this game, featuring updates a decade apart:
Ver. 1.2 (Released December 13, 2022)
General
Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.
Ver. 1.1 (Released May 15, 2012)
- An update has been made available to eliminate shortcut exploits in the Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu, and Bowser Castle 1 tracks when they are played in the Online Multiplayer Mode.
- The update is required to play the game’s Online Multiplayer Modes. However, the tracks in Single-Player and Local Multiplayer Modes will not be affected by this update. Players can continue to play in these modes without installing the update.
In typical fashion, Nintendo doesn’t actually reveal what’s going on behind the scenes with this update, but it could easily have something to do with the online services or 3DS eShop closure – with the shutdown taking place on 27th March 2023. Dataminer OatmealDome has suggested this patch may fix certain security exploits:
In somewhat related news, Nintendo last week updated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with the Wave 3 DLC. It adds another two cups and eight more courses to the game. You can learn more about it in our recent Nintendo Life coverage.
Mario Kart 7 update out now (version 1.2), patch notes
Original: Believe it or not, a new version 1.2 update has just gone live for Mario Kart 7. Yes, this is the 3DS game we’re talking about – not Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch.
Nintendo has shared the patch notes, but they don’t provide much insight. The company only states: “Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.”
Dataminers may dig through the patch later to get more information about the update. For now though, it’s mostly a mystery. It’s unclear why Nintendo would decide to update the game after so long – it’s been over a decade since Mario Kart 7 made its debut on 3DS in 2011.
Nintendo is still keeping Mario Kart 8 Deluxe alive years after its release. The title just received its third round of DLC from its Booster Course Pass with more content coming in 2023. Also, as part of the latest update, a new Custom Items feature was added. In case you missed it, you can catch up on the patch notes here.
We’ll let you know if any further details come to light about the new 1.2 update for Mario Kart 7.
Update: Twitter user OatmealDome has done some digging and says that a severe security exploit has been addressed.
Related
Mario Kart 8 Nintendo Switch Bundle Black Friday Deal Live at Amazon, Best Buy and GameStop
Black Friday is here, in spite of the fact the actual date isn’t until the Friday after Thanksgiving. Nintendo Black Friday deals start today and include savings on a bunch great games, as well as the return of the Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Black Friday bundle.
Nintendo Switch Black Friday Bundle Deal
For $299.99, you get a neon Nintendo Switch console, a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a single-user subscription to Nintendo Switch Online. If you’re giving a Nintendo Switch as a gift this year, this is definitely the bundle to get.
How to Get the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe New Tracks
With the 3-month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online, you get access to online play and a collection of Super NES and NES games as part of the subscription. However, if you want to access the new Mario Kart 8 tracks, you’ll need to upgrade to the NSO Expansion subscription. That tier entitles you to the extra Mario Kart 8 tracks, Animal Crossing DLC, the Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion, as well as access to a selection of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games.
When Does the Nintendo Switch Black Friday Bundle Go on Sale?
Nintendo announced the start of its Black Friday deals is Sunday, November 20, 2022. Retailers have already started listing the bundle, although the Walmart Black Friday deals don’t officially kick off until November 21. Definitely worth keeping an eye out. Best Buy’s Black Friday deals start November 20, for everything. Amazon is a bit of a wildcard, just doing whatever it feels like, but the Amazon Black Friday deals are already live and there are no doubt thousands more to come.
Unreleased Mario Kart XXL Tech Demo For Game Boy Advance Surfaces Online
DNF
Nintendo preservation website Forest of Illusion has acquired the “infamous” Mario Kart XXL tech demo – a pitch by Denaris Entertainment Software for the Game Boy Advance, dating back to April 2004. It’s now been made available to download.
The German development studio (founded by Turrican creator Manfred Trenz) originally showcased the game and its “dynamic and adjustable perspective view engine featuring dual playfields” to Nintendo of Europe. The demo is made up of a single track using Mario Kart assets and features BGM from a PlayStation racer called Moorhuhn Kart, which Denaris also helped develop.
Interestingly, this Mario Kart demo began life as a racing game called ‘R3D-Demo‘. The same developer eventually went on to release a Game Boy Advance kart racer based on the CGI-animated character Crazy Frog. Yikes!
You can get a more detailed history and look at Mario Kart XXL along with the R3D-Demo on the Hard4Games YouTube:
What do you think of this slice of kart racing history for Game Boy Advance? Comment below.
[source forestillusion.com, via youtu.be]