Ranked! Mario Kart Games

Hello again everybody, it's been awhile since the last time I done a massive ranking for any subject. Today we will look at the Mario Kart series. The game that spawned countless sequels, and also a ton of people wanted to replicate it for its success. Since 1992, one of Nintendo's greatest spinoff ideas is likely here to stay for the time being. Let’s bask in its near 30 year history (28 years to be more specific). I am also gonna include some games that weren’t by Nintendo, but were very interesting games you may not have known about. With that, let's have at it.

Super Mario Kart - It’s fair that we begin with the game that started it all as a smashing hit it was. The thing is this felt kinda like a test more than anything else. The one unique feature about this game is the rival counterpart with one of the corresponding driver you selected. Sometimes though it can change given an early race out of five total each cup. There are some items that never appeared again like the Feather was only here, and so was Donkey Kong Jr. No, I don’t mean Diddy Kong either. Making this a bit of a novelty for that character. All the other items we would be accustomed to today eventually. The tracks in this (Except for one) feel very much the same with a harder layout each time. What I mean is there are a ton of Bowser Castles, Donut Plains, and Mario Circuits. The common theme was to have these names, and have them in slightly harder courses once you beat that one in that cup the more you progress.

Controls are decent, not the worst. At times there were a few odd occurrences I had with certain hazards. By 150 the game does oppose as a bit challenging especially with the Special Cup. You also have two player modes you can play, but felt limited at the time. What makes this game different from the rest is how you chose to race if you were to finish near the bottom. You pretty much get three tries or you have to do the whole cup again. Getting 4th place you at least completed the race even with earning one point. The most you could score at the time was nine. Followed by a respectable 6, and 3. In terms of how it looks. Well Super Mario Kart definitely has not looked all too well other than the character cover designs still look cool. It’s a great novel for those who wanted to know what the early Mario Kart games played like your welcome to try it out. Whether you like it or not, that is up to you to decide. Well thanks to its success there wouldn’t be any of the other sequels that is for sure.

Controls: 6
Hold Up/Graphics: 3.5
Innovation: 5
Replay Value: 4
Difficulty Meter: 7
Total Score: 24.5

Mario Kart 64 - Now here’s the true first defining game of the series. This to me was what Mario Kart should be. Improved on a lot of flaws the original had going for it. You could now play with Wario and Donkey Kong now. They really went deep into the arsenal of weapons you could have. Hold three green or red shells. Or have the Golden mushroom, a fake item as a trap. Or the very iconic Blue shiny shell that stops the player way ahead. Almost every track in this game is pretty unique, while they are not all well liked. Still this was a major improvement over seeing way too many Mario Circuits, or whatnot. Oh, and who could forget this game for being relentlessly tough. My god as you progress get ready to get absolutely nailed with everything in your way quickly. This was also the first to have the mirror mode as an ‘‘extra.’’ From the start your given battle mode again, and these battle maps look good as they usually are. Still pretty local, but the difference now you can play with 4 instead of just two.

Overtime though the game has aged a bit when revisiting this. Still though it deserves its praise for changing the way we know what Mario Kart should be played more like. There are flaws with this one, but not nearly as obvious as Super Mario Kart. 64 is a cult classic, while not the most fluent in controls was a pretty big stepping stone.

Controls: 5
Hold Up/Graphics: 5
Innovation: 6
Replay Value: 5.5
Difficulty Meter: 9
Total Score: 30.5

Mario Kart: Super Circuit - Now we get to what many dub as the black sheep for the longest time until recently, and that is Super Circuit. This was the first title on handhelds, and while it is considered one of the best on the Advanced that might not be saying a whole lot. This game goes back to the routes of the original game. Which I didn’t like after playing 64. You get both new and retro tracks included in this one. This was also the first game to introduce rank grades for every cup you complete. I will say the detail is just slightly better than that at least, but a step down from 64. They also give you specific traits to the drivers we didn’t get in the first two games. Giving you a description of each driver's perk. One thing I do like is the art design of each course shown is a pretty nice touch that was never brought back. Its more original in terms of the tracks they have. Some of which are great on here.

Yeah, I would have to say this a huge step down from 64. Everything many have said I happen to agree with. While I'm not saying it's the worst Mario Kart game by all means. Lack of originality in gameplay is what hurt it the most.

Controls: 6.5
Hold Up/Graphics: 4.5
Innovation: 2
Replay Value: 3
Difficulty Meter: 7
Total Score: 23

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - I gotta be honest this was my first Mario kart game, and wow what a choice to begin with the 4th game in the series. Double Dash was probably the most bold, and pretty inventive game in the series. You get to pick two characters in one kart, its also the first time the player must strategize who they want to play as. The newest items are mostly specialties which are a cool edition, but I get why not everybody liked that all too much. This game really doubles up on having a ton to choose from unlike the standard 8, you get 20 total. This was also the first to give us all the races to go at once, and feature unlockables such as karts, battle modes, and characters. Now every Mario kart game has good music, but this game has arguably the best set of it. The game feels faster, and more like a legitimate racing game filled with chaos all around. This game also had a set weight of Light, Medium, and Heavy. Which decides which types of kart you will race with in limited selections.

