Forget Switch 2: I drove a real-life Mario Kart at BattleKart — and it’s brilliant fun for the whole family

Mario Kart is one of the most iconic video games. Spanning multiple generations, the Italian plumber and friends are a firm favourite among kids and adults. But wouldn’t you love to experience the thrill of the fast-paced, weapon-toting racing game in real life?

Well the good news is you can!

I headed just outside London to one of BattleKart’s four UK locations (two of which - St Albans, Hertfordshire and Sittingbourne, Kent - are accessible from the capital) to find out exactly what a real-life Mario Kart-esque experience is really like.

It’s the perfect warm-up for anyone waiting for Mario Kart World to arrive with the Switch 2, and left me wanting to return again and again. Here’s everything you need to know.

Real-life Mario Kart - seriously?

Just so we’re clear, BattleKart is in no way affiliated with Nintendo or the Mario Kart franchise, but it does bill itself as a “real life video game”. And the video game it’s closest to is Mario Kart.

The setup is in a large warehouse with a series of ceiling-mounted projectors cleverly displaying the track (and other battle rounds) on the ground.

You’ll be assigned an electric kart, with your name displayed on the back - letting other drivers see who you are, and letting you hunt down your nemesis more easily.

There is space for up to 12 drivers in a game, so the action can get pretty hectic with a full complement of players.

So, do I get a banana skin?

Not exactly. There are three weapons for you to pick up by driving over yellow ‘BK’ boxes projected on the floor. Rockets (like green shells in Mario Kart), oil (like banana skins) and speed boost (like mushrooms).

You can’t select which weapon you pick up - drive over a ‘BK’ box and you’ll be randomly assigned one of the three options. Deploying is done via a button on your steering wheel.

Your kart is equipped with a screen to show the weapon you’ve picked up along with a live score board and details on who attacked you when you hit an oil patch or suffer a rocket impact.

A well directed rocket fired at a driver in front of you will temporarily stop their kart. Rockets travel in a straight line from the front of your kart, so make sure you have your target lined up before pressing fire.

Drop oil behind you and when someone drives over it they’ll briefly slow down, while the speed boost gives you a short burst of additional acceleration - perfect for a daring overtake. And these karts can go pretty quickly!

I’d like to see the weapon choices expanded by two or three to mix up the racing a little more, but the trio available are effective and fun to use.

Pick your battles

In each 15 minute game session you’ll play four rounds - but it doesn’t need to be a standard race four times over. There are six battles to choose from, allowing you to experience a variety of ways to play.

BattleRace is the classic Mario Kart-style race, BattleFoot turns the arena into a Rocket League-esque game of football, BattleVirus sees you working together to defeat a virus, BattleColor turns your kart into a giant paint brush, BattlePool requires precision driving to sink balls into pockets, while BattleSnake takes the iconic mobile game and gives it a karting makeover.

You can select the battles you want to play when booking (if booking an empty session), but if you book an already half-full session the battles will have already been selected.

My favourites are BattleRace, for that classic Mario Kart experience, and BattleSnake which really puts your kart handling to the test.

15 minutes? That’s not very long...

You’re right, it’s not massively long - but once you’re in the kart and zipping around the arena you soon forget about the time as the adrenaline starts pumping.

However, it does take a session to properly understand how everything works, and you’ll likely want to book at least two sessions to feel like you’ve experienced the concept fully.

You do get a discount on a second session, and a further discount on all further games - but the cost is still significant (see table further down this article for pricing) which will make some think twice before booking.

It’s not bumper karts

All karts are equipped with a ‘collision prevention system’ which automatically slows you down if you get too close to another driver. It won’t prevent you from crashing into someone however - you’re still in charge of the direction your kart is moving.

The karts are at least straightforward to operate. The right pedal is your accelerator, while the left is your brake. Then there’s a button on the steering wheel to fire weapons, and another which you hold down (with your foot off the accelerator) to reverse.

The steering is a little on the heavy side, so younger drivers may not find the karts overly manoeuvrable - but they will still be able to steer them and play all the games.

Anything else I need to know?

• I’d recommend wearing trainers (or a comfortable, closed-toe shoe) for the best pedal control in your cart.
• Be mindful of the weather outside. You’ll be racing in a huge warehouse - if it’s cold outside, it’ll likely be chilly inside.
• The seats in the karts are pretty snug for larger adults, and for those over six foot four, you may find the leg room is very much at a premium.

• Free lockers are provided, plus there’s a comfy waiting area with a full service bar and some simple food options.
• There’s even a podium where you can snap a free photo using the provided photo booth to celebrate the top three in your session.

BattleKart pricing:

Peak = Friday & weekends
Off-Peak = Monday-Thursday
Game Length = 15 minutes