Super Mario Kart
Super Mario Kart | ||
---|---|---|
Composer(s) Soyo Oka | | |
Series | Mario Kart | |
Platform(s) | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | |
Release | ||
Genre(s) | Kart racing | |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Super Mario Kart[a] is a kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The first game in the Mario Kart series, it was released in Japan and North America in 1992, and in Europe the following year in 1993. Selling 8.76 million copies worldwide, the game went on to become the fourth best-selling SNES game of all time. Super Mario Kart was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2009, on the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2013, and on the New Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2016. Nintendo re-released Super Mario Kart in 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.
In Super Mario Kart, the player takes control of one of eight Mario series characters, each with differing capabilities. In single player mode players can race against computer-controlled characters in 4 multi-race cups consisting of 20 tracks (5 in each cup) over three difficulty levels (50cc, 100cc and 150cc). During the races, offensive and speed boosting power-ups can be used to gain an advantage. Alternatively players can race against the clock in a Time Trial mode. In multiplayer mode two players can simultaneously take part in the cups or can race against each other one-on-one in Match Race mode. In a third multiplayer mode – Battle Mode – the aim is to defeat the other players by attacking them with power-ups, destroying balloons which surround each kart.
Super Mario Kart received positive reviews and was praised for its presentation, innovation and use of
Gameplay
Super Mario Kart is a
Some tracks feature chevron-shaped boost panels to increase speed for a brief moment. In addition, there are also short ramps that cause racers to jump when driven over. A combination of the two makes the player jump higher and a high speed.
Tiles marked with question marks are arrayed on the race tracks; they give special abilities (power-ups) to a player's kart if the vehicle passes over them. Power-ups, such as the ability to throw shells and bananas, allow racers to hit others with the objects, causing them to spin and lose control. A kart that obtains the star power-up is temporarily invulnerable to attack.[3] Computer players have specific special powers associated with each character, that they are able to use throughout the race. Lines of coins are found on the tracks in competitive race modes. By running over these coins, a kart collects them and increases its top speed. Having coins helps players when their kart is hit by another: instead of spinning and losing control, they lose a coin.[5] Coins are lost when karts are struck by power-ups or fall off the tracks.[7]
The game features advanced maneuvers such as power sliding and hopping. Power sliding allows a kart to maintain its speed while turning, although executing the maneuver for too long causes the kart to spin. Hopping helps a kart execute tighter turns: the kart makes a short hop and turns in the air, speeding off in the new direction when it lands.[7] Reviewers praised Super Mario Kart's gameplay, describing the battle mode as "addictive" and the single player gameplay as "incredible".[8] IGN stated that the gameplay mechanics defined the genre.[9]
Modes
Super Mario Kart has two
Super Mario Kart has three multiplayer modes; Mario Kart GP, Match Race, and Battle Mode. The multiplayer modes support two players and the second player uses the bottom half of the screen which is used as a map in the single-player modes. Mario Kart GP is the same as in single-player, the only difference being that there are two human-controlled and six computer-controlled drivers.[12] Match Race involves the two players going head to head on a track of their choice without any opponents.[12] In Battle Mode, the two players again go head to head, but this time in one of four dedicated Battle Mode courses.[12] Each player starts with three balloons around their kart which can be popped by power-ups fired by the other player.[6] The first player to have all three of their balloons popped loses.
Characters
Super Mario Kart features eight playable characters from the Mario series –
The characters are rendered as sprites portrayed from sixteen different angles.[6] In 2005, Nintendojo called the sprites "not-so-pretty" when they are rendered at a distance, and IGN has commented on the dated look of the game.[6][7] Super Mario Kart was the first game to feature playable characters from the Mario series other than Mario or Luigi in a non-platforming game and the selection and different attributes of the characters is regarded as one of the game's strengths, IGN describing a well-balanced "all-star cast".[13][14] All of the characters present in Super Mario Kart have gone on to appear in later games in the series, except for Donkey Kong Jr. and Koopa Troopa, who have only appeared intermittently after being replaced by Donkey Kong and Wario respectively in Mario Kart 64.[15]
Tracks
The tracks in Super Mario Kart are based on locations in
The tracks have received positive commentary with
Development
Super Mario Kart was produced by Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and directed by Tadashi Sugiyama and Hideki Konno.[23] The development team set out to produce a racing game capable of displaying two players on the same game screen simultaneously,[24] in contrast to the single-player gameplay F-Zero.[24] This led to simpler tracks than those of F-Zero.[25] Computer and Video Games suggest that this initial emphasis on creating a two player experience is the reason for the game's horizontal split-screen during single-player.[5] Battle Mode was developed from the desire to create a one-on-one mode where victory was not determined simply by competing for rank.[24] Masato Kimura, who worked on F-Zero, served as the lead programmer for Super Mario Kart.[26]
