Indy Racing League Adds Mario Kart Power-Ups to Circuit

By Jeff Wysaski on October 19th, 2009

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Power-ups are one of the key ingredients to Nintendo’s Mario Kart games that have made the series such a runaway success. Taking a cue from this recipe for success, the Indy Racing League (IRL) has added the equivalent of super mushrooms to the real-world racing scene.

Since August 1, IRL drivers have been racing with a “push to pass” button strategically placed on the car’s steering wheel. When pressed, the car receives a sudden surge in horsepower, instantly catapulting drivers forward. Power boosts range from five to 20 horsepower.

Already, the gimmick has been heralded as a success, helping to revive excitement in IRL races.

To limit overuse of the push button, drivers are only allotted a certain number of pushes per race. Depending on the specific course layout, racers might be allotted 12 to 15 pushes per race. Duration of power boost is also determined on a track-by-track basis (typically 10 to 20 seconds).

For now, the IRL seems against Mario Kart’s golden mushroom – non-stop mashing is disabled due to a 10-second recharge period.

Given the early success of the power boost, can we expect to see other Mario power-ups in the future? Doubtful, but I, for one, would love to see the racetrack strewn with giant banana peels and Bob-ombs.