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14th September. That was the day that the most highly anticipated GBA game hit the shops. Mario Kart : Super Circuit.
The game is a mix of Mario Kart 64's game play and Super Mario Kart's looks. But suprisingly as most people thought it does not feature either courses from the N64 or SNES versions. It features 20 new tracks and 4 secret ones. Rainbow Road is the final secret level and it is really hard. No barriers at all.
The courses are.
MUSHROOM CUP : Peach Circuit, Shy Guy Beach, Riverside Park and Bowser's Castle 1.
FLOWER CUP : Mario Circuit, Boo Lake, Cheese Land and Bowser's Castle 2.
LIGHTNING CUP : Luigi Circuit, Sky Garden, Cheep Cheep Island and Sunset Plains.
STAR CUP : Snow Land, Ribbon Road, Yoshi Desert and Bowser's Castle 3.
SPECIAL CUP : Lakeside Park, Broken Pier, Bowser's Castle 4 and Rainbow Road.
All these courses are a challenge for the first few times you play them but they do get easier after played a few times.
All the characters are.
LIGHTWEIGHTS : Peach, Toad and Yoshi (my favourite)
MIDLEWEIGHTS : Mario and Luigi.
HEAVYWEIGHTS : Bowser, Donkey Kong and Wario.
The game now has a feature that allows you to pick up coins during a level to increase your speed but for some reason these are not able to be picked up by computers.
Weapons in the game are just the same as in the N64 version of MK but in this the computer controlled characters can use red shells instead of just having bananas and things. The weapons for those who are not familiar with Mario Kart are Banana, boost, 3 boosts, Red Shell, Green Shell, pack of red shells, pack of green shells, blue shell, ghost, Star Power and Lightning. Each has the same effect as in MK64.
Now in this game the graphics are unbeleivable. They aren't quite N64 style graphics but they really do look good for a handheld games console. Unlike the MK64 game there are backgrounds. They may be 2d but it makes the game look a lot better.
This game, like all good games has a Multiplayer mode. 4 players can connect up (using one carteridge) and either compete in a battle game or race mode. The gaming is just the same speed in multiplay as in 1 play. A feature that most games cannot handle. There is even a multiplayer mode in which you can exchange your ghost records with another player using the link cable. Great multiplayer expeirience.
The games main modes are Gran Prix which is in the order of the courses above, time trial where you can try and beat track records and race your own ghost, and finally a quick run where you can race on any course and unlike MK64 you don't have to go through a championship just to get to one race that you like.
This is really a stunning game. If you have a GBA then get this and if you don't have a GBA then get one then get this game with it. It is that good. 10/10 - 97%. An absolutely great game.
Thanks 4 reading, Afro.
Talk about it if you want to.
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!)
It's tough though, the Special Cup took me two attempts.
You have to win every cup, with a grade A or above (I think).
I've opened up the first 4 SNES cups, and I'm still not exactly sure how.
The difference this time is that in the SNES version of the game, there were 4 cups of 5 tracks, they've been jiggled around so that you get 5 cups of 4 tracks.
But they are all still in there!