We’ve got everything you need to know to improve your top score and rise up the leaderboard on the Mario Kart augmented reality dark ride in the Super Nintendo World video game-inspired land at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Universal has held technical rehearsals and passholder previews in advance of the land’s official debut on Friday, Feb. 17.
SEE ALSO: I rode the new Mario Kart ride at Universal Studios Hollywood — here’s what it’s like
Riders on the new Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge attraction wear AR visors that allow them to see digital race cars and video game bounty on the track.
The goal of the game is simple: Collect as many gold coins as possible by tossing shells at AR targets throughout the ride.
SEE ALSO: You can’t see in or out of Universal’s new Nintendo land, which sucks you into a video game world
Universal Creative vice president Jon Corfino shared seven tips, hacks and cheats for gamers looking to master the new Mario Kart ride at Universal Studios Hollywood.
1) How to aim
Aim with your head and fire with either trigger on the steering wheel. Using your head to aim is not intuitive, but it is easy to do once you get the hang of it. You can adjust your targeting by turning or tilting your head slightly. The practice round at the beginning of the ride will help you gauge and adjust your gun sight.
2) When to turn
Turn when you see the arrows on the AR screen. Failing to do so can cause you to spin out. The red deltas show up as you head into bigger turns. Driving is a key component of the game that can get overlooked when you’re busy flinging shells.
3) How to turn
Turn and hold the wheel when you see the directional arrows on the AR screen. Simply turning the wheel briefly is not enough to rack up maximum points. This simple hack will help you boost your score over other riders.
4) How to reload
Tilt your head down to pick up Question Blocks that reload your shell arsenal. You don’t have an unlimited number of shells, so you will need to replenish your ammunition throughout the ride. The Question Blocks show up in the AR universe and appear on your visor lens.
5) Avoid friendly fire
Don’t shoot Mario or you will lose points. You have to be careful when you’re slinging shells not to hit Mario’s race car or any other good guys with friendly fire. Mario can show up suddenly by driving up from behind you and slip into your line of fire.
6) Get the bad guys
Shoot anything with horns. They are the bad guys. There’s a lot going on in the video game universe of the Mario Kart ride. It’s not always clear whether things in the game are friend or foe.
7) Bonus points
Press both triggers on the steering wheel at the same time between 3 and 2 during the countdown to pick up five additional points. Game designers built the hidden cheat code into the attraction to add layers of intrigue to the gameplay and boost repeat ridership.
