The racing genre of video games have always allowed players to get behind the wheels of their dream car. It seems that is is one of those games that can be the centerpiece of a party. In 1992, Nintendo decided to add their name to the genre with an entire new take of the racing formulas and with a little help from their most famous character. Super Mario Kart began the go-kart genre and was the beginning of one of the most loved series of all time. The game did all this, despite being created to see if something could be achieved and the limit of the SNES.
The game is straight forward: Choose one of Nintendo’s favorite characters and complete three laps in your go-kart. This is not as simple as just being fast. Items can be obtained which can be used to help your racer or attack the other players. The courses have their own dangers, from a idyllic ride through the Mushroom Kingdom to the absolute nightmare of Rainbow Road. There is also a vs, mode where you try and hit another player three times in order to pop their balloons in a mix of racing and bumper cars.
Super Mario Kart did not start because Nintendo wanted to create a racing game. The idea was put forth that it might be possible to show two players different scenes of the same game. An idea that is common now was thought to almost be impossible in 1992. When the developers started, they also realized that the game system would not be able to produce the fast paced game gammers would be expecting. The solution was to put the characters not into racing cars, but into go-carts. The slower speed would allow Super Mario Kart to happen.
The mechanics of Super Mario Kart are simple, but they are so addictive that they deserve a second look. You can not win by just being fast. The items and the layout of the course force a player to use what items they have at the right moment. When a player is near last place, special items appear that can change everything about that race. The drifting technique must be mastered to shave off precious seconds. For unscrupulous players, the temptation to look at the other player’s screen can give them a leg up.
Super Mario Kart spawned a series that is still enjoying the ride decades later. The latest game was simple a port of the previous title and it became the best selling game on the system. Some people have argued that the game does not change from game to game. The truth is that the game does not need too, as the mechanics and the fun was a solid foundation for other games to follow.
