Physical Kart Controller
The project would include a physical kart-style setup with a steering wheel, pedals, and a seat so the player feels like they are actually inside the vehicle.
Concept ยท With Charlie Davis
Mario Kart VR/AR
A planned immersive racing project where a physical kart setup would connect to a VR Mario Kart-style game, with a possible AR go-kart version later.
This is a planned project my younger brother Charlie and I have wanted to build for a while. The idea is to create a physical kart someone can sit in, with a steering wheel and pedals, and connect it to a VR racing game inspired by Mario Kart.
The goal is full immersion. The player would sit in the kart, steer and accelerate physically, see the track in VR, and feel movement or rumble from the kart while racing through virtual maps.
Who builds what
The split that makes this a two-person project.
My half: the game
I would focus on creating the game side of the project, including the VR racing environment, kart controls, item mechanics, track logic, and gameplay systems. One of the more interesting ideas is making items feel physical: instead of just pressing a button to use an item, the player could throw or aim it in VR, making the gameplay feel more active and immersive.
Charlie's half: the kart
Charlie would focus more on the physical kart build, including the frame, controls, rumble, and movement system, so the bumps, boosts, and crashes from the game are something you actually feel.
Planned Features
VR Racing Gameplay
The game would place the player inside a VR racing environment, with kart movement, track layouts, items, opponents, and game mechanics inspired by arcade kart racing.
Motion and Rumble
The kart could rumble, shake, or move slightly to respond to bumps, slopes, crashes, boosts, and other in-game events.
Future AR Version
The bigger, longer-term dream once the VR version works.
Real Go-Karts
A later version could use actual go-karts instead of a stationary VR kart, allowing players to physically drive around a real track.
AR Track Overlay
With AR headsets, the real track could be transformed into a Mario-style world, adding virtual environments, items, effects, and game information on top of the physical space.
Mixed Reality Racing
The long-term idea would combine real driving with virtual gameplay, blending the physical motion of go-karts with game-like visuals and interactions.
Technical Direction
The first version would likely be built as a VR racing prototype with a physical controller rig. The game would need steering and pedal input, kart physics, item logic, VR interaction, and feedback from the game to the physical kart.
The physical side could include a frame, seat, pedals, wheel, rumble motors, and possibly actuators for limited movement. The project would require both game development and hardware design to work together closely.
Current Status
This project is currently planned. We have not started the physical kart or the VR prototype yet.
The first step would likely be making a simple VR racing test with steering wheel input, then building a basic physical kart frame once the core controls feel good.