Mario Kart 64
| Mario Kart 64 | |
|---|---|
| Mario Kart 64 U.S. N64 box cover | |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
| Release | December 14, 1996 |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
Mario Kart 64 (Japanese: マリオカート64, Mario Kāto 64) is a racing video game for the Nintendo 64 game system for up to four players. It is the sequel to Super Mario Kart for the SNES. Players take control of characters from the Super Mario Bros. video game series and race around a variety of tracks while using several weapons including items that make the racers speed increase, turtle-shell projectiles and slippery banana peels. The game was developed and published by Nintendo and released on December 14, 1996. Music for the game was composed by Koji Kondo, who has also composed scores for many Nintendo games, and Kenta Nagata.
Notable changes
Mario Kart 64 features a number of changes from Super Mario Kart
- Each track now requires three laps instead of five (but the tracks are much longer).
- Tracks now have hills, slopes, bumps and jumps.
- Tracks are no longer reincarnations of each other, like Mario Circuit 1, Mario Circuit 2, Mario Circuit 3, Mario Circuit 4 etc. Each track has its own unique location.
- Koopa Troopa and Donkey Kong Junior have been replaced by Wario and Donkey Kong.
- Coins have been removed, so the player does not spin out unless he/she crashes into a heavier opponent.
- Feathers have also been removed to prevent cheating from the computer-controlled players. The CPU players from Super Mario Kart would sometimes "cheat" by jumping over weapons released by the human players.
- Several items were added, such as Golden Mushrooms, Fake Item Boxes, and Spiny (Blue) Shells. Items could also be bunched into groups to heighten a player's advantage, including the Green and Red Shells (three), Mushrooms (three), and Banana Peels (five).
- CPU racers are no longer exclusive to their own infinite disposal of an item. However, they are still limited to using only certain items. In short, they can use any item except for any kind of shell. Also, Thunder Bolts will only be seen when a leader somehow falls to the back of the pack.
- In the opinion of some players, the difficulty is somewhat lower, perhaps responding to the different demographic of players most directly related to the N64 console.
- Players can now back up when they hold down the B button and tilt the control stick down.
- Characters no longer have heads that are as close to being as large as their bodies.
- Better Graphics
- Better Sound
Modes of gameplay
Mario Grand Prix (GP)
One to two human players compete with computer players in a group of eight around a series of four courses per cup. A player selects one of the four cups at the beginning of the game as well as a difficulty level, measured by engine size (50, 100 or 150 cc). The higher the engine size, the faster the karts go and the more difficult the cup is. Mirror Mode (where the courses are mirror images of normal) can also be unlocked by winning of all four cups on 150cc difficulty. A player needs to place in fourth place or better in order to move on to the next track.
Time Trials
A single-player mode. A player may play any course in any cup. In time trial, the player is given a triple mushroom item, and the kart has a 100cc engine. The top five best course times and the best lap time are recorded on the cartridge, and the aim is for the player to beat his or her own records. Completing a race may result in a ghost appearing on the player's next attempt—the ghost is the route taken for the best time that the player has completed in his or her current session, and can be saved on a controller pak for later use. The ghost cannot appear on the next attempt if a message is displayed near the upper right hand corner saying that ghost data cannot be saved. This message will display in the event that the player pauses the game during the run, falls off the course, or gets hit by something (e.g. the Chain Chomps in Rainbow Road). The message occasionally appears by random or by too much time being taken.
There are several online communities dedicated to keeping track of time trial records, and some are still as active as ever, many years after the game's release.
Versus Mode
In this game for two, three or four players, players can race head-to-head against their friends without computer players. Players need not play an entire cup, but select individual courses to play. Players also select the engine size/difficulty level.
Battle Mode
In this game for two, three or four players, players compete in one of four arenas filled with items. Players have three balloons attached to their go-karts and lose them when they are spun-out by either being hit by a player in a higher weight class or spun out with an item. In three and four player modes, players that have lost all of their balloons come back once as a bomb that can move around to crash with another player and thus remove one balloon. The winner is the last one with balloons left.
