Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a strange little idea that works better than it sounds. You place gates around your living room, and the Switch turns that space into a race course. A real Mario RC kart rolls through the gates while the camera feed shows it on screen in augmented reality. The kart reacts to what you do in the game: boosts, drifts, and hit items all show up in how the physical car moves.

What caught my eye is how much of the track is in your hands. Gates are the only thing you place, so every course is whatever shape your furniture allows, and the game unlocks new environments, gates, and costumes as you play. Up to four people can race together in the same room, though additional games, systems, and karts are required and sold separately.

This is a good fit for Nintendo families who want a rainy-afternoon track the kids can rearrange themselves, and for Switch owners who already enjoy a bit of physical play. The drawback is space. The kart needs a fair amount of clear floor, and in a cramped room you get a short, tangled course with fewer good drifts. Plan on clearing the coffee table before the first race.