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Super Mario Kart. A game which still inspires a tingling feeling in the heart of anyone who owned the game. Probably the first (and best) character-based racing game that was widely accepted and played. The idea of the game was that you got to play as a Nintendo character that you had grown to love, and race around a huge selection of tracks, collecting power-ups and, well coming first!
The popularity of this game was noticeable, and so, Nintendo re-created the game on the N64 platform. Still the same game at heart, the N64 version offered improved graphics, and extra little bonuses not seen in the SNES version.
Now, with the release of a new Nintendo console, the widely acclaimed Game Boy Advance, it was almost necessary for the big N to release a Mario Kart game on the console.
And so, release a game they did! Mario Kart: Super Circuit, in my view, is the best Mario Kart game to date. More comparable to the ‘64 version than the original, this down-sized racer offers all that its predecessors did. The Nintendo characters we have grown to love are in there, along with new tracks, your favourite power-ups, and a few surprises too!
For those of you not familiar with the game, the basic concept is the same as any racing game - win! However, far from being a realistic simulator, Mario Kart offers players the chance to jump into a go-kart in the cartoon-like style of most Mario games. The object is to play through a trophy, and attain the highest mark you can at the end.
When you first turn on the game, the music instantly lets you know that this is a classic Nintendo product. When the menu screen appears, you can see all eight racers lined up, ready to race! For the moment, I’ll go through the Single player game.
After choosing 1 player, you are faced with a menu containing Mario Grand Prix, Time trial and quick race. Time trial lets you play on any track you have unlocked, in a race to beat your own best time on a track. And, as an added bonus, upon playing the same track again, you can see the ‘ghost’ of your previous attempt! Quick race is similar to Mario Grand Prix, except that you only play on one track, not across four in a trophy. Mario Grand Prix however is the main part of the game. Open it up, and you have to choose an engine class. The same as the ’64 version, you are given 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. 50cc offers tight cornering, yet lower speeds, and 150cc is the opposite of this. The next menu lets you choose a character to race as. Mario, Luigi, Peach, DK, Bowser, Yoshi, Wario and Toad are all here, or you can choose a random character. The next screen lets you choose a cup. These range in difficulty, and only by coming first in all 4 can you unlock the special cup!
The start of the race is similar to all Mario Kart games. You are placed 8th on the starting grid, and by accelerating at just the right time, can get a boost to catch up on first place! The first thing you notice about the game are the superb graphics. Far from jagged edges, the graphics are smooth, almost as good as the N64 game on a smaller screen! The in-game music is the same type as the previous games, and fits perfectly into the racing atmosphere. The control is just as smooth, though if it’s your first time playing the genre, you may find cornering difficult at first! As you race round the track, you’ll notice the classic ‘?’ boxes. Drive over one of these to collect a power-up! All your favourites are there - Red and green shells, banana skins, the feared lightning strike, stars, mushrooms and Boo’s! Used at the right moment, any of these can mean the difference between first and last place! Another thing to pick up along the track are coins. Each racer starts off with a certain amount of coins, and each time you crash or are hit, you lose one or more of them. When you are down to zero, you spin upon every collision, so its a good idea to pick them up! Use the classic power-slide to take corners with ease, and jump over any obstacles, but be careful not to fall off the track - it takes ages for you be lifted back on, and every second is vital!
At the end of the trophy, you will be given 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, and a rank ranging from 3 stars to E. The better mark you get, the quicker you will be able to unlock any bonuses there are!
Now that the single player is done, I’ll talk quickly about the multiplayer aspect. My favourite part is the ability to swap your ghosts from time trial. Go on, swap ‘em over and see how you compare to your mates! As far as racing is concerned, you can race on all the tracks you have unlocked, but also play in the great battle mode! Each kart has 3 balloons, and you must pop all your opponents balloons before they pop yours - great for relieving anger!
And that just about wraps the game up - apart from the bonuses - but you’ll have to find out what they are yourself!
The bottom line is, Mario Kart Super Circuit carries on the trend of the Mario Kart genre. A great game with the classic great game-play, amazing graphics, and the atmosphere that helped make the previous games a success! A full-marks AAA title!
