Super Mario Kart (1992)

Forget Forza or Gran Turismo, racing games where you can use projectiles to one up your opponents is where it's at. Racing genres that plays well in 2D is hard to come by, but Super Mario delivers with finesse and precision.


You choose from eight racers, all whom are taken from the Mario series. They include Mario himself, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Koopa and Toad, each of them with different stats. I always went with Koopa. Although weak and very liable to being bumped off track when colliding with other racers, he had the speed. That turtle can race! Expanding from the Mario series concept, various question mark boxes are scattered throughout the courses. Running over one of these allows you to gain an offensive or defensive object which you can utilise to help you win the race. Weapons include bananas, tortoise shells, invincible stars and probably the most annoying of them all, thunderbolts. Using this ability rendered all racers except the caster to become tiny, slowing down their speed and running the risk of being flattened by the non affected racer.

The game play made it easy for players to get into and the multiplayer mode made it a great party game. Super Mario Kart went on to become the best selling game on Super Nintendo and appears in many lists as the best ranking game of all time.

The franchise went on to create a series of successful sequels, improving game play, introducing new characters, maps and weapons and allowing for more players to join in on the fun. I still have my Super Nintendo and Mario Kart cartridge and I must say, there is no greater way to unwind then to sit down and spend a few solid hours overlapping computers on this oh so awesome game.

2 fast 2 furious for y'all man.

23 comments:

  1. Mario Kart just might be my favorite Nintendo franchise, I love all of them.

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  2. An undisputed classic. I can't think of a single get-together with friends that didn't end up with a ton of Mario Kart into the late hours...

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  3. i love how the series has only gotten better. cannot wait for the 3ds version!

    i played as yoshi for the snes and n64 versions.

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  4. i agree, super mario kart and mario kart 64 were my favs

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  5. I actually never liked this game to be honest.

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  6. This game was even better on the n64, but absolutely amazing on Wii.

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  7. Hahaha, mario cart was 2fast 2 furious for me. Man I must have been like 7 or 8 back then.

    http://reasonsoup.blogspot.com

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  8. I never played the nes version, but I loved the one on 64. However, I've never played any Mario Kart past that.

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  9. One of the greatest racing games made. Aside from Rock & Roll Racing.

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  10. Mario Kart 64 representing!! God, played it so much!

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  11. You should check the Remi Gaillard skit on SMK; really funny! ;D

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  12. Mario Party kicked ass!!! That was my game.

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  13. Man, I've been busy for a few weeks so I haven't been around the blogosphere. But I just came back to your blog and read up on what I missed. Wave of nostalgia, big time.

    http://steppedkeys.blogspot.com/

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  14. I remember I saved my allowance and birthday money to buy a super nintendo. I can still remember my parents driving me to the store to get it and being SO excited. Oh, the memories. Following u!

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  15. still playing Mario Kart on some nights with friends when we just don't feel like hitting the bars or clubs ..we get some spirits and beer some nachos and wohoo

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  16. Mario Kart is awesome!

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