The arenas are:
- Big Donut
- Block Fort
- Double Deck
- Skyscraper
Difficulty
In Mario GP, players can choose between four difficulty levels of game play. These levels include:
- 50cc - Easy (fairly slow-paced)
- 100cc - Medium (medium speed)
- 150cc - Hard (fast-paced, the player may spin out if they drive erratically, and occasionally the AI cheats by letting computer characters drive far faster than the player can)
- Extra - Same as 100cc, but all courses are mirror images of themselves. All left turns become right turns and vice versa. Additionally, in the Toad's Turnpike course, the traffic approaches the racers head-on. Players can unlock the Extra mode by winning first place (a gold cup) on all four cups in 150cc mode.
Characters
There are eight playable characters to race with in this game, divided into three weight classes. Super Mario Kart made some technical errors: Their acceleration, maneuverability, and top speed are all mixed up on each racer. In Mario Kart 64, the top speed now depends on the character's acceleration.
Lightweights
Small and slow, these characters have high acceleration and worst top speeds, but can suffer from being spun-out in collisions with heavier characters, and have very good handling. In spite of this, these three characters are the undisputed favourites for Time Trials because of their acceleration. Toad is slightly lighter than Yoshi and Yoshi is slightly lighter than Princess Peach, but the difference is barely noticeable.
Middleweights
These are supposedly good all-around characters, but are rarely used. They are said to have no advantages nor disadvantages, but their acceleration and speed is just as bad as the heavyweights. The only difference is that they are lighter and lose less speed when they go off-road. They can make lightweights spin-out within two bumps in collisions, but can be spun out within two bumps in a collision with a heavyweight. Luigi is slightly lighter than Mario, but the difference is barely noticeable.
Heavyweights
Bulky and looming, these characters can be harder to handle for newer players, and possess the ability to spin out middleweights in two bumps and lightweights within a single bump in collisions. They have terrible acceleration and a high top speed, so they are rarely used in Time Trials, despite their bad handling. However, they are a favourite for many Battle Mode players. They can make lightweights and middleweights lose a balloon when they run into them or when they get run into. Wario is slightly lighter than Bowser, and Bowser is slightly lighter than Donkey Kong, but the difference is barely noticeable.
Lakitu
In addition to the drivers, Lakitu runs the racetrack. His responsibilities thus include signaling the beginning of each race, notifying drivers when they complete a lap, warning those who are going in the wrong direction, and rescuing racers who leave the course.
Bomb
This is not a character or weapon. In VS mode, several of them appear scattered on most of the courses, trying to attack the players. In three or four player Battle Mode, the moment one of the characters loses his/her balloons, the character transforms into a small yellow bomb on wheels that can be human-controlled across the track. This bomb is invincible to all weapons and obstacles on the track, and is fished back on the track by Lakitu if it falls off. It can collect items and item boxes, but it can't release them. The bomb can be controlled until it hits another player, depriving them of one balloon (unless the player runs over it with an invincibility star), or until the Battle Mode has a victor. The bomb also appears in Grand Prix mode, exploding the player's kart if they don't make the top three during the award ceremony. (Note: This bomb is not to be confused with Bob-omb, the villain character from other Mario games).
Items
Items can be acquired by hitting an item box, a rainbow-colored box with a spinning question mark.
Projectiles
- Green Shell - A simple projectile. Travels in a straight line and bounces off of walls. When the shell collides with a racer, he or she will crash. The player can hold a green shell behind him or her for protection against Red Shells and other projectiles. The player can also fire it off backwards which is much safer than firing it off forwards since, depending on the track, the shell may ricochet back toward him or her.
- Triple Green Shell - Three Green Shells orbit the driver until each of them is fired away. When fired, they act as single Green Shells do. While orbiting, they act as a shield that deflects any other attacks; however, each attack deflected takes away one shell.
