Super Mario Kart - 15 years on and still brilliant.

[theMot]

Is this just the best game ever or what!

I have a lot of old games that i have really fond memories but can never really get back into playing with this exception of MK.

It's just such a fast paced fun game. I don't think you can compare any game in the series since to the original. I like the DS version a lot too but i think in terms of speed, precision and challenge the SNES version gets the nod.

I remember when it was released it didnt arrive with the fan fare of something like Super Mario World or Zelda, it just kind of slipped in the back door unnoticed till we all caught on to it's brilliance, the ultimate sleeper.

Hows about the challenge? I remember it took me ages to finish 150cc special cup, that F'n donut plains still gives me nightmares!!!

Best power up's of the whole series too! none of this over kill 3 red shell rubbish!! You got 1 and that was it! These days we get those blue shells that can kill you from anywhere, thats just cheap i reckon.

What about the mushrooms back then! They actually did give you a massive boost, many times throwing you totally off course.

Hows about track selection? Mario Circuit 1 was simple but you could play it for hours on end just trying to shave that last hundreth of a second off you lap! The later games just dont seem to have that fast precision to make you want to bother doing it. Donut plains, Bowsers Castle, Choco excellent excellent excellent.

What about Rainbow road? What a prick!!!! You would try to go fast but always seem to just lose it around the corner, plunging to your death. Now Nintendo's gone all PC and given us barriers :(

Even though it's only 2 player it's still probably my fave multiplayer game of all time. The baloon game, what a brilliant idea! :) Or just have a friend around for a few GP championships.... thats another one of my pet hates of the later games actually they only have 4 races per championship so many times it ends in a draw technically, with the original it's hard for that to happen cause there 5 races in each.

Ninendo, yes give us super mario kart on the virtual console but spoil us rotten and through in internet play and maybe an extra championship... the wii cup, anyone?

[Steven]

Love this game. My bro bought it when it came out (few games were must-buys in his eyes, SFII... SMK... says a lot about the game!) and we were the toast of the neighborhood for a solid month at least.

Still have this memory lodged in my mind:

8:45 Sunday morning, my bro's friend Ben ringing our door down, and the son of a bitch woke us up. My bro, in his PJ's and obviously not having a chance to brush his teeth, opened the door and I still can hear to this day Ben ruffling through the front entrance, and not long after, that classic "coin sound" SMK makes when you turn the damn game on.

I grin everytime someone says MK 64 is superior. Super Mario Kart is indeed playable as hell, and truly deserving of a "10" score.

[theMot]

I grin everytime someone says MK 64 is superior. Super Mario Kart is indeed playable as hell, and truly deserving of a "10" score.

lol true. I don't know how people can compare 64 to this, i remember i sat down and finished 64 in a weekend, could have probably done it even faster if i wanted to.

I do remember at the time though thinking 64 was up to par with Super but looking back on it now there just no way to compare the two. Ok 64 had 4 players but it just didnt have the that fast paced feeling the original had. Not to mention there was no koopa :P

[Ed Oscuro]

This game happens to be my main buying regret - saw a copy at the local thrift for $3 along with Mario in Time (or something), didn't take it, realized my mistake later. Check it out on eBay, I'll say that.

[FantasiaWHT]

Yup, way better than any of its successors. My fondest memory was beating my best friend at 150cc Special Cup... with the controller upside down mwaahaa.

[NE146]

I remember when it was released it didnt arrive with the fan fare of something like Super Mario World or Zelda, it just kind of slipped in the back door unnoticed till we all caught on to it's brilliance, the ultimate sleeper.

Yep. I actually bought the game in Japan without knowing what it was. I just saw it as a new "Mario" game so I picked it up and had to figure out what was going on. So even with full jap text and not really a clue at first (the banana was a mystery for a while as to what it was), the brilliance still shined through and it quickly became a favorite.

