Mario Kart

Mario Kart

Logo used since Mario Kart DS. (Final version, 2005)
Genres Racing video game
Developers Nintendo
Intelligent Systems (Super Circuit)
Retro Studios (Mario Kart 7)
Namco/Namco Bandai (Arcade GP series, Mario Kart 8)
Publishers Nintendo
Creators Shigeru Miyamoto
First release Super Mario Kart
August 27, 1992 (1992-08-27)
Latest release Mario Kart 8
May 29, 2014 (2014-05-29)

Mario Kart (マリオカート Mario Kāto) is a series of go-kart-style racing video games developed and published by Nintendo as spin-offs from its trademark Super Mario series. The first in the series, Super Mario Kart, was launched in 1992 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to critical and commercial success.[1]

There have been five Mario Kart games released for home consoles, three portable games, and three Namco co-developed arcade games, for a total of eleven. The latest title in the series, Mario Kart 8, was released on Wii U in May 2014. The series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide to date.

History

The first title in the Mario Kart series is Super Mario Kart and was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. The development of the first game was overseen by Shigeru Miyamoto, the Japanese video game designer who helped create the original Super Mario Bros., as well as many other successful games for Nintendo. Darran Jones of NowGamer suggests that the original success of Super Mario Kart was the result of including characters previously seen in Mario Bros. games, while also being a new type of racing game.[2]

Gameplay

Mario driving upside-down using the anti-gravity mechanic introduced in Mario Kart 8.

In the Mario Kart series, players compete in go-kart races, controlling one of a selection of characters from the Mario franchise. Up to twelve characters can compete in each race.

One of the features of the series is the use of various power-up items obtained by driving into item boxes laid out on the course. These power-ups include mushrooms to give players a speed boost, Koopa Shells to be thrown at opponents, and banana peels that can be laid on the track as hazards. The type of weapon received from an item box is often random, though sometimes influenced by the player's current position in the race.[3] For example, players lagging far behind may receive more powerful items while the leader will only receive small defensive items. Called rubber banding, this gameplay mechanism allows other players or computers a realistic chance to catch up to the leading player.

As the series has progressed, each new installment has introduced new elements in order to keep the gameplay fresh, such as new courses, box items and playable characters.[3] These changes include:

Courses

Many course themes recur throughout the series. Most are based on an existing area in the Mario series (Bowser's Castle being among the most prominent), but there are a number of courses that have not appeared elsewhere, but still belong in the Mushroom Kingdom, such as Rainbow Road.[3] Each game in the series includes at least 16 original courses and up to 6 original battle arenas.[3] Each game's tracks are divided into four "cups", or groups in which the player has to have the highest overall placing to win. Most courses can be done in three laps. The first game to feature courses from previous games was Mario Kart: Super Circuit, which contained all of the tracks from the original Super Nintendo game. Starting with Mario Kart DS, each entry in the series has featured 16 original courses and 16 "retro" tracks drawn from previous titles, spread across four cups each. In Mario Kart 8, new tracks are available in two downloadable packages, eight for each package downloaded.[5] This downloadable content includes courses based on other Nintendo titles, such as The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing, making them the first Mario Kart courses to be set outside the Mario universe.

Modes of play

Each installment features a variety of different modes. The following four modes recur most often in the series:

List of Mario Kart games

Console games
Original logo used up until Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.

Arcade games

At one point, there was also a game in the series planned for the Virtual Boy in 1995. Entitled Super Mario Kart: Virtual Cup, it was likely to be the first sequel to Super Mario Kart. The game was cancelled due to the Virtual Boy's failure, but was revealed in a 2000 issue of German gaming magazine The Big N.[10]

Other appearances

Several Mario Kart-related items appear in the Super Smash Bros. series, with Super Smash Bros. Brawl in particular featuring a Mario Circuit stage based on Figure-8 Circuit from Mario Kart DS,[11] Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS featuring a Rainbow Road stage based on its appearance in Mario Kart 7, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U featuring a Mario Circuit stage based on its appearance in Mario Kart 8.

Certain courses from the series have also appeared in F-Zero X, Fortune Street, and the Mario & Sonic series. Various items from the series can also be seen in games such as Nintendogs and Animal Crossing.

Characters

Console characters

Driver Super 64 Super Circuit Double Dash!! DS Wii 7 8
Baby Daisy Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick
Baby Luigi Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Green tick
Baby Mario Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Green tick
Baby Peach Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick
Baby Rosalina Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Birdo Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Red X
Bowser Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Bowser Jr. Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Red X
Cat Peach Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick3
Princess Daisy Red X Red X Red X Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Diddy Kong Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Red X
Donkey Kong Red X Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Donkey Kong Jr. Green tick Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X
Dry Bones Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Green tick Red X Red X
Dry Bowser Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick3
Funky Kong Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Red X
Honey Queen Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X
Iggy Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Isabelle Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick3
King Boo Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Red X
Koopa Troopa Green tick Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Green tick Green tick
Lakitu Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Green tick
Larry Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Lemmy Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Link Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick3
Ludwig Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Luigi Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Mario Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Metal Mario Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Green tick
Mii Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick1 Green tick Green tick
Morton Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Paratroopa Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Red X Red X Red X
Petey Piranha Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Red X Red X Red X
Princess Peach Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Pink Gold Peach Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
R.O.B. Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Red X Red X
Rosalina Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Green tick Green tick
Roy Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Shy Guy Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick2 Red X Green tick Green tick
Tanooki Mario Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick3
Toad Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Toadette Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Green tick
Villager Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick3
Waluigi Red X Red X Red X Green tick Green tick Green tick Red X Green tick
Wario Red X Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Wendy Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick
Wiggler Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X
Yoshi Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Total 8 8 8 20 13 25 17 30 + 6 (DLC)

