Super Mario Kart
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| Super Mario Kart | |
| Missing image Supermariokart_box.JPG Super Mario Kart cover art. | |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Release date(s) | 1992 |
| Genre | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Not Rated (NR) |
| Platform(s) | SNES |
Super Mario Kart is a video game, released in 1992. for Nintendo's Super Nintendo video game system.
In the game, players play as one of eight characters from the Super Mario Bros. series, each of whom are driving go-karts. The game gave birth to the sub-genre of go-kart racing.
The music was composed by Koji Kondo, Soyo Oka, and Taro Bando.
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Game modes
There are two main modes in the game in the one-player mode (for the two-player mode see the multiplayer-section below). The first is the Mario Kart GP-mode, in which you compete with computer-controlled drivers. There are three different difficulty levels when playing this mode: 50cc, 100cc and 150cc.
Each difficulty level is composed of three cups: the Mushroom, Star, and Flower Cups. In 100cc mode, completing these three cups unlocks the Special Cup. Once this has been completed, 150cc mode is unlocked, where the same three cups must be completed to open the 150cc Special Cup. 50cc, 100cc and 150cc modes are identical, except that 50cc features slow vehicles, 100cc medium speed and 150cc fast; there is also no 50cc Special Cup.
The second mode is the time trial, where your objective is to race through each track in the shortest amount of time. There are no items available when playing time trial.
Multiplayer
The game features support for two players. One can choose to play in three different modes:
Mario Kart GP (Grand Prix)
Exactly like playing with one player, the only difference is that there is one less computer controlled driver. In order to proceed to the next track only one of the drivers has to rank among the top four.
Match race
Two players race each other for the best finishing time on the game's normal race tracks.
Battle mode
The most praised and one of the game's most popular features. Two players play on four specially designed battle mode-levels which are filled with question-blocks, and the main objective is to use items obtained from those, such as koopa shells, banana peels, etc. to inflict damage upon the other player. Each player carries three balloons that rotate around them; on a hit, one of these balloons is burst. The last player with balloons wins.
Fans of Mario Kart claim that the battle mode in this game is much more balanced than in other games in the series, since it relies less on luck and more on skill. However, support for more than two players simultaneously probably makes one of the sequels a better choice if one is looking for multiplayer mayhem.
Characters
The drivers available in this game are separated into pairs as based on similar abilities and handling characteristics:
Well-balanced mid-range traits:
High top speed, low acceleration:
Good acceleration, low maneuverability.
Good maneuverability, low top speed.
It should also be noted that when two carts collide, the heavier one (i.e. Bowser) will be knocked off course far less than a lighter one (i.e. Toad).
Leagues
There are four cups available in the game, each consisting of five tracks. Three cups are available from the beginning, and the fourth (Special Cup) has to be unlocked.
- Mushroom Cup:
- Mario Circuit 1
- Donut Plains 1
- Ghost Valley 1
- Bowser Castle 1
- Mario Circuit 2
- Flower Cup:
- Choco Island 1
- Ghost Valley 2
- Donut Plains 2
- Bowser Castle 2
- Mario Circuit 3
- Star Cup:
- Koopa Beach 1
- Choco Island 2
- Vanilla Lake 1
- Bowser Castle 3
- Mario Circuit 4
- Special Cup:
- Donut Plains 3
- Koopa Beach 2
- Ghost Valley 3
- Vanilla Lake 2
- Rainbow Road
Sequels
The success of this game spawned a number of sequels:
- Mario Kart 64 - 1996 (Nintendo 64)
- Mario Kart Super Circuit - 2001 (Game Boy Advance)
- Mario Kart Double Dash!! - 2003 (GameCube)
- Mario Kart DS - 2005? (Nintendo DS)
Other games in the kart-genre:
- Street Racer (Amiga, PlayStation, PC)
- Xtreme Racing (Amiga)
- Diddy Kong Racing (Nintendo 64)
- Crash Team Racing (PlayStation)
- Crash Nitro Kart (GameCube/Game Boy Advance/PlayStation 2/Xbox)
- Konami Krazy Racers (Game Boy Advance)
- Banjo Pilot (Game Boy Advance)
External links
- Super Mario Kart FAQs at GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/game/9414.html)
- Super Mario Kart World Records Page (http://www.geocities.com/smkplayerssite/)fr:Super Mario Kart