[slip81]

What about Rainbow road? What a prick!!!! You would try to go fast but always seem to just lose it around the corner, plunging to your death. Now Nintendo's gone all PC and given us barriers :(

As much as I like the original, I enjoy the GCN version even more. To me it combines all the best aspects of past MK's and throws in a coll new twist (two characters per kart).

And the Rainbow Road is hard as hell, no barriers there. That spiral track is also pretty difficult.

[NESaholic]

Dang time goes fast, i love the whole series. All Mario Kart games are cool IMO, the first was the best though. After the first you know exactly what to do in the sequel and so on, the scenery changes and some tricks are added.

[udisi]

Loved this game, I think it would have been my favorite racer for the snes, but one game came alone later. Uniracers. Man I wish they'd make a sequeal to that.

[ubersaurus]

I'm not such a big fan of the original mario kart. Quite frankly it hasn't aged well at all compared to the sequels. Considering I've always preferred mario kart for it's multiplayer aspect, the SNES one falls pretty short compared to...well, all of the rest.

[CreamSoda]

I would have to say that SMK has aged pretty well, to this day it still holds up as a very fun and playable game. Colorful graphics, still challenging, classic weapons, addictive multiplayer. It has the makings of a true classic. I've always loved the MK series, but I wasen't a huge fan of Double Dash.

I would give a very slight edge to MK64 over SMK, but that is mainly for nostalgia and I really liked the level design and early N64 graphics.

With that said, WTF ever happened to the Feather powerup? That item came in handy often for me.

[theshizzle3000]

The series is just infallable. I can think of few other series that can even compare to the string of success that Mario Kart has mustered.

[Push Upstairs]

I'll alway love the original SMK. Loved it and kicked a lot of ass as Yoshi.

Double Dash, I feel, over-complicated the series.

1 character & one kart is all you need to have fun...the first game proved that.

[kainemaxwell]

The easy-to-pick-up gameplay and the fun factor is what keeps this game alive.

[cyberfluxor]

Yes, time sure does fly sometimes. The original is a true classic and one of the best games for the SNES. Once I got my hands on the N64 game it felt like the idea was improved upon, although the speed was dropped. You can't deny the N64 game is good but the GCN Double Dash, I just couldn't get into it. If you own an SNES, SMK is a must own game, hands down.

btw, Toad owns.

[Synergy]

I remember getting the game back in the day when it was still around $50. Not only is it still brilliant, it was always be brilliant. I remember me and my brother in a tough competition to see who could get the fastest time trial on Ghost Valley 1. I remember mastering sliding down to a tee with Mario. Of course, whenever my friends would choose Toad because of his easy steering, I would have to even it up with Koopa Troopa.

And oh God did I have some insane battle zone fights with my brother and friends. Classic.

Excellent gameplay, excellent music, excellent everything. Love it.

Mario Kart 64 was a lot of fun too, and I never played Double Dash enough to get a rock solid opinion on it, but the original is the best for me.

[oesiii]

It's just such a fast paced fun game. I don't think you can compare any game in the series since to the original. I like the DS version a lot too but i think in terms of speed, precision and challenge the SNES version gets the nod.

I actually like the DS version a little bit more, maybe I'm a graphics whore or something :)

The main reason is probably that I haven't played the original as much as some because I was always a Genny man until a few years ago. But your post makes me want to grab the original and give it another whirl.

[FantasiaWHT]

btw, Toad owns.

This man speaks truth.

[spunibard]

for battle mode, (my fav mode) the block fort, 4 player, and multiple levels gives mk64 a hefty edge. tho i do miss the feather too.

i don't know why they decided to change the physics of red shells in the games after 64, it ruined battle mode in a terrible way. No more can you shoot a red shell in front of you and dodge it while it homes in on someone tailing you. (and many other tricks)

such a disappointment they didn't fix this for ds and wifi.

[wallydawg]

Haha I remember playing this game so much that I memorized the computer "track" that they follow on the track (If you watch closely, they always in the same area of the track; every lap, every race, every time). It was fun to put bananas right near the end of the finish line so the computer messes up and falls out of placing for points. It was especially lethal on the jump in the last Mushroom Cup race. They didn't have enough speed to make the jump after skidding out and had to do half the lap over again. A lot of fun to have all the racers get points instead of the standard 4.