The game did not start out as a Mario series game and the first prototype featured a generic kart racer character; the team decided that characters three heads tall would best suit the design of the karts.[24] They did not decide to incorporate Mario characters until a few months into development.[24] The choice was made after the development team when observing how one kart looked to another driving past it, decided to see what it would look like with Mario in the kart.[24] Thinking that having Mario in the kart looked better than previous designs, the idea of a Mario themed racing game was born.[24]
Notable in the development of Super Mario Kart was its use of
Reception
Super Mario Kart received critical acclaim and proved to be a commercial success; it received a
Aggregate scoring sites GameRankings and MobyGames both give an average of more than 90 percent.[30][50] Critics praised the game's Mode 7 graphics.[9] Another aspect of the game to have been praised is its gameplay, which Thunderbolt has described as the "deepest [and] most addictive... to be found on the SNES console".[39] Retrospective reviews of the game have been positive with perfect scores given by review sites including Thunderbolt and HonestGamers. The use of the style and characters from the Mario franchise was also praised as well as the individual characteristics of each racer.[12][39][51] Mean Machines described the game as having "struck gold" in a way that no other – not even its sequels – has matched and GameSpot named the game as one of the greatest games of all time for its innovation, gameplay and visual style.[13][36] Entertainment Weekly wrote that although the game might appear to be a "cynical attempt by Nintendo to cash in on its Super Mario franchise" the review concluded that "plunking the familiar characters down in souped-up go-carts actually makes for a delightful racing game."[52] GamePro said the game "does an excellent job of capturing the thrill of Go-cart racing, and wraps it up in the familiar, fun, Mario-land atmosphere." The reviewer also praised the use of Mode 7 and challenging CPU-controlled opponents.[53]
Super Mario Kart has been listed among the best games ever made several times. In 1995, Total! rated the game 16th on its "Top 100 SNES Games."[54] In 1996, Next Generation listed it as number 37 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time", commenting that the controls are elegantly designed to offer "supreme fun".[55] In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the game 16th on their "Top 100 Games of All Time".[56] In 1999, Next Generation listed Super Mario Kart as number 7 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that, "Imitated a thousand times, but never, ever, equalled, Mario Kart changed the rules for the driving game and gave the world one of the most engrossing and addictive two-player experiences ever".[57] Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked it as the 15th best console video game of all time, attributing its higher ranking than Mario Kart 64 (which came in 49th) to its superior track design and powerups.[58] IGN ranked it as the 15th best game ever in 2005, describing it as "the original karting masterpiece" and as the 23rd best game ever in 2007, discussing its originality at time of release.[9][59] The Age placed it at number 19 on their list of the 50 best games in 2005 and in 2007 Edge ranked Super Mario Kart at number 14 on a list of their 100 best games, noting its continued influence on video game design.[60][61] The game is included in Yahoo! Games UK's list of the hundred greatest games of all time which praises the appealing characters and power ups and 1UP.com's "Essential 50", a list of the fifty most important games ever made.[28][62] The game placed 13th in Official Nintendo Magazine's 100 greatest Nintendo games of all time.[63] Guinness World Records ranked it at number 1 on a list of the top 50 console games of all time based on initial impact and lasting legacy.[64] Game Informer ranked the game at 35 on their top 100 games of all time in 2001 praising how the game's Mode 7 revolutionized racing games.[65] In 2018, Complex listed Super Mario Kart seventh on its "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time".[66] In 2019, The Strong National Museum of Play inducted Super Mario Kart to its World Video Game Hall of Fame.[67]
Legacy
Super Mario Kart has been credited with inventing the "kart racing" subgenre of video gaming; after its release, several other developers attempted to duplicate its success.
Super Mario Kart is credited as being the first non-platforming game to feature multiple playable characters from the Mario franchise.
Super Mario Kart was re-released on the Japanese Virtual Console on June 9, 2009, and later in North America on November 23, 2009.[73] Previously, when naming it as one of the most wanted games for the platform in November 2008, Eurogamer stated that problems emulating the Mode 7 graphics were responsible for its absence.[74]
The game was released for the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan during June 2013, and in Europe on March 27, 2014.[75] In addition, North American users were able to get the game starting from August 6, 2014 to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the game, which included the new game update of Mario Kart 8 on August 27, 2014.
In 2016, the game was re-released for the New Nintendo 3DS.[76]
Nintendo re-released Super Mario Kart in 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition.[77][78]
Super Mario 3D World has a stage with a look based on the Mario Circuit racetracks from Super Mario Kart. A remixed version of the music can be heard. Super Mario Odyssey has a remix, when racing an RC car around a track in New Donk City in the Metro Kingdom.[79]
Several future Mario Kart games contain re-imaginings of courses from Super Mario Kart.
Sequels
Several sequels to Super Mario Kart have been released for successive generations of Nintendo consoles, each receiving commercial success and critical acclaim.
As the series has progressed, many aspects included in Super Mario Kart have been developed and altered. The power-up boxes which are flat against the track in Super Mario Kart due to the technical limitations of the SNES became floating boxes in later games.
Notes
References
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External links