Arcade characters

Driver Franchise Arcade GP Arcade GP 2 Arcade GP DX
Blinky Pac-Man Green tick Green tick Red X
Bowser Mario Green tick Green tick Green tick4
Bowser Jr. Mario Red X Red X Green tick
Don-chan Taiko no Tatsujin Red X Red X Green tick4
Donkey Kong Mario/Donkey Kong Green tick Green tick Green tick
Luigi Mario Green tick Green tick Green tick4
Mametchi Tamagotchi Red X Green tick Red X
Mario Mario Green tick Green tick Green tick4
Metal Mario Mario Red X Red X Green tick5
Ms. Pac-Man Pac-Man Green tick Green tick Red X
Pac-Man Pac-Man Green tick Green tick Green tick
Princess Peach Mario Green tick Green tick Green tick
Rosalina Mario Red X Red X Green tick5
Toad Mario Green tick Green tick Green tick4
Waluigi Mario Red X Green tick Green tick
Wario Mario (Wario) Green tick Green tick Green tick
Yoshi Mario (Yoshi) Green tick Green tick Green tick4
Total 4 (7 including sub-series) 11 13 14

Notes about this section

  1. ^ Miis are selectable as two different characters in Wii: Mii Outfit A and Mii Outfit B.
  2. ^ Shy Guy is only available in DS as a playable character during Single-Card Download Play races.
  3. ^ Available as downloadable content.
  4. ^ Seven palette-swap characters are playable: Strawberry Don, Knight Don, Ice Luigi, Fire Mario, Blue Toad, Red Yoshi, and Dry Bowser.
  5. ^ Added in an update to the game.

Merchandise

The Mario Kart series has had a range of merchandise released.

Among them are a slot car racer series based on Mario Kart DS, which comes with Mario and Donkey Kong figures, while Wario and Luigi are available separately. A line of radio-controlled karts have also been marketed, with are controlled by Game Boy Advance-shaped controllers, and feature Mario, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi. There are additional, larger karts that depict the same trio and are radio-controlled by a GameCube-shape controller.

Japanese figurines of Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Wario, Donkey Kong, and Bowser are also available for purchase as well as for Mario Kart 64, figures of Mario, Luigi, Wario, Bowser, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi were made by Toybiz. There are also Sound Drops inspired by Mario Kart Wii with eight sounds from the game. A land-line telephone featuring Mario holding a lightning bolt while seated in his kart, has also been marketed.

K'Nex released Mario Kart Wii sets, with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Bowser in karts and bikes, as well as tracks from the game.[12] Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8 K'Nex sets have also been released.

Nintendo's own customer rewards program Club Nintendo released merchandise from the series as well. These include a Mario Kart 8 original soundtrack, a Mario Kart Wii-themed stopwatch, and gold trophies modeled after those in Mario Kart 7. Before Club Nintendo, a Mario Kart 64 soundtrack was offered by mail.

In 2014, McDonald's released Mario Kart 8 toys with Happy Meals. They featured 8 of the characters in karts that were customizable with stickers.

Reception

Nintendo Power listed the Mario Kart series as being one of the greatest multi-player experiences, citing the diversity in game modes as well as the entertainment value found.[13]

Guinness World Records listed six records set by the Mario Kart series, including "First Console Kart Racing Game", "Best Selling Racing Game" and "Longest Running Kart Racing Franchise." Guinness World Records ranked the original Super Mario Kart number 1 on the list of top 50 console games of all time based on initial impact and lasting legacy.[14]

The series has sold over 100 million copies.[15] Mario Kart Wii is the best selling installment in the series, selling 35.53 million as of March 2014.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Crecente, Brian (2009-26-2). "Super Mario Kart: Most Influential Video Game in History." Kotaku. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  2. ↑ Jones, Darran (November 28, 2011). "Super Mario Kart: The Complete History of Nintendo's Kart Racer". NowGamer. Imagine Publishing Ltd. Archived from the original on June 25, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dan. "Mario Kart Franchise Retrospective". WatchMojo.com. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  4. ↑ Sato, Yoshi (February 6, 2008). "Mario Kart Wii Detailed". 1up.com. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Farokhmanesh, Megan (August 26, 2014). "Link, F-Zero and Animal Crossing are coming to Mario Kart 8 as DLC". Polygon. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Virtual Console バーチャルコンソール" (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
  7. ↑ "Download New BIT.TRIP Kicks, Speeding Karts, Magic Castles and More". Nintendo of America. November 23, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
  8. ↑ Mario Kart Wii U Driving Into E3 This Year - Wii U News @ Nintendo Life
  9. ↑ Arcade Heroes Namco Formally Announces Mario Kart Arcade Grand Prix DX - Arcade Heroes
  10. ↑ "VB Mario Kart". Big N. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Smash Bros. DOJO!!". Smashbros.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  12. ↑ "K'NEX Mario Kart Wii Building Sets". Knex.com. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  13. ↑ Nintendo Power 250th issue!. South San Francisco, California: Future US. 2010. p. 47.
  14. ↑ Ivan, Tom (February 28, 2009). "Guinness ranks top 50 games of all time". Computer and Video Games. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
  15. ↑ Futter, Mike (June 2, 2014). "Mario Kart 8 Speeds To Over 1.2 Million Sales In Opening Weekend". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Financial Results Briefing for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2014: Supplementary Information" (PDF). Financial Results Briefing for the 74th Fiscal Term Ended March 2014. Nintendo. May 8, 2014. p. 4. Retrieved July 2, 2014.

External links

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