[Dire 51]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I couldn't stand SMK. I thought it was slow and sluggish, and repeated playings did not change my initial impression. Why everyone else thought it was so great is something I could never figure out.

[theMot]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I couldn't stand SMK. I thought it was slow and sluggish,




slow and sluggish?

[Famidrive-16]

I loved Double Dash. Though mainly because of the seemingly infinite character/car combos.

[FantasiaWHT]

slow and sluggish?

slow and sluggish????

Maybe your SNES was faulty :)

@Spuni, yeah, the items have definitely gone downhill, both in overhandicapping and skill needed. Being able to hold an item behind yourself as a shield is cheesy. Having a rotating shield of shells is cheesier.

One of my favorite things to do in SMK was have "Showdowns at high noon" with green shells. You and the other player go to opposite ends of a long straightaway, get situated, and fire green shells on the count of three and you CAN'T move until the green shell passes you (or hits you of course)

[Raedon]

good lord has it really been 15 years? *FEELS REALLY OLD NOW*

[cyberfluxor]

Slowdown? Not really. It is a very fast paced game. The reason I like the N64 version is mainly due to it being the Nintendo system that dominated my years in middle and into high school. Nearly everyone had the system and most of the Mario games. I just have more memories with the MK64 over SMK but I do own, respect, and believe SMK is one of the best racers ever.

[bangtango]

Is this just the best game ever or what!

I have a lot of old games that i have really fond memories but can never really get back into playing with this exception of MK.

It's just such a fast paced fun game. I don't think you can compare any game in the series since to the original. I like the DS version a lot too but i think in terms of speed, precision and challenge the SNES version gets the nod.

I remember when it was released it didnt arrive with the fan fare of something like Super Mario World or Zelda, it just kind of slipped in the back door unnoticed till we all caught on to it's brilliance, the ultimate sleeper.

Hows about the challenge? I remember it took me ages to finish 150cc special cup, that F'n donut plains still gives me nightmares!!!

Best power up's of the whole series too! none of this over kill 3 red shell rubbish!! You got 1 and that was it! These days we get those blue shells that can kill you from anywhere, thats just cheap i reckon.

What about the mushrooms back then! They actually did give you a massive boost, many times throwing you totally off course.

Hows about track selection? Mario Circuit 1 was simple but you could play it for hours on end just trying to shave that last hundreth of a second off you lap! The later games just dont seem to have that fast precision to make you want to bother doing it. Donut plains, Bowsers Castle, Choco excellent excellent excellent.

What about Rainbow road? What a prick!!!! You would try to go fast but always seem to just lose it around the corner, plunging to your death. Now Nintendo's gone all PC and given us barriers :(

Even though it's only 2 player it's still probably my fave multiplayer game of all time. The baloon game, what a brilliant idea! :) Or just have a friend around for a few GP championships.... thats another one of my pet hates of the later games actually they only have 4 races per championship so many times it ends in a draw technically, with the original it's hard for that to happen cause there 5 races in each.

Ninendo, yes give us super mario kart on the virtual console but spoil us rotten and through in internet play and maybe an extra championship... the wii cup, anyone?

The original is still the best. The options, power-ups, track selection, characters and everything about the game was both user friendly and almost flawless. The later games messed with the formula enough that some of the good, clean and easy fun was sucked right out of it. Don't get me wrong, any Mario Kart game is a good one but the first one still claims the checkered flag over the later SMK's/MK's.

I remember using Bowser or Donkey Kong Jr., for me, was the kiss of death because I was (and remain) a very sloppy driver. Since I always took very wide corners, Toad, Koopa and Mario (in that order) were about the only guys I could thrive with. They even changed the physics on some of these characters in later games (or removed them outright), meaning it sucks getting used to them (or different characters) in later versions of the game.