Heck even the multiplayer for this game was amazing. You could play against I kid you not 16 others with LAN connection. Wow I never got to experience this just doing searches of this that’s pretty mind blowing for that time. Just put it a great game, and perhaps the best Mario kart game possibly ever. Yeah the controls are slightly flawed, but that’s only because it depends on the kart you select to. I wish Nintendo would put this in the Eshop. We got all the other ones at this point.

Controls: 7.5
Hold Up/Graphics: 8
Innovation: 9
Replay Value: 8
Difficulty Meter: 7
Total Score: 39

Mario Kart Arcade GP - Now the next one is only strictly at private arcades. These GP series were made by Namco, not Nintendo. You get to pick between 11 characters, and play up to 10 courses (12, if you have really mastered the game). You have a staggering 93 items you could pull off in one cup of play. Now some of these items can be useful, and others not so much. There is one thing that does reappear in the future Mario game, and that’s the lightning cloud which is a piece of novelty here knowing not everybody played these games.

Seeing this is the first one though. It was a very interesting change up to see. Kinda neat to see two concepts from the two console games used here between the roster, and sound effects. The setup for it is kinda like Pole Position only if you are not in a small space, and have plenty of room with fairly responsive steering. There more to come, but this was something to keep on going with and improve upon.

Controls: 6
Hold Up/Graphics: 5
Innovation: 4
Replay Value: 2
Difficulty Meter: 3.5

Total Score: 19.5

Mario Kart DS - Next title Nintendo wanted to try going back to handheld. Good idea considering how very meh Super Circuit felt like. DS had a few new features, like creating a front emblem which hasn’t come back. The WFC connection was a great way to play with regional and national gamers alike. Its too bad its shutdown now, but I managed to replay this game I think 5 or 6 years ago, and remembered how great that was at a time where I was still young, and slowly got to it after this game specifically. This is the one game, you can actually play against the A.I. on the battle modes which was a big deal at the time.

In terms of overall variety this game had the complete package easily for a SD card so small, but this great says a lot. You also had the one time tried Mission modes were an experiment that was not the best, but was there for filler. There’s only two new items in this game that’s the blooper’s ink on all kart. Does not do much to vision unless your eyesight isn’t the best. More notable the Bullet Bill which is a better version of the chain chomp from Double Dash. Honestly this is the easiest of all the Mario kart games. I never had any real struggles with DS. Controls being so good help to my point. I gotta say the next handheld game would have a high expectation of exceeding what DS pulled off really well. Oh, and the only game R.O.B will ever appear in as well in any Mario reference thing anybody could remember. ‘‘Negative, Gyromite or Stack-Up?’’

Controls: 9.5
Hold Up/Graphics: 5
Innovation: 8.5
Replay Value: 7.5
Difficulty Meter: 2.5
Total Score: 33

Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 - This sequel is slightly more different with a few new additions. Most notable including Waluigi. Feels align to its predecessor in retained gameplay, only they added annoying commentary this time. This reminds of another game that did that as well.. ‘’IRRITATING STICK!’’

Controls: 6
Hold Up/Graphics: 4
Innovation: 3.5
Replay Value: 2
Difficulty Meter: 3.5
Total Score: 18.5

Mario Kart Wii - The Wii was making some history as a console being the most different of all the Nintendo consoles focusing on motion controls. Mario Kart Wii is still the most sold game in the series. It’s also the most divisive of all the games. You either really like this game, or not so much. For me, I am not a fan of this game in particular. Part of it is the steering controls are unbelievably flawed. It starts off fairly generous the first two cups, but when you get to 150cc is where the game turns to not so fun. Blue shell, blue shell, blue shell, and oh another blue shell. Just to make things worse with the not so fluent controls, and the difficulty being ungodly.

There are some things that were new in this game. You could ride bikes, go on ramps. If you performed a trick you could go faster. There is a lot more unlockable than in Double Dash, and they are an interesting set for sure. This game does require you to do the time trials in order to unlock some of these characters (half the roster basically out of 24). Well thank goodness there’s another controller preference you can use. Now that’s far better to handle. Nintendo really utilized the Mii’s in this one. A popular track in Coconut Mall being the most obvious example of family or friends you may see as you race. Or you could race as yourself. There are few items that make one appearance here. Like the Mega Mushroom which was from the DS game of a super mario game. As well as the POW Block which was a bit pointless to include. This is the game that went from 8 drivers to 12 which is a plus.

