Mario Kart in Real Life: Brand New Battlekart Opens in Sheffield

Following its worldwide success, Battlekart is opening its fourth location in the UK here in Sheffield and on Friday evening we attended its opening night. With what is essentially a few projectors and a warehouse near Meadowhall, the creators of the game have brought everyone’s favourite go-karting videogame to life in this exhilarating augmented reality experience.

Perfect for fans of Mario Kart, players drive high-tech electronic go-karts around a digital track, brought to life using interactive projectors. Collect power-ups to gain speed boosts and shields, or slow others down with rockets and oil slicks. Race against your friends and climb the leaderboard, then work as a team to win your minigame.

Slots typically follow a fast-paced “race, minigame, race” pattern. Each slot lasts 15 minutes and can be customised to create a unique experience each time, with different race themes and plenty of game modes to try:

·       BattleVirus: work together to defeat a nasty virus

·       BattleFoot: help your team score the most goals

·       BattlePool: pocket the most balls to win

·       BattleSnake: collect fruits to become the biggest snake

·       BattleColour: cover the floor in tiles of your colour

While waiting for your slot, you can treat yourself to a drink from the bar and watch the current race from the viewing window, or take a photo on the podium to commemorate your experience! 

Younger family members can be put off go-karting due to its competitive and sometimes risky nature, but Battlekart is fun for all the family. Helmets are not required and the karts have rubber safety barriers around them (similar to bumper cars), but they still move pretty quickly to achieve a thrilling ride. There are no age restrictions, however players must be at least 1.45m in height.

And don’t worry if you’ve never played Mario Kart before! Players receive a full briefing before your slot and there are easy to follow instructions displayed on your kart’s screen, as well as directions projected around you to help find the starting line.

For around £20, get ready to have the most fun you’ve had in ages! We laughed and chatted about the experience all the way home, already planning our next visit. Battlekart is a fantastic way to celebrate the end of exams with your mates or spend a day of the summer holidays with your family. It also makes an entertaining teambuilding exercise for your colleagues! Book now, or visit their website for more information here.