SNL's HBO-style Mario Kart trailer is a work of art
SNL's HBO-style Mario Kart trailer is a work of art
If HBO adapted Mario Kart, it'd probably look exactly like this
Forget about the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie starring Chris Pratt. Saturday Night Live has delivered an incredibly convincing pastiche of Nintendo’s Mario Kart series, shot in the style of an HBO drama. And I wish it was actually happening.
The long-running comedy show doesn’t always hit the mark with its skits, but this portrayal of a gritty Mario Kart film connects like a well-aimed green shell. For one, the production value is surprisingly high, but the references to the game and HBO’s production style are also spot on.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: SNL Mario Kart trailer
😂 SNL’s latest skit is a convincing (and hilarious) gritty adaptation of Mario Kart
🏎️ The trailer features Pedo Pascal as Mario and has plenty of nods to Nintendo’s classic series
👏 Fans of Mario Kart will enjoy the references to the game’s iconic characters and in-game items
📺 And HBO viewers will appreciate some of the tongue-in-cheek jabs
Starring Pedro Pascal as Mario, who delivers classic lines like “Let’s-a go” and “It’s-a me” with an actual Italian accent – unlike Chris Pratt – it cleverly apes elements of The Last of Us TV show, which is a hit with critics. You can watch the Mario Kart trailer below.
I particularly enjoyed the part where Toad resigns himself to death because Bowser’s thrown a red shell, and how Pascal explains how Lakitu helps players back on the track, all with a straight face. Seeing Mario loading red shells into a shotgun is also brilliantly stupid.
Even though Nintendo would never greenlight an adaption of its beloved karting series – for obvious reasons – SNL’s spoof is a surprisingly strong case study of why a silly take on Mario Kart could work.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to be one of the best Nintendo Switch games available and its evergreen sales are a testament to that. Year after year, it tops the charts for Switch game sales as it’s the perfect game to play with friends and family, and online.
Nintendo has been drip-feeding new tracks into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe since last year after fans had been clamoring for DLC. Those who pick up a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack can access all of the tracks as soon as they drop, as well as DLC for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Splatoon 2. They can also enjoy access to N64 games like GoldenEye 007 remastered.