Bowser has challenged Mario and friends to a Mario Kart race to be held at his castle. Little do they know, Bowser has been hard at work devising a plan to finally defeat Mario at his game. We are on team Mario, and are invited to tour Bowser's castle before the race. It's a pretty cool queue with clever, cute rooms to explore while you wait.
Before you board your Kart, you pick up a Mario hat which you adjust by turning a white plastic knob on the back. Once in the Kart, there is a pair of plastic glasses that magnetically attach to your Mario hat. These are AR goggles, which constantly project images of various Mario Kart racers, characters, and effects. These images often obstruct your view of physical sets, objects, and props in the real world and even at times completely obscure your view of the track. It's a chaotic, confusing, and overwhelming experience.
The AR Goggles/Mario Hat combo is also pretty top heavy, and you don't want it drooping too low, so make sure your Mario hat is nice and tight. The way the game is played is you look to aim, press both buttons on your steering wheel to shoot, and steer your steering wheel in the corresponding direction when indicated to do so. This is the most Video Game: The Ride attraction I have ever been on. It's incredibly ambitious, and the physical props and sets are all incredibly impressive, which is why it can be frustrating that the AR images can get in the way of the physical environments at times.
There are some moments where the goggles and sets work in perfect unison (like a physical prop crushing one of the AR Mario Kart racers). The moment that makes the entire experience worth it comes near the end of the attraction, where you get to actually race on the rainbow road. Practical effects, screens, and AR images blend together perfectly to sell the illusion that you have entered the game Mario Kart and are racing on the actual Rainbow Road. It's incredibly thrilling, and it feels like your Kart practically takes off on a bit of a roller-coaster. In the end, Mario Kart is a perfect encapsulation of what the game Mario Kart is. This attraction should hold some amount of appeal for anyone who grew up playing Mario Kart.