Retro/VC Review: Mario Kart 64

NINTENDO'S Virtual Console is, after little more than two months, overflowing with quality titles from the NES, SNES, Genesis and TG16 consoles. That said, the N64 selection isn't exactly mindblowing. As utterly fantastic as Super Mario 64 is, Wii owners were probably beginning to wonder when they'll see a bit more action from the more polygonal end of the service.

Enter Mario Kart 64, the second game in the fan-favorite Mario Kart series. For the uninitiated, the Mario Kart games are racers starring- you guessed it- Mario and co. They pioneered the "Kart Racer" genre (as I call it), a variation of the racing genre in which your racer rides out in the open on a Go-Cart like vehicle and you make use of items to hamper your opponents and help yourself. Mario Kart 64 is yet another of what I hope will be a long line of solid N64 titles to hit the VC. C'mon Nintendo, you can do it!

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MARIO KART 64
Original Platform: Nintendo 64 (N64)
Release Date: 2/10/97 (US)
Genre: Racing
Cost: 1000 Wii Points ($10)
Players: 1-4
Save: Yes
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Reviewed Version: N64
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Mario Kart 64 is quintesential Mario Kart. Zany characters, crazy courses, wacky items and a variety of gameplay modes- all built upon the principal of lighthearted fun.
Grand Prix, the first of these modes, works the same way it has in every other Mario Kart game. Eight racers, one or two of them human controlled, race through four preset courses and earn points based on where they finish. Whoever has the most points at the end wins the cup. Mario Kart 64 has sixteen race courses in all, spread over four cups: the Mushroom, Flower, Star, and Special Cups.
In addition to the Grand Prix, there are also Time Trials, in which you tackle a course alone with three Mushrooms (speed boosts) to use strategically throughout it. Establish a score and you can go back and race against the clock. Unfortunately, from what I've read, the VC version doesn't let you save ghost data, but it's fun enough even without a visible opponent. The original game's ghost system was flawed anyway.

The single-player mode is fun, but MK64 really shines as a multiplayer offering. The competitive racing in Versus mode is about as intense as it gets- it's wonderfully satisfying when you pull ahead at the last second with a combination of driving skill and a well aimed Koopa Shell- and the "three hits and you're out" battle mode is arguably even better (though you need three friends with you to really get the most out of it).

The game control is a bit trickier to grasp than in the more recent iterations of the series, but in the long run makes for a slightly deeper experience. Sliding is a particularly tricky (and particularly rewarding) skill to master, it's essential for taking corners quickly but can send you spinning out of control if held too long.
Of course, Mario Kart wouldn't be Mario Kart if it weren't for all the zany weapons, and MK64 is no exception. Series mainstays like bananas, shells (normal and homing) and invincibility stars are present, as well as a some new additions, like a five-banana train that follows your kart and can be deployed one-by-one. Many other items can also be dragged behind your kart (as seen in Mario Kart DS), and a few will circle your kart, acting as a partial shield, until you fire them.

As mentioned previously, there are sixteen courses to play, (plus four battle stages) all of them unlocked from the get-go. The level design, while not as polished as that of the GCN and DS Mario Karts, is still pretty good, and the musical score is the best in the series.

Scores:

Visuals: 6.5

A mixed bag. Not much in the way of detail, and the characters are actually blurry 2-D models with several sets of positions. On the other hand, the levels are large and often quite colorful, and charming little effects (like the words "Boing" and "Poomp" appearing behind your kart when you jump and land, respectively) make it more interesting.

Sound: 8.5

The finest collection of tunes to ever grace a Mario Kart title. Not all of them are great (the music for the more "racecourse" themed areas is rather dry), but a few of them (Frappe Snowland, Rainbow Road) practically reach instant classic status, and most of the rest are definitely worth a listen. The sound effects are quirky and work great, although Toad, bless his little heart, can get kind of annoying.

Gameplay: 8.5

Mario Kart is one of Nintendo's most popular multiplayer franchises for a reason. It's a fantastic game to play with friends, and the multiplayer battles are the best on a console Mario Kart (though Mario Kart DS thoroughly cleans it's clock on that detail). My friends and I still look back on it fondly.

Replay Value: 8.0

It could last you years... If you've got friends to play it with. A single player probably won't get as much out of it, though.

Final Score (not an average): 8.0

Mario Kart 64 is a fine continuation of the Mario Kart tradition of fun. Single player mode can wear thin, but as long as you have a good opponent or three the good times keep rollin' on. On a side note, as I was writing this review I would often fire up the game -strictly for fact-checking and memory refreshing purposes-, but I usually ended up playing through whatever cup I was in and more, sometimes almost forgetting about the review altogether

However, Mario Kart 64 is not the best Mario Kart game out there. Owners of the GCN or DS version probably won't be overly impressed by it in comparison. If you've got either of those versions the game may not be worth it, but if you're a Mario Kart newbie with a Wii and an interest in the concept, Mario Kart 64 will provide a terrific (and very affordable) introduction to the franchise.


-Smashing Brother-san.