Despite the infinite pliability of Mario Maker, and the brazen LucasArts licensing that brought us Star Wars Angry Birds, we’ve somehow yet to see any glimmer of the Force within the Mushroom Kingdom, even though it’s just so achingly easy to picture. Let’s give thanks to the dudes at Dark Pixel, then, for climbing this particular flagpole.
After spending a solid year inside what must’ve been a dungeon-like animation studio, they’ve willed Star Kart into being. And it is truly splendorous. Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, and Yoshi racing the X-Wing, Y-Wing, TIE-Fighter, and Slave-1 through Hyperspace, Hoth, Tattooine, and the Death Star (with banana peals and turtle shells there to trip everybody up, natch).
To clarify, though: that is not an actual cinematic from a real LucasArts game.
And to clarify: LucasArts absolutely must make this a real game. Remember Pod Racer? Star Wars racing games can work!
A less elaborate video floating around cyberspace imagines what a Mad Max: Fury Road/Mario Kart mash-up could sound like, too–and it further convinces us that Nintendo should take notes from LEGO’s crossovers. Seriously, if Homer Simpson and Marty McFly can team up in LEGO Dimensions to chase after Scooby Doo in Jurassic Park, why can’t Wario outrace Toad in a War Rig speeding toward Bullet Town?
Dark Pixel’s channel nicely visualizes other video game dreams, too. Think Mario Bros. deserves a realistic, Metroid Prime-style reboot more? Enjoy this clip of the plumbers doing real life parkour stunts. Have you wondered what Goldeneye 64 would look like with photo-real graphics? Put your eyes through a live-action mission. And would you be down for a Battleship-esque blockbuster riff on that classic puzzler, Tetris? Then witness the most geometric apocalypse ever committed to video.
Are you dying for Star Kart, now? What other franchises could/should Nintendo mash Mario Bros. up into? Race to our talkback and fling your thoughts around freely!
Featured Image Credit: Dark Pixel