Mario Kart On Nintendo Switch Played With DIY Exercise Bike

This week the modder known as Mechachoi delivered a robotic masterpiece, connecting Mario Kart on Nintendo Switch to an exercise bike. He worked with a variety of off-the-shelf parts and made the whole experience just as wireless as the original, pushing the exercise bike to act as the controller without ripping the original controller apart whatsoever. This is the sort of modding Nintendo must love.

If you look at TAPBO, you might think it's something Nintendo made to sell in stores. They've already created a variety of cardboard accessories and add-ons for Nintendo Switch, so why not this? Upon closer inspection, you'll find robotic parts aplenty.

With TAPBO connected to the Nintendo Switch, the user's motion on the exercise bike makes the Mario Kart racer accelerate, while the user's directions are modified by the Nintendo Switch controller mounted on a makeshift steering wheel. Every part that wasn't purchased as a mechanical component was made with a 3D printer!

The creator Mechachoi calls this Labo Fit Adventure Kart! It's not the first time someone has connected an exercise bike to Mario Kart – but it IS the most deeply involved of the solutions. Below you'll see an older iteration of this situation.

In the example above, you'll see Super Mario Kart played with an exercise bike – posted back in 2012. This solution works with an original Super Nintendo, a modded Super Nintendo Controller, an exercise bike, and an Arduino microcontroller between the lot. This creator "Statuswoe" also included some sensors and switches to make the whole contraption function properly. Neat!

Now, if only we could get this to work with the Mario Kart Live Home Circuit. Can you imagine peddling your exercise bike to power a palm-sized Mario in a Mario Kart the likes of which your cat finds offensively inappropriate for your living room?