Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Okay so the dual riding karts may not have been to everyone’s tastes but personally I found them to be an interesting dynamic for the Mario Kart series. Switching on the fly between your pair in order to make use of both carried weapons was a fun idea that created some interesting strategic moments.
Character specific items meant choosing your characters was a much more important decision this time around. Do you go full-on offense and use Bowser and Mario for their giant spiked shell and fireballs? Or do you opt for a more defensive approach such as Diddy Kong’s giant banana or Peach’s heart shield? Or maybe you’d prefer one of each? While the weapons certainly added further character to the cast, they also added a new level of weapon depth not seen before in the series.
Battle mode too also deserves special mention thanks to sporting not one but three ridiculously addictive options. While standard balloon battle features the much loved traditional elimination style play (something lost in newer Mario Kart titles) Shine Thief and Bomb Blast offer interesting alternatives that beg to be brought over in future instalments.
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario Kart. The one that started it all. It’s hard to believe it’s been over twenty years since its release and actually the first video game I ever played.
Known by many as the toughest racer in the series (and believe me, if you get the chance to revisit this classic you’re in for a real shock) Super Mario Kart focused first and foremost on racing ability. Weapons were kept nice and simple – a real contrast compared to where the series has ended up now.
So why is it my second favourite of the Mario Karts? Simple. It’s pretty much the most polished, deepest Mario Kart experience out there. The aforementioned focus on driving ability, reduced weapon roster, fantastically memorable track list, addictive battle mode and even the random (and thinking back a little silly) splitting of the screen in single player for a map.
Put it this way. A couple weeks back my mate and I sat down to for a quick race in the Mushroom Cup. We ended up polishing off all four cups as well as what imagine was well over twenty battles. If even after twenty years we’re still having this much fun, the game must be doing something right.