The 'unbelievably cool' real-life Mario Karts

Gearing up for the release of Mario Kart 7, Nintendo unveils life-sized, drivable versions of Mario and Luigi's colorful cars

Best Opinion:  PC Mag, Verve

The video: Pimp my Mario Kart? West Coast Customs, the auto body shop best known from MTV's hit series Pimp My Ride, has built real-life versions of the cars driven by Mario and Luigi in the beloved Mario Kart video game. (Watch a video below.) Mario's shiny red go-cart comes complete with a glider attachment for "flying" (the car doesn't really fly), and Luigi's "Bumble V" cart is tricked out with a rear propeller for "underwater navigation" (don't try driving it off a pier). But even if such features are just for show, the electric vehicles can actually be driven. The "unbelievably cool" cars will be on display until Nov. 27 at the L.A. Auto Show, after which they'll be given to contest winners. Mario Kart 7 will be released Dec. 4 for Nintendo 3DS.

The reaction: Wow, says David Murphy at PC Mag. This a dream come semi-true for any Mario Kart fan who's wondered, "What if I could run over a question mark block, attach three spinning shells to my real-world car, and blast myself through an unpleasant commute"? Of course, those actions are still relegated to the game, but the fact that these cars can actually be driven is pretty awesome. Still, of all the sleek racing video games out there, says Vlad Savov at The Verge, the cartoonish "Mario Kart wouldn't be our top choice... to be brought to life." See for yourself: