Jump for joy: See Super Mario through a HoloLens AR headset
Goombas don't stand a chance against a HoloLens-wearing first-person Super Mario player who conquers a mixed-reality version of the classic game.
Play enough Super Mario and you'll probably dream about being that iconic video-game plumber, rumbling over bricks and blasting question blocks with your fist. Developer Abhishek Singh has one-upped your fantasy vision with a playable first-person Microsoft HoloLens version of Super Mario Bros.
Singh posted a video on Wednesday showing the gaming experience. He even dressed up as Mario and took his gear to Central Park in New York City.
"This video was recorded entirely through the HoloLens with no post production," he notes in the video description. A picture-in-picture insert shows what a passerby would see, which is Singh dressed as a Nintendo hero, wearing augmented-reality goggles and jumping around for seemingly no reason.
This is Singh's first foray into HoloLens development and the learning experience is what inspired him to build the classic gaming world. "While learning the absolute basics of HoloLens development, I literally placed a cube in a scene and for some reason jumped right under it, and that's when the idea of re-creating Mario struck me," he tells CNET.
Singh used the Unity 3D game development software to build out the Super Mario level. "I also had to model all the assets and elements of the game and rethink the experience from a real world 3D perspective. The most time was probably spent on tweaking the game to work in a large outdoor setting, something the HoloLens is not necessarily designed for," he says.
Unfortunately, augmented-reality Super Mario won't be coming to a park and a HoloLens system near you. Due to copyright concerns, Singh has no plans to offer the game to the public, but he is considering making the code available to other DIY gamemakers if possible.
Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility.
Batteries Not Included: The CNET team reminds us why tech is cool.