In a move that will delight Mario fans across Europe, the highly anticipated Mario Kart VR experience will arrive in the UK this summer, following a hugely successful launch at BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Inc. VR ZONE arcade in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Launching August at VR ZONE Portal London located within Hollywood Bowl at The O2, the multiplayer VR experience will offer four players at a time the chance to hop into specially designed ‘Mario Karts’, before racing through the iconic Mushroom Kingdom as either Mario, Luigi, Peach or Yoshi.
Running off the award-winning HTC Vive VR system, Mario Kart VR will not only feature industry-leading graphics but, in homage to the original game, Vive’s Tracker technology will allow players to reach up and grab classic items like banana skins to pelt their opponents with. Additionally, Mario Kart VR will boast haptic feedback capabilities, creating a truly four-dimensional experience that allows players to feel every single twist and turn.
Following its London launch, Mario Kart VR will later this summer be rolled out to further VR ZONE Portal locations at Hollywood Bowl centres in Tunbridge Wells and Leeds.
The Mario Kart VR experience will be bookable in advance, with limited spaces on the day, with full information available at: https://www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk/vr
Matt Bradley, VR Project Manager for BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Europe Ltd: “BANDAI NAMCO has achieved the seamless game-play and total immersion in ‘Mario Kart VR’, further enhanced by HTC Vive’s outstanding equipment.” This hugely anticipated release is soon to be launched here in the UK before any other country outside of Japan, and we can’t wait for the British public to experience it first-hand. The introduction of this full haptic feedback multiplayer VR experience, merged with a strong IP such as Mario Kart, is due to be a massive success alongside leading VR titles currently within our locations.”
Steve Burns, CEO, Hollywood Bowl Group, said: “We continue to evolve our innovative bowling and wider family entertainment centres, which offer customers a fully immersive entertainment experience in a premium environment. The launch of the iconic Mario Kart VR at Hollywood Bowl is an exciting introduction, as it brings virtual reality gaming to our customers on a large and accessible scale.”
Paul Brown, General Manager for HTC Vive Europe said: “We are so excited to be working with BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Europe Ltd and Hollywood Bowl to bring Mario Kart VR to the UK, following its stunning launch in Shinjuku. Location-based virtual reality experiences are hugely important in terms of increasing accessibility for VR fans, and a great opportunity to introduce new audiences to HTC Vive.”