- Red Shell - A semi-intelligent projectile. It locks onto the person one position in front of the player and attempts to crash into him or her. The Red Shells fly out in front and then, if the driver who was in front of the player slips back, the Red Shell will turn back and may hit the player on route to the target character. Red Shells are also a good way of clearing out fake item boxes, bananas, etc. Players can trail a Red Shell behind them, in the manner of a Banana or Green Shell, but they will always fire off forwards. The homing takes a second to activate, so the player will waste the shell if they shoot it at a wall. If in sixth, seventh, or eighth, then the homing program changes slightly: the shells follow the middle of the track instead of tearing directly for the next player. This also happens when in first: the shell travels the track in circles aimlessly.
- Triple Red Shell - Three Red Shells orbit the driver until each of them is fired away. When fired, they act as single Red Shells do. They act as a shield in the same manner as triple Green Shells.
- Spiny (Blue) Shell - Targets the player in first place (even if the person who uses it is in first place) and hits anything (including other racers) in the way. Once it has started, nothing can stop it. The player can trail a Spiny Shell behind him or her. Spinies follow the exact curves of the course, smashing anything in the way. Like Red Shells, Spinies that are aimed at a wall will disappear. They are the rarest item in the game, and some tracks contain a single item box which can only be reached with timing or precision, but will always yield this item.
Hazards
- Banana - These can be laid on the track. They cause players to spin out. The player can trail a single Banana behind him or her or he or she can throw them forward with limited accuracy. If the player drives over a Banana while driving straight, he or she can hit the brake immediately to try and stop himself or herself from spinning out (a musical note appears above the driver's head if he or she succeeded).
- Banana Bunch - A group of five bananas trail a player until they are released one by one. When released they act as normal bananas do, but while in a chain behind a player then can be used to spin out a player that is following too closely. If something touches the chain, all the bananas fly off in different directions.
- Fake Item Box - These resemble item boxes (the question mark is upside down "¿"), but when touched cause a driver to lose all speed and explode into the air. Like bananas, they can protect the player from incoming Red Shells.
Mushrooms
- Mushroom - Increases the driver's speed to 80 km/h (top speed is usually 70 km/h) for a few seconds.
- Triple Mushroom - Allows a driver to use a mushroom three times.
- Golden Mushroom - Allows a driver to use an infinite amount of mushrooms for a short, fixed amount of time.
Misc
- Starman - Makes a player invincible to attacks and increases speed. If a player collides with someone with a Starman active it will cause him or her to explode into the air. Additionally, no speed is lost if the driver drives off-road while using a Starman.
- Boo - May steal a random weapon from another player and will make the driver invisible to other drivers for several seconds. While invisible, the player can go through things like trees and other racers.
- Thunderbolt - Causes all other players to spin out of control and become small. As a consequence of their diminished size, players move slowly. This state lasts for several seconds during which the user can flatten other drivers by colliding with their miniature form. Players that are invincible via Starman and invisible via Boo are invulnerable to Thunderbolts, as are those in the middle of a boosted jump or in the midst of being fished back onto the track.
Courses
Mushroom Cup
- Luigi Raceway
- Moo Moo Farm
- Koopa Troopa Beach
- Kalimari Desert
Flower Cup
- Toad's Turnpike
- Frappe Snowland
- Choco Mountain
- Mario Raceway
Star Cup
- Wario Stadium
- Sherbet Land
- Royal Raceway
- Bowser's Castle
Special Cup
- DK's Jungle Parkway
- Yoshi Valley
- Banshee Boardwalk
- Rainbow Road
Pre-Release
- The working title for this game was Super Mario Kart R.
- In pre-release screenshots, a Magikoopa (possibly Kamek) was seen as playable. Before the game's final release, he was replaced by Donkey Kong.
- Also, in the pre-release images, there were signs with the names Marioro, Luigip, Yoshi1 and Koopa Year, which allude to the brands Marlboro, Agip, Mobil and Goodyear, respectively. For the American release, the former three signs were replaced with more generic ones.
External links
