Real-life Mario Kart is the best thing you'll see all day

Real life Mario Kart
We're not sure even the Nintendo Switch Pro will be able to compete with these graphics (Image credit: an Padgham)

The phrase 'the best thing you'll see all day' is bandied about a lot online, but we reckon this is a pretty solid contender. Want to play Mario Kart but don't have a Nintendo Switch? Easy – all you need is a lawnmower and a drone (and some CGI skills).

One ingenious YouTuber has shared a video (below) turning a simple lawn-mowing exercise into a full-blown Mario Kart experience, complete with shells, lava pools and and all your favourite Mario characters. Oh, and he also mows his lawn. (Want to play a slightly less IRL version of Mario Kart? Check out our best Nintendo Switch deals). 

The video, titled Mow-Rio Kart (we see what he did there), shows Ian Padgham racing around his lawn, while navigating various CGI obstacles. Filmed using a Skydio 2 drone (opens in new tab), the sped-up footage looks just like the real thing – and the graphics are probably more realistic than even the rumoured Nintendo Switch Pro will be capable of (seeing they're actually, you know, real). 

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And fellow YouTubers are loving the concept. "This has to be one of the best drone videos ever. Hope a million people see it," one user comments, while another adds, "The attention to detail in these effects is astounding". In one comment, Padgham reveals that the video was edited using Adobe After Effects (check out the best Adobe Creative Cloud deals if you're inspired to check the tool out). 

Now, at $999, a Skydio 2 drone is admittedly going to set you back a touch more than a Nintendo Switch and a copy of Mario Kart – and that's before factoring in the cost of a lawn mower. So, if you fancy shelling out a little less for your green shell fix, check out the best Nintendo Switch deals, and take a look at more great offers below.

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Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).