• Well-designed tracks

• Simple controls

• Strong multiplayer appeal

Mario Kart 64, one of the first games released for the Nintendo 64 platform, is an updated translation of the very popular Super Mario Kart for the Super NES (SNES). And while the game clearly takes full advantage of the graphics power and speed of the N64, a few components that made the original so compelling have been left out of this release. Still, Nintendo's expertise at sucking players into the game world is strongly evident, and Mario Kart 64 offers enough challenges to keep players (especially casual gamers) entertained