I could get past the awful recommendation of the Wii steering wheel, good god that was a bad experience to try out. Graphically I gotta be honest this is a slight step down from Double Dash in terms of the home console order that still looks a bit more impressive where this looks worsley dated for 2008. Again, I didn’t like it with high regards like some others do. Its good and all just having some things that drive me insane.

Controls: 7 (Gamecube controller), 2 (Wii Steering wheel counting this one)
Hold Up/Graphics: 5.5
Innovation: 6
Replay Value: 4.5
Difficulty Meter: 8
Total Score: 26

Mario Kart 7 - After the smashing hit that was Mario Kart DS. Six years later the 3DS was the new upgrade, and when announced that they would include 7 the stoke hype was big at the time. The lack of multiplayer and removal of bikes for this game was a very interesting approach. Especially for something that looked pretty powerful, and graphically improved. You have a few new things in this game. Three items being Fire Flower, Super Tail, and Lucky Seven. All pretty forgettable items I gotta say. The other being the fact you could now go underwater without any hazards, or you can glide in the air in some of the new courses you were about to play. This was groundbreaking to see less, and less of what we had seen before.

Making the gameplay much fast and furious than any other title yet. This game goes back to the old 8 racers old traditional strangely enough. Speaking of which, once you unlock your characters you begin a bit disappointed who they end up being. I mean we got Metal Mario, Honey Queen, Wiggler, Lakitu, and yes Mii once you beat the whole game. Yet no Waluigi, Diddy Kong Jr, & Toadette. Heck I even would or preferred to have Petey Piranha as a surprise since he wasn’t in the last one. A solid entry in the series that’s worth it to play just for how much they change from this to Wii.

Controls: 8
Hold Up/Graphics: 7
Innovation: 7
Replay Value: 5
Difficulty Meter: 5

Total Score: 32

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX - I remember this very briefly, but I went to a local Dave & Buster’s and they had this arcade version of Mario Kart. This game was pretty much the same lines as the other two, but had one major new addition, and that’s the multiplayer aspect where you adn a friend can transform into a powerful vehicle which is kinda bizarre, but ended up actually being fun. Fusion Kart is like forming an alliance of unpredictability. This game is heavily underrated. If you can find a Dave & Buster’s anywhere, look for it. This is the best of the arcade games by Namco.

Controls: 6.5
Hold Up/Graphics: 5.5
Innovation: 5
Replay Value: 4
Difficulty Meter: 4

Total Score: 25

Mario Kart 8/Deluxe - Wow! This game is, and just unbelievable how much work they put into this one. Every track in this game is great, yes some of the not so favorite retro tracks are better than how they originally played. I mean this game is almost too perfect for its own good. They even included some features from Double dash like Double Dash, and a couple of familiar battle modes. Honestly I wanted two on Karts or bikes rather than your talking possibly the best kart game ever.

This game's fame was so great getting another rebrand with some new renditions all polished up perfected. Making Mario Kart 9 a tough follow up perhaps.

Controls: 10
Hold Up/Graphics: 8.5
Innovation: 4
Replay Value: 8
Difficulty Meter: 7.5
Total Score: 38

Mario Kart Arcade GP VR - I’m not somebody that screamed out Virtual reality should make a comeback like it has. Well even Mario Kart was not safe, but based on the clips it looks pretty wild feeling you are actually racing. When really it's more of an amusement than above all else.

Controls: 5
Hold Up/Graphics: 5
Innovation: 5
Replay Value: 1
Difficulty Meter: 3
Total Score: 19

Mario Kart Tour - I can understand trying Mario Kart on mobile if it were free. While it is a good trial attempt. The way they make you pay for more yeah no thank you that’s not Mario Kart to me. Sure in 8 yes paying for extra tracks is worth, but not paying for everything else. For this is the EA controversy syndrome all over again. Transactions kill your product… end of discussion.

Controls: 0.5
Hold Up/Graphics: 6
Innovation: 2.5
Replay Value: 0
Difficulty Meter: 5
Total Score: 14

Now let’s officially tally the scores, and have them all in place. Which of these racers is getting the ultimate golden prize? Until next time gamers.
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Unbearable (0-15)
13th Mario Kart Tour - 14
Okay (16-24)
12th Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 - 18.5
11th Mario Kart Arcade GP VR - 19
10th Mario Kart Arcade GP - 19.5
9th Mario Kart: Super Circuit - 23
8th Super Mario Kart - 24.5
Good (25-34)
7th Mario Kart Arcade GP DX - 25
6th Mario Kart Wii - 26
5th Mario Kart 64 - 30.5
4th Mario Kart 7 - 32
3rd Mario Kart DS - 33
Great (35-40)
2nd Mario Kart 8/Deluxe - 38
1st Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - 39
Elite (41-50)
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Comments

Nice - visitor (3/2/2020)

I have some disagreement with this ranking, but I still like it, and when you consider that one of the points on your ranking is innovation, and that when I am judging a game I don't really care for that, those disagreements makes sense. Good job. - Eclipsmon (3/8/2020)