Kart Wars KL: Real-Life Mario Kart at Berjaya Times Square

How the Mario Kart part works

It is not Nintendo and there is no Mario, but you will see why everyone calls it that. Berjaya runs two modes. Apex Predator is straight racing on electric karts up to 35 km/h. Kart Wars is the fun one: projection mapping puts power-ups on the track, a dashboard screen on your wheel shows what you are holding, and you fire it at your friends. A turbo boost speeds you up, and getting hit by someone's virtual bomb slows you down.

The power-ups on our slides were a rocket, a green shell, a mystery box and a bomb. Berjaya calls it Malaysia's first live-action battle kart arena. If you are building a KL weekend, it pairs well with Ombak at KLCC and Decker's at REXKL for food.

How much it costs

Berjaya's launch announcement put it at RM50 for 10 minutes during the opening month. The operator's own posts, which our slides were taken from, listed RM49 as the opening promo, RM29 if you already hold a theme park ticket, and a buy 3 get 1 free bundle at RM147.

Do the maths before you go. At RM49 that is about RM4.90 a minute. The bundle works out to RM36.75 each for a group of four, which is the best deal on the board, and RM29 only makes sense if you were doing the theme park anyway. These were launch prices, so check @gokartbtskl for what is live now.

Where it is, and before you go

Kart Wars is on B3 (B3 Central) of Berjaya Times Square, 1 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, under the indoor theme park. The Imbi monorail station connects to the mall. Our slide listed 12pm to 8pm, closing at 9pm on weekends and public holidays. The theme park's own site lists 12pm to 9pm on weekdays and 11am to 9pm on weekends, public and school holidays, so confirm the kart hours before you head down.

Two rules from Berjaya: drivers must be at least 130cm tall, and closed-toe shoes are compulsory. Leave the slippers at the hotel.

FAQs

Where is Kart Wars in Kuala Lumpur?

At Basement 3 (B3 Central) of Berjaya Times Square, 1 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. The Imbi monorail station connects to the mall.

How much does Kart Wars cost?

At launch it was RM49 for a 10-minute session, RM29 with a Berjaya Times Square Theme Park ticket, or RM147 for a buy 3 get 1 free bundle. Check @gokartbtskl for current prices.

What is the height requirement for Kart Wars?

Drivers must be at least 130cm tall and wear closed-toe shoes.

Is Kart Wars an official Mario Kart attraction?

No. It is a battle kart track by Go-Kart BTSKL that borrows the idea of in-race power-ups. It is not affiliated with Nintendo.

How long is a Kart Wars session?

Each session is 10 minutes.