Mario Kart becomes the first Nintendo property to come to VR

It's been nearly a year-and-a-half since Nintendo first said it was "looking into" virtual reality, though we have yet to see any concrete signs of that "look" outside of a vague patent application. Thus, it came down to Nintendo partner Namco Bandai to give the world its first official taste of what a popular Nintendo franchise would look like on a modern virtual reality headset (no, the Virtual Boy does not count).

Apparently, it will look a lot like Mario Kart Arcade GP VR, a title being teased for Japanese arcades in a newly released 30-second trailer now making the rounds. The slickly produced, first-person trailer shows players puttering somewhat slowly down familiar looking track settings (Peach's Castle grounds, Bowser's airship, a Thwomp-filled fortress) while throwing turtle shells and banana peels and even bonking opposing players with a hammer.

Though the trailer is making a big splash today, the game's existence was first revealed a month ago as part of a preview event for Namco's upcoming VR arcade games (an event we seem to have missed amid the bustle of E3). A report from The Japan Times explains and shows a bit more about how the game works, with users sitting in a small kart that bumps and shakes as they drive with an HTC Vive strapped to their heads. Vive trackers strapped to the back of the wrists track players' hands (via rubber gloves) and allow them to grab virtual items out of the air and throw them at opponents with real-world motions. IGN Japan has even more footage of people playing the game (note the commentary is all in Japanese).

More on the way?

The existence of a new VR Mario Kart doesn't necessarily mean we should expect more Nintendo franchises to show up in VR soon. While the new game is officially licensed by Nintendo, Namco Bandai is taking the lead in the game's development, much as it has with the arcade spin-off Mario Kart Arcade GP series since 2005. Nintendo reportedly had a limited role in designing those previous arcade Kart titles (besides loaning out and approving the treatment of the characters and settings), and it's not clear Nintendo has any direct role in this new virtual reality development at all.

Don't get your hopes up for this new Mario Kart to be widely available outside of Japan, either. For now, Mario Kart Arcade GP VR is being featured exclusively as a central piece of Namco's flagship VR Zone Shinjuku entertainment complex, which is opening this weekend in the popular Tokyo commercial district. The permanent Shinjuku location is a follow-up to last year's VR-focused Project i-Can, a limited-time pop-up arcade Namco Bandai set up for in Tokyo a few months as a "VR entertainment research facility." The new site will also feature experiences based on Dragon Ball Z, Evangelion, and Ghost in the Shell.

Namco Bandai Executive Officer for Amusement Yoshiyasu Horiuchi said in a statement that "the company plans to install their VR activities in over 20 locations worldwide in order to increase the opportunities for a larger audience to enjoy their VR entertainment," leaving the door open for Western locations in the future. At those limited numbers, though, you may have to travel a bit to find the game if and when Namco does decide to expand.

Those who can't make the trip can always try an emulated version of Mario Kart Wii in their Oculus Rift, of course. Or, how about some unofficial augmented reality Super Mario Bros. while you wait?