Super Mario Kart

During the game, players take control of one of eight Mario franchise characters , each with differing capabilities, and drive karts around tracks with a Mario franchise theme. In order for them to begin driving, Lakitu appears with a traffic light hanging on his fishing pole at the starting line, which starts the countdown. When the light turns green, the race or battle begins. During a race, the player's viewpoint is from behind their kart.

The goal of the game is to either finish a race ahead of other racers, who are controlled by the computer and other players, or complete a circuit in the fastest time. There is a battle mode in which the aim is to attack the karts of the other human players. Some tracks feature chevron -shaped boost panels to increase speed for a brief moment. In addition, there are also short ramps that racers can use to launch themselves in the air.

A combination of the two makes the player jump higher at a high speed. Panels marked with question marks are arrayed on the race tracks; they give special abilities ( power-ups ) to a player's kart if the vehicle passes over them. Certain power-ups, such as the ability to throw shells and bananas, allow racers to hit other racers with objects, causing them to spin and lose control. A kart that obtains the star power-up is temporarily invincible.

Computer players have specific special powers associated with each character that they are able to use throughout the race. Lines of coins are found on the tracks in competitive race modes. By running over these coins, a kart collects them to increase its top speed. Having coins helps players when their kart is hit by another: instead of spinning and losing control, they lose a coin.

Coins are lost when karts are struck by power-ups or fall off the tracks. The game features advanced maneuvers such as power sliding and hopping . Power sliding allows a kart to maintain its speed while turning, although executing the maneuver for too long causes the kart to spin. Hopping helps a kart execute tighter turns: the kart makes a short hop and turns in the air, speeding off in the new direction when it lands.

Reviewers praised Super Mario Kart ' s gameplay, describing the battle mode as "addictive" and the single player gameplay as "incredible". IGN stated that the gameplay mechanics defined the genre. Modes Super Mario Kart has two single-player modes : Mario Kart GP (which stands for Grand Prix ) and Time Trial . In Mario Kart GP, one player is required to race against seven computer-controlled characters in a series of five races which are called cups.

Initially, there are three cups available – the Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, and Star Cup – at two difficulty levels , 50 cc and 100cc. By winning all three of the cups at the 100cc level, a fourth cup – the Special Cup – is unlocked. Winning all four cups at 100cc unlocks a new difficulty level, 150cc. Each cup consists of five five-lap races, each taking place on a distinct track.

In order to continue through a cup, a position of fourth or higher must be achieved in each race. If a player finishes in the fifth to eighth position, they are "ranked out" and the race must be replayed – at the cost of one of a limited number of lives – until a placing of fourth or above is achieved. If the player has no lives when they rank out, the game is over. Points are accrued by finishing in the top four positions in a race; first to fourth place receive nine, six, three and one points.

If a player finishes in the same position three times in a row, then an extra life is awarded. The finishing order for that race will then become the starting grid for the next race; for example, if a player finishes in first place, then that player will start the next race in the same position. The racer with the highest number of points after all five races have been completed wins the cup. In time trial mode, players race against the clock through the same tracks that are present in Mario Kart GP mode, attempting to set the fastest time possible.

Super Mario Kart has three multiplayer modes; Mario Kart GP, Match Race, and Battle Mode. The multiplayer modes support two players and the second player uses the bottom half of the screen which is used as a map in the single-player modes. Mario Kart GP is the same as in single-player, the only difference being that there are two human-controlled and six computer-controlled drivers. Match Race involves the two players going head to head on a track of their choice without any opponents.

In Battle Mode, the two players again go head to head, but this time in one of four dedicated Battle Mode courses. Each player starts with three balloons around their kart which can be popped by power-ups fired by the other player. The first player to have all of their balloons popped loses.