(oh and as a side note, the screen shots on SR do not do the game any justice - get some new ones Tony!)
The popularity of this game was noticeable, and so, Nintendo re-created the game on the N64 platform. Still the same game at heart, the N64 version offered improved graphics, and extra little bonuses not seen in the SNES version.
Now, with the release of a new Nintendo console, the widely acclaimed Game Boy Advance, it was almost necessary for the big N to release a Mario Kart game on the console.
And so, release a game they did! Mario Kart: Super Circuit, in my view, is the best Mario Kart game to date. More comparable to the ‘64 version than the original, this down-sized racer offers all that its predecessors did. The Nintendo characters we have grown to love are in there, along with new tracks, your favourite power-ups, and a few surprises too!
For those of you not familiar with the game, the basic concept is the same as any racing game - win! However, far from being a realistic simulator, Mario Kart offers players the chance to jump into a go-kart in the cartoon-like style of most Mario games. The object is to play through a trophy, and attain the highest mark you can at the end.
When you first turn on the game, the music instantly lets you know that this is a classic Nintendo product. When the menu screen appears, you can see all eight racers lined up, ready to race! For the moment, I’ll go through the Single player game.
After choosing 1 player, you are faced with a menu containing Mario Grand Prix, Time trial and quick race. Time trial lets you play on any track you have unlocked, in a race to beat your own best time on a track. And, as an added bonus, upon playing the same track again, you can see the ‘ghost’ of your previous attempt! Quick race is similar to Mario Grand Prix, except that you only play on one track, not across four in a trophy. Mario Grand Prix however is the main part of the game. Open it up, and you have to choose an engine class. The same as the ’64 version, you are given 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. 50cc offers tight cornering, yet lower speeds, and 150cc is the opposite of this. The next menu lets you choose a character to race as. Mario, Luigi, Peach, DK, Bowser, Yoshi, Wario and Toad are all here, or you can choose a random character. The next screen lets you choose a cup. These range in difficulty, and only by coming first in all 4 can you unlock the special cup!
The start of the race is similar to all Mario Kart games. You are placed 8th on the starting grid, and by accelerating at just the right time, can get a boost to catch up on first place! The first thing you notice about the game are the superb graphics. Far from jagged edges, the graphics are smooth, almost as good as the N64 game on a smaller screen! The in-game music is the same type as the previous games, and fits perfectly into the racing atmosphere. The control is just as smooth, though if it’s your first time playing the genre, you may find cornering difficult at first! As you race round the track, you’ll notice the classic ‘?’ boxes. Drive over one of these to collect a power-up! All your favourites are there - Red and green shells, banana skins, the feared lightning strike, stars, mushrooms and Boo’s! Used at the right moment, any of these can mean the difference between first and last place! Another thing to pick up along the track are coins. Each racer starts off with a certain amount of coins, and each time you crash or are hit, you lose one or more of them. When you are down to zero, you spin upon every collision, so its a good idea to pick them up! Use the classic power-slide to take corners with ease, and jump over any obstacles, but be careful not to fall off the track - it takes ages for you be lifted back on, and every second is vital!
At the end of the trophy, you will be given 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, and a rank ranging from 3 stars to E. The better mark you get, the quicker you will be able to unlock any bonuses there are!
Now that the single player is done, I’ll talk quickly about the multiplayer aspect. My favourite part is the ability to swap your ghosts from time trial. Go on, swap ‘em over and see how you compare to your mates! As far as racing is concerned, you can race on all the tracks you have unlocked, but also play in the great battle mode! Each kart has 3 balloons, and you must pop all your opponents balloons before they pop yours - great for relieving anger!
And that just about wraps the game up - apart from the bonuses - but you’ll have to find out what they are yourself!
The bottom line is, Mario Kart Super Circuit carries on the trend of the Mario Kart genre. A great game with the classic great game-play, amazing graphics, and the atmosphere that helped make the previous games a success! A full-marks AAA title!
(oh and as a side note, the screen shots on SR do not do the game any justice - get some new ones Tony!)
