Real-life Mario Kart will be grand prize in GameStop giveaway

By Rick Marshall December 6, 2011

Just last month, we told you about the authentic, functioning Mario Karts produced by West Coast Customs as part of a deal with Nintendo. Well, now it looks like they’re more than just photo opps — you could actually own one of them, if you’re lucky.

GameStop announced this week that the retailer will be giving away one of the Nintendo-commissioned Karts to a select member of their PowerUp Rewards program. Members just need to purchase a game or trade something in during the month of December to be entered to win one of the Karts.

We’re assuming that it is Mario’s Kart being offered in the contest, though a working version of Luigi’s “Bumble V” was also produced by West Coast Customs.

And while it’s all well and good to enter the contest, one has to wonder what you’d actually do with a Mario Kart if you won it. Is it street legal? Can you drive it to work?

Sadly, there’s no information about the mileage these Karts get, and before you ask, the answer is “no” — they do not shoot turtle shells.

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