Something to look forward to: You might consider yourself a bit of a wizard when it comes to the Mario Kart games, but could those skills be transferred to the real world? If you've got a spare $55 and can be in Miami on June 1 next year, there'll be an opportunity to find out---the city is one of 16 in the US hosting 'Mushroom Rally' go-kart races next year.

That $55 not only allows you to compete in a race, which lasts around 30 minutes, but it also lets participants pick a Mario Kart character costume to wear on the day---along with admission to the after party. The exact location of the competition is being kept secret until a later date, though it will be on a custom go-kart track---no driving through the streets while dodging traffic. Entrants will race once, with the winners of each preliminary race going on to compete in a second race to earn prizes.

Overall winners will be entered into the grand final race in Las Vegas, where they'll compete for the Mushroom Rally USA title. Even if you don't come first in a regional heat, collecting the most stars---earned by playing games on the day---will give you a chance to go to Vegas (the top 3 in the country will be selected). Each contestant will also be entered into a lottery, with the winner going on to become the 20th racer in the grand final.

Other cities hosting heats include Los Angeles, Denver, and Houston. Tickets are extremely limited, so move fast if you want to be crowned the best real-life Mario Kart racer in the US.

The competition is not associated with Nintendo or its brands. Hopefully, the company won't object like it did with Tokyo's real-life Mario Kart tours.