That it will.
slik ~_~
slik ~_~
It will certainly rock the world!
Super Mario Kart. A game which still inspires a tingling feeling in the heart of anyone who owned the game. Probably the first (and best) character-based racing game that was widely accepted and played. The idea of the game was that you got to play as a Nintendo character that you had grown to love, and race around a huge selection of tracks, collecting power-ups and, well coming first!
The popularity of this game was noticeable, and so, Nintendo re-created the game on the N64 platform. Still the same game at heart, the N64 version offered improved graphics, and extra little bonuses not seen in the SNES version.
Now, with the release of a new Nintendo console, the widely acclaimed Game Boy Advance, it was almost necessary for the big N to release a Mario Kart game on the console.
And so, release a game they did! Mario Kart: Super Circuit, in my view, is the best Mario Kart game to date. More comparable to the ‘64 version than the original, this down-sized racer offers all that its predecessors did. The Nintendo characters we have grown to love are in there, along with new tracks, your favourite power-ups, and a few surprises too!
For those of you not familiar with the game, the basic concept is the same as any racing game - win! However, far from being a realistic simulator, Mario Kart offers players the chance to jump into a go-kart in the cartoon-like style of most Mario games. The object is to play through a trophy, and attain the highest mark you can at the end.
When you first turn on the game, the music instantly lets you know that this is a classic Nintendo product. When the menu screen appears, you can see all eight racers lined up, ready to race! For the moment, I’ll go through the Single player game.
After choosing 1 player, you are faced with a menu containing Mario Grand Prix, Time trial and quick race. Time trial lets you play on any track you have unlocked, in a race to beat your own best time on a track. And, as an added bonus, upon playing the same track again, you can see the ‘ghost’ of your previous attempt! Quick race is similar to Mario Grand Prix, except that you only play on one track, not across four in a trophy. Mario Grand Prix however is the main part of the game. Open it up, and you have to choose an engine class. The same as the ’64 version, you are given 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. 50cc offers tight cornering, yet lower speeds, and 150cc is the opposite of this. The next menu lets you choose a character to race as. Mario, Luigi, Peach, DK, Bowser, Yoshi, Wario and Toad are all here, or you can choose a random character. The next screen lets you choose a cup. These range in difficulty, and only by coming first in all 4 can you unlock the special cup!
The start of the race is similar to all Mario Kart games. You are placed 8th on the starting grid, and by accelerating at just the right time, can get a boost to catch up on first place! The first thing you notice about the game are the superb graphics. Far from jagged edges, the graphics are smooth, almost as good as the N64 game on a smaller screen! The in-game music is the same type as the previous games, and fits perfectly into the racing atmosphere. The control is just as smooth, though if it’s your first time playing the genre, you may find cornering difficult at first! As you race round the track, you’ll notice the classic ‘?’ boxes. Drive over one of these to collect a power-up! All your favourites are there - Red and green shells, banana skins, the feared lightning strike, stars, mushrooms and Boo’s! Used at the right moment, any of these can mean the difference between first and last place! Another thing to pick up along the track are coins. Each racer starts off with a certain amount of coins, and each time you crash or are hit, you lose one or more of them. When you are down to zero, you spin upon every collision, so its a good idea to pick them up! Use the classic power-slide to take corners with ease, and jump over any obstacles, but be careful not to fall off the track - it takes ages for you be lifted back on, and every second is vital!
At the end of the trophy, you will be given 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, and a rank ranging from 3 stars to E. The better mark you get, the quicker you will be able to unlock any bonuses there are!
Now that the single player is done, I’ll talk quickly about the multiplayer aspect. My favourite part is the ability to swap your ghosts from time trial. Go on, swap ‘em over and see how you compare to your mates! As far as racing is concerned, you can race on all the tracks you have unlocked, but also play in the great battle mode! Each kart has 3 balloons, and you must pop all your opponents balloons before they pop yours - great for relieving anger!
And that just about wraps the game up - apart from the bonuses - but you’ll have to find out what they are yourself!
The bottom line is, Mario Kart Super Circuit carries on the trend of the Mario Kart genre. A great game with the classic great game-play, amazing graphics, and the atmosphere that helped make the previous games a success! A full-marks AAA title!
