Study Finds Mario Kart Raises Heart Rate More Than Fortnite

A controlled study comparing the physical stress response to 16 popular games found that Mario Kart produced a higher average heart-rate increase than Fortnite, defying expectations based on the games' visual presentation.

Researchers recruited 14 highly engaged gamers who played at least 15 hours weekly and were already familiar with the tested titles. Participants wore heart-rate monitors during 30-minute gaming sessions at 10-second intervals, with resting baseline measurements taken at 64 BPM. The team recorded both sustained average increases and peak heart-rate spikes.

Mario Kart topped the sustained stress ranking with a 21 BPM average increase, raising player heart rates from 64 to 85 BPM. This represented a 32.81% rise from resting rate. FIFA 20 followed with a 20 BPM increase, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare placed third at 19 BPM, Dark Souls III fourth at 18 BPM, and Fortnite fifth at 17 BPM.

The mechanics behind Mario Kart's stress response differ from what the game's bright aesthetic suggests. In the racer, a strong lead can evaporate quickly through power-up items and late-race attacks. That unpredictability creates sustained tension throughout a session rather than isolated moments of danger. Progress remains perpetually threatened until the finish line.

Peak heart-rate measurements revealed a different pattern. Dark Souls III delivered the largest individual spike at 127 BPM during the Darkeater Midir boss encounter, a 98.44% increase from baseline. Fall Guys followed with a 95.31% peak increase at the final round, where late elimination carries immediate consequences. Mario Kart ranked third for peak increases at 73.44%, matching Street Fighter.

Three games produced the opposite effect. Animal Crossing, The Sims, and Skyrim lowered average participant heart rates by as much as 5% across 30-minute sessions. These titles allow players to control pace without forced failure states.

The study captures physical arousal rather than emotional state, and a small group of experienced gamers cannot represent the entire gaming population. Heart-rate elevation occurs through uncertain rewards or threatened progress, not solely through graphic intensity. The findings represent a controlled snapshot of 16 selected titles rather than a universal stress scale.