[Dire 51]

slow and sluggish????

Maybe your SNES was faulty :)
That can't be it... I've played it on more than one SNES. ;)

Seriously, SMK always seemed slow and sluggish to me. It felt like the carts were stuck in molasses.

[Zi]

battle mode is Brilliant! My brother and I were the kings on our block of smk for the snes. we figured out how to set shell traps, how to shoot a red shell around a corner or down an alley, and set shell/nano traps. the 'nano protect' (driving while carrying a banana behind you) was a favorite to call out while playing, as was a green shell protect, with the option to show off by picking the opponent off behind you. dropping green shells in the same color area created an 'alley of death' dropping green shell or nano walls were another tactic to create the most havoc. Oh my good god, jumping a reddy (red shell) was another show off move, but jumping a reddy in the center (no walls to stop the shell) meant death. I think my brother jumped a reddy three times, the bastard. Hitting a guy out of bounds when he used a feather was a skill that took months to master, but gave us such a competitive edge! hehe. Lastly, driving into the corner and plopping a nano or green shell behind you so one could drop the controller and razz the other guy was the ultimate insult. anyway, fond competitive memories- happy 15th skm.

[Gentlegamer]

That can't be it... I've played it on more than one SNES. ;)

Seriously, SMK always seemed slow and sluggish to me. It felt like the carts were stuck in molasses.Maybe you've been brainwashed by this TV ad (http://gameads.gamepressure.com/tv_game_commercial.asp?ID=883).

[jajaja]

I never had a SNES when it was new so i didnt get around to play much then. I bought the GBA version and i love it. But after playing the GBA version i tried the SNES version and thought it sucked. The controllers are too different, i had problems controling the car :\

[Single Player Gamer]

I've played the DS version to death but I'm gonna have to pop in the SNES version. I have never played it much so that should be fun. I'm gonna have to get ready for a ramp up in difficulty it seems.

[Xizer]

I dunno, Super Mario Kart is pretty boring these days. It controlled terribly, and it was slow. The whole split screen with a map nonsense wasn't fun either. The courses were very simplistic too.

There is no way it is more fun than any of its successors - except for possibly the GBA game.

[Dire 51]

Maybe you've been brainwashed by this TV ad (http://gameads.gamepressure.com/tv_game_commercial.asp?ID=883).

LOL

I remember that ad, but no, that didn't do it. If I had to blame it on anything, it'd be F-Zero.

[Steven]

The sequels are faster and have better graphics (obviously) but they can't touch the original's track design/ingenuity

end of story

[theMot]

A poll has been added!

Let the MK circle jerk continue!!! :D

[Abman]

I had to vote for Mario Kart: Double Dash. Even though I really enjoyed Super Mario Kart as a kid, I just never was able to get into it. It's kind of odd since I'm 15 now, and I can get into the Atari 2600. The first game in the series that really hooked me was Double Dash. I feel it had the best level design, character selection, and gimmick.

I don't know how anyone can complain about the double kart gimmick. My friends and I loved it. It added an awesome co-op mode. Of course it always led to arguments on who was driving.

I also feel it was the fastest of the Mario Kart series. I like my racing games fast, and the original Mario Kart just wasn't fast. It was a decent speed, but I wanted something more like Road Rash speed.

The Mario Kart series has always been enjoyable, but I feel overrated. How ever Double Dash is one of my favorite racing games.

[Push Upstairs]

The 2nd rider in "Double Dash" seems a bit much and really extraneous. I also felt it kinda took a lot from the actual racing and it became more of a "what cart do i use, who do i pick as my co-pilot" type ordeal.

Plus it seemed like an excuse to stuff in all those dork-ass miscellaneous Mario characters into the game (all eyes are on you WaLuigi).

[jajaja]

Maybe you've been brainwashed by this TV ad (http://gameads.gamepressure.com/tv_game_commercial.asp?ID=883).

Haha that commercial is crazy LOL

[MarioMania]

Super Mario Kart & Mario Kart SC my Fave