(oh and as a side note, the screen shots on SR do not do the game any justice - get some new ones Tony!)
The popularity of this game was noticeable, and so, Nintendo re-created the game on the N64 platform. Still the same game at heart, the N64 version offered improved graphics, and extra little bonuses not seen in the SNES version.
Now, with the release of a new Nintendo console, the widely acclaimed Game Boy Advance, it was almost necessary for the big N to release a Mario Kart game on the console.
And so, release a game they did! Mario Kart: Super Circuit, in my view, is the best Mario Kart game to date. More comparable to the ‘64 version than the original, this down-sized racer offers all that its predecessors did. The Nintendo characters we have grown to love are in there, along with new tracks, your favourite power-ups, and a few surprises too!
For those of you not familiar with the game, the basic concept is the same as any racing game - win! However, far from being a realistic simulator, Mario Kart offers players the chance to jump into a go-kart in the cartoon-like style of most Mario games. The object is to play through a trophy, and attain the highest mark you can at the end.
When you first turn on the game, the music instantly lets you know that this is a classic Nintendo product. When the menu screen appears, you can see all eight racers lined up, ready to race! For the moment, I’ll go through the Single player game.
After choosing 1 player, you are faced with a menu containing Mario Grand Prix, Time trial and quick race. Time trial lets you play on any track you have unlocked, in a race to beat your own best time on a track. And, as an added bonus, upon playing the same track again, you can see the ‘ghost’ of your previous attempt! Quick race is similar to Mario Grand Prix, except that you only play on one track, not across four in a trophy. Mario Grand Prix however is the main part of the game. Open it up, and you have to choose an engine class. The same as the ’64 version, you are given 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. 50cc offers tight cornering, yet lower speeds, and 150cc is the opposite of this. The next menu lets you choose a character to race as. Mario, Luigi, Peach, DK, Bowser, Yoshi, Wario and Toad are all here, or you can choose a random character. The next screen lets you choose a cup. These range in difficulty, and only by coming first in all 4 can you unlock the special cup!
The start of the race is similar to all Mario Kart games. You are placed 8th on the starting grid, and by accelerating at just the right time, can get a boost to catch up on first place! The first thing you notice about the game are the superb graphics. Far from jagged edges, the graphics are smooth, almost as good as the N64 game on a smaller screen! The in-game music is the same type as the previous games, and fits perfectly into the racing atmosphere. The control is just as smooth, though if it’s your first time playing the genre, you may find cornering difficult at first! As you race round the track, you’ll notice the classic ‘?’ boxes. Drive over one of these to collect a power-up! All your favourites are there - Red and green shells, banana skins, the feared lightning strike, stars, mushrooms and Boo’s! Used at the right moment, any of these can mean the difference between first and last place! Another thing to pick up along the track are coins. Each racer starts off with a certain amount of coins, and each time you crash or are hit, you lose one or more of them. When you are down to zero, you spin upon every collision, so its a good idea to pick them up! Use the classic power-slide to take corners with ease, and jump over any obstacles, but be careful not to fall off the track - it takes ages for you be lifted back on, and every second is vital!
At the end of the trophy, you will be given 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, and a rank ranging from 3 stars to E. The better mark you get, the quicker you will be able to unlock any bonuses there are!
Now that the single player is done, I’ll talk quickly about the multiplayer aspect. My favourite part is the ability to swap your ghosts from time trial. Go on, swap ‘em over and see how you compare to your mates! As far as racing is concerned, you can race on all the tracks you have unlocked, but also play in the great battle mode! Each kart has 3 balloons, and you must pop all your opponents balloons before they pop yours - great for relieving anger!
And that just about wraps the game up - apart from the bonuses - but you’ll have to find out what they are yourself!
The bottom line is, Mario Kart Super Circuit carries on the trend of the Mario Kart genre. A great game with the classic great game-play, amazing graphics, and the atmosphere that helped make the previous games a success! A full-marks AAA title!
(oh and as a side note, the screen shots on SR do not do the game any justice - get some new ones Tony!)