Racing is nice, but Mario Kart is meant to be played in Battle Mode. Mushroom Kingdom has airports? Is there some kind of Super Mario TSA? Is flying cheaper than traveling by pipe? It makes my head spin, man. In 50 years, when we’re all living in a Blade Runner dystopia or whatever, I’m sure I’ll still be cursing under my breath as Kevin lobs another goddamn red shell at me in Mario Kart 27.įavorite Character: One of the tiny Koopas, preferably one with poofy hair, like me.įavorite Course: Sunshine Airport, because it turns the Mario Kart universe upside down. Mario Kart may be the ultimate "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" game. And just last week, I got my ass kicked over and over again in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, to the delight of my cackling colleagues.Īnd after eight installments over 25 years, it’s still a game my dad would love! The mechanics have changed a little-I’m still wrapping my head around advanced tactics like drifting-but I’m amazed that Nintendo has successfully sustained the pick-up-and-playability of this series. In college, I dabbled in the hangover-generating meta-game my friends called Beerio Kart. As a kid, I battled my way through the Special Cup (and threw my controller after a disastrous first run on Rainbow Road).
#SUPER MARIO KART MAPS SERIES#
What other series could inspire that level of passion from two totally different generations? Mario Kart is the rare video game that’s fun at basically any age. Nintendo understands that multiplayer games are always better with a little chaos, when there’s a chance for the underdog to sneak ahead with a little last-minute luck and the right combination of power-ups. Always occupying the first-place position? (God, story of my life.) You’re always one blue shell away from losing that victory. If you’re a bad Kart player, the game’s catch-up mechanic will gift you with better items and even speed you up a tad.
Still, in a world where playing video games against other humans is becoming more competitive and more serious, the Mario Kart series-from its SNES origins to its current Nintendo Switch version-has always been about equalizing talents. Certainly ill-advised would be arguing that every game in the series is even more fun while drunk (seriously kids: don’t drink and drive). It would be arrogant to talk about how the game’s controls feel like second nature (but really: they do). Listen, I’m not here to brag about how good I am at Mario Kart (but for the record: very good).
Favorite Course: Rainbow Road, mostly for the theme song.