mario_quadcopterIn 1981, Mario (known as “Jumpman” at the time) made his debut battling Donkey Kong in his efforts to save Lady. Since then, we’ve seen him go to war with antagonists twice his size and save countless princesses. And of course, we’ve seen him take home the checkered flag behind the wheel of a tricked-out go kart. Now, it’s time to see him fly.

Carrera’s Nintendo MarioKart 8 Quadcopter is a new R/C that’s capable of taking the world’s most famous Italian plumber to new heights. Designed for kids ages 8 and up, this quadcopter puts Mario right in the driver’s seat, and lets young ones maneuver him through the skies. Included in the box is one fully-assembled quadcopter, a remote control, six AA batteries, a rechargeable LiPo battery, and a USB turbo charger. It’s basically ready to fly right out of the box.overviewWhat struck me the most about this drone was its design. Far different from other product’s of its kind, the MarioKart 8 Quadcopter features a thick Styrofoam safeguard that extends around each propeller, making it safe to bounce off walls and anything else that gets in the way of kids’ flying fun. The box calls it a rotor-protection-cage, but I like to call it peace of mind and totally awesome.controller2After I popped in the batteries, it was time for takeoff. Carrera’s controller comes with all the usual bells and whistles, including two toggles and a few other buttons. There’s even a switch that allows flyers to switch between 30 percent, 60 percent, and 100 percent power, making the drone fun for beginners and experts alike. This feature earns big points in my book, since it allows kids to develop their flying skills over time and graduate to higher levels as they play. The controller itself is quite large though, and so kids with smaller hands may need some time to get used to it.

I have to say, the MarioKart 8 Quadcopter is a blast to fly. In beginner mode, the copter lifted with ease and it was super responsive to each of my toggle commands. Thanks to the built-in gyro system, I never felt like I wasn’t in control, and it was enjoyable to watch the little mustache man soar through the Toy Insider office. Kids can tilt and twist the copter in nearly every direction, as they learn to maneuver it through the tightest of spaces.

Thanks to Carrera, kids can enjoy Mario like never before, proving that the sky’s the limit for the man from Mushroom Kingdom.

About the author

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham is the Art Director at the Toy Insider, the Toy Book, and the Pop Insider. He creates all graphic content for the Toy Insider, the Pop Insider, and the Toy Book social channels, including promos and stagnant graphics, as well as all signage, programming, and media graphics for various networking events. Joe shoots, edits, and manages all YouTube content for the Toy Insider and Pop Insider brand, including Play by Play videos, event videos, and other promotional videos. When he's not in the office, you can find Joe in the gym or hanging with his friends and family. He loves music, basketball, and art in a variety of forms. He STILL wonders why Drake and Josh is not available on Netflix.

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