Which Mario Kart game uses real radio-controlled toy cars with augmented reality?

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is the Mario Kart game that uses real radio-controlled toy cars with augmented reality. Released for Nintendo Switch in 2020, it combines physical karts with a digital racing game displayed on the console.

Each toy kart contains a camera and communicates wirelessly with the Switch. Players place four numbered gates around a room to create a course, then drive the physical kart through them. The camera feed lets the game overlay characters, items, opponents, and changing race conditions onto the real-world environment.

This makes Home Circuit different from conventional Mario Kart games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, where every vehicle and track exists digitally. It is also more than a remote-control toy: the Switch software detects the course layout and translates in-game effects into changes in the kart’s behavior.

Velan Studios developed the game in collaboration with Nintendo. It was revealed on September 3, 2020, as part of celebrations for Super Mario’s 35th anniversary, and released on October 16, 2020. Up to four players can compete with compatible kart sets.