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DEVELOPER
Nintendo
PUBLISHER
Nintendo
AVAILABLE
Now
MEDIUM
Cartridge
PLAYERS
Four
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 trap
in, shut up and hold on!
Super Mario Kart, to this day, remains one of the finest games on the
SNES. There's absolutely no doubt that the promise of a 64 bit upgrade
was a huge selling point for the N64 ( as if it needed any help ). Personally,
this game, along with Mario 64, was the primary reason I purchased the
system.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you know
the story. Play as one of many characters from the Mario Universe in an
attempt to place first in a season comprised of four races. Along with
this, it's also possible to have multiplayer races and death matches. Just
stomping on the gas isn't enough, though, as players must use multiple
weapons, gained from item boxes, in order to advance.
When I first played MK64, I despised it. As a one player game, it leaves
something to be desired, for, no matter how well you race, you're never
more than a few inches ahead of your nearest opponent. By adding this 'slower
kart boost', Nintendo has really knocked the fun factor down substantially.
If I have a perfect race, I shouldn't end up last due to a minor spin on
the last lap, it's just annoying.
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Choose your driver and take to the tracks. Although
the rendered characters look good here, they just don't seem to fit in
the main game.
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However, as a multiplayer game, this title rocks. The same reasons that
make the one player mode shoddy facilitate the wonderful mechanics of the
versus mode. Because the slower karts are boosted, players of all skill
levels can always enjoy a close race.
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Drop these bananas to give your opponenets the slip,
then grab a new power up in the boxes ahead.
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The tracks are designed with polygons, and they are very nice, to say
the least. Each of the sixteen tracks has it's own unique look and layout,
including such things as jumps and road obstacles. Roadside objects and
drivers are pre- rendered sprites, and though they look good, one can't
help but wonder if polygonal characters would have suited the game better.
The music and sound effects are your basic Mario fare, and are nicely done
considering this is a cartridge.
A weak one player game, Mario Kart 64 excels in the multiplayer arena,
and that alone is worth the cost of admission. Few titles can come close
to this one in terms of party games.
-- Greg Sewart
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