Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge - General Discussion

[Brian G.]

Just a FWIW:

GSATs are allegedly positive but could be better.

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

And my own FWIW: I don't think it's bad a ride. I actually think -- for what it's trying to accomplish -- it's a pretty dang good one. I just don't think it was the right idea for a headlining e-ticket.

I have fun on Mario Kart, but I've always wished one of two things: that it was closer to something like Radiator Springs Racers, or it was just a straight up dark ride.

 

[BriefCasey]

At least Mario Kart provides a unique experience that can only be found at a theme park. Rides like Mania and Web-Slingers just have you sitting in a stationary spot while staring at a screen for the majority of the ride time. There's not much that really justifies it being an attraction. If I really want to play Toy Story Mania, I can just boot up the version I have of it for the Wii, which is a very faithful recreation of what you experience on the ride.

I didn't know the Wii Game was that faithful, makes me wish I got it back then, but at least there's Homebrew and "knowing where in the seas to sail".

Toy Story literally has multiple secrets and many of which change the game bored for MK its always the same game and even when you do something like hit all the skull fish it doesn't add more enemies or something new to the next room.....same if you beat the Volcano bowser

I'd just like it where each room had some you could unlock at least....and the hidden blocks are fine but not really game changing

I just don't think much hidden stuff (other than AR differences when triggered like you mentioned) can be done in Mario Kart because of how they're designed differently. In Toy Story you're going from screen to screen, which I'd imagine makes it easy to implement that stuff, where in Mario Kart you're moving through physical sets.

The ammo is WAY too limited and there’s lots of dead parts on the ride like during the underwater and cloud sections where I know people don’t have ammo or are just saving shells.

The limited ammo, I can understand and I hope that can be fixed in the future. I actually don't mind the quieter parts though, they probably made it so it's a bit easier to take in the set design and a place to fire shells if you have any.

I have fun on Mario Kart, but I've always wished one of two things: that it was closer to something like Radiator Springs Racers, or it was just a straight up dark ride.

I'll admit that I was mildly bummed out when word slipped through the cracks that it wasn't fast long before the land opened in Hollywood, but I think it's much easier to appreciate the ride as its own thing when you're not trying to compare it to RSR, especially when you consider that if it was fast like RSR, then items would have most likely been sacrificed. I get that's where it raises the question if a traditional dark ride would have been better, but it's hard for me to say; I know people that like interactivity over everything being sitting and watching. Given how the series has been a video game, maybe that's why they chose interactivity.

 

[Jake S]

Yeah, I can absolutely see why they chose to go the direction they did and also readily acknowledge I don't enjoy the ride very much. The game is not fun (imo, of course) and the game, particularly the AR aspect of it, really detracts from its enjoyability as a dark ride. It also doesn't stand on its own as a dark ride if you take off the headset (obviously, it wasn't designed to!)

I'm happy for those that enjoy this, but I've done it a few times in Hollywood and that was enough for me to skip it (and its long queue) in Japan. That will probably be the case at Epic Universe, too. C'est la vie!

 

[highdefrex]

I'm happy for those that enjoy this, but I've done it a few times in Hollywood and that was enough for me to skip it (and its long queue) in Japan. That will probably be the case at Epic Universe, too. C'est la vie!

Lowkey glad I’m excited to skip it at Epic Universe since it means I can spend more time in Dark Universe instead, hah.

 

[Jake S]

Lowkey glad I’m excited to skip it at Epic Universe since it means I can spend more time in Dark Universe instead, hah.

 

[BriefCasey]

It's kinda strange for me; on a future Orlando trip, I normally would put rides that we have in Hollywood pretty low on a priority list, but I'm at least curious about the queue for that one since it's gonna be a clone of Japan's, especially after learning it has things Hollywood's doesn't.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Lowkey glad I’m excited to skip it at Epic Universe since it means I can spend more time in Dark Universe instead, hah.

My Epic opening day plan is to rush to Mine Cart Madness and immediately leave SNW, I’m hoping it’ll leave enough time for everything I want to do.

 

[Pacific]

I wonder if making the score numbers bigger on Mario Kart would make it more explosive? Like instead of 5 points, it’s 50 points for steering right. And when you do something right, the number itself shows up during the action, rather than being designated to the bottom of your screen (you’re lying if you say you actually look down there). Instant dopamine. When you hit that 500 point target in TSM, it’s immediately gratifying. When I hit Larry Koopa 3 times in MK, it’s like “Okay cool, next target”. I know they’re going for different things but I feel like the stressful, chaotic essence of MK is missing in its own attraction. Yes, the ride is chaotic but it’s like aimless chaos instead of focused chaos (I hope that makes sense).

And again, the game is missing the competitive angle. It’s more like a competition with yourself in most cases (I guess that has its own novelty). In TSM, I’m like talking s*** at the other player I’m with (if I know them), trying to distract them, or begrudgingly work with my with them only to provide my selfish gain. Mario Kart is missing that “screw you” element as it’s so (ironically) sanitized.

If you DONT work with other players, you will almost certainly lose. You have to have team work (but it’s not begrudgingly, it’s just forced upon you). It doesn’t help that when I’m in that AR set, I feel like I might as well be in a VR game. And due to that, the experience feels kind of isolating (even though there’s someone right next to you). So there is no real explosive (real life interaction) element.

I hope they’ll try to update the game down the line to make it feel more “competitive”.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I didn't know the Wii Game was that faithful, makes me wish I got it back then, but at least there's Homebrew and "knowing where in the seas to sail".

I just don't think much hidden stuff (other than AR differences when triggered like you mentioned) can be done in Mario Kart because of how they're designed differently. In Toy Story you're going from screen to screen, which I'd imagine makes it easy to implement that stuff, where in Mario Kart you're moving through physical sets.

The limited ammo, I can understand and I hope that can be fixed in the future. I actually don't mind the quieter parts though, they probably made it so it's a bit easier to take in the set design and a place to fire shells if you have any.

I'll admit that I was mildly bummed out when word slipped through the cracks that it wasn't fast long before the land opened in Hollywood, but I think it's much easier to appreciate the ride as its own thing when you're not trying to compare it to RSR, especially when you consider that if it was fast like RSR, then items would have most likely been sacrificed. I get that's where it raises the question if a traditional dark ride would have been better, but it's hard for me to say; I know people that like interactivity over everything being sitting and watching. Given how the series has been a video game, maybe that's why they chose interactivity.

I mean the AR should be able to be changed whenever they want

They could add or redo the AR parts to have combo's like if you destroy all the skull fish you get to fight King Boo instead of him just making a Cameo

That's what I would like to see more things like when you hit the fake painting and the Spiky enemy comes out along with just giving you unlimited ammo or at least giving you more and earlier the whole first room doesn't have anything to shoot.

But they can for sure improve the ride's AR game part, not needed but would be nice and also its an easy thing to update for Halloween with extra hidden boo's and what not or other limited timed events like hidden yosihi eggs....heck right now they could have KONG hidden on the ride to tie into DK country opening

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I'll admit that I was mildly bummed out when word slipped through the cracks that it wasn't fast long before the land opened in Hollywood, but I think it's much easier to appreciate the ride as its own thing when you're not trying to compare it to RSR, especially when you consider that if it was fast like RSR, then items would have most likely been sacrificed. I get that's where it raises the question if a traditional dark ride would have been better, but it's hard for me to say; I know people that like interactivity over everything being sitting and watching. Given how the series has been a video game, maybe that's why they chose interactivity.

Yeah, they definitely gamified everything because Super Mario is a video game. But I think the misstep was they gamified everything, and it’s ultimately kinda restrictive. For me personally, I think it’s better when theme park things are just theme park things. I don’t need elaborate, LARP-ish gimmicks (Galactic Starcruiser); I don’t need gamification (SNW). Just great design and exciting rides and fun food.

 

[chris.g]

Who knows, maybe in 10-15 years time we'll see Uni go the Test Track route and get Mario Kart 2.0...

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Just a FWIW:

GSATs are allegedly positive but could be better.

Makes sense, I don’t think anyone (GP included) LOVES it but it does just enough to not spoil the land itself.

And my own FWIW: I don't think it's bad a ride. I actually think -- for what it's trying to accomplish -- it's a pretty dang good one. I just don't think it was the right idea for a headlining e-ticket.

I have fun on Mario Kart, but I've always wished one of two things: that it was closer to something like Radiator Springs Racers, or it was just a straight up dark ride.

Not a Nintendo fan by any means (aside from the classic arcade games--god I miss DisneyQuest) but a "traditional" Super Mario World dark ride would've been best.

 

[Rideguy70]

One of my biggest peeves... especially for repeat visits... is why they felt the need to have not one, but two pre-show rooms.

I get having one, to explain the game... but I don't see any real need for the first one.

Remember when JL at SFMM had two pre-show rooms? I think that is a big part of what doomed that ride. They don't do them anymore, but the damage was done.

 

[Ron101]

I feel the need to mention it again… I’m all for the pre-shows being eliminated, should just have it continuously play and make the two open spaces a switch back queue.
OR make the preshows skip-able 2-3 hours before park closing.

Really dissuades me from riding because of the two pre-shows, even when the line is short.

 

[BriefCasey]

Do you usually go alone? Cause as long as single rider isn't closed that's an option. I do understand how it's a problem if you wanna see the rest of the queue though.

 

[GA-MBIT]

I feel the need to mention it again… I’m all for the pre-shows being eliminated, should just have it continuously play and make the two open spaces a switch back queue.
OR make the preshows skip-able 2-3 hours before park closing.

Really dissuades me from riding because of the two pre-shows, even when the line is short.

I agree from a re-ridability perspective, but I also worry that the game itself is too complicated to get across without focused attention on the preshow. Even with the video, it's a bit hard to parse.

I'll say, the lack of dialogue fits well for a continuously looping screen, but as a large-scale preshow it feels kinda awkward.