Google Maps has a 'Mario Time' feature, and it's as awesome as it sounds
Google might have outdone itself with the best Google Maps easter egg yet.
The latest version of the app includes a new 'Mario Time' feature that allows the classic Nintendo character to drive along with you on your route.
Mario Time is the result of a collaboration with Nintendo and is rolling out to the Google Maps app now. The feature will be live for the entire week in honor of Mario Day on March 10.
Once your app is updated to the latest version, the feature will appear when you search for directions. If you select Mario Time, your regular navigation will be taken over by a Go Kart-driving Mario.
It's not the first time the company has hidden a classic video game reference in the Maps app. The company's previously turned its mapping app into a full-blown game of Pac-Man for April Fools' Day and The Legend of Zelda favorite Link has also made an appearance.
Really, the only bummer is that Mario can't be our full-time Google Maps guide.
But, while we have him, Google is encouraging fans to share screen caps of Mario driving along with them in the app with the hashtag #MarioMaps. (Just keep in mind, as the company notes, to be careful not to share personal info in the process.)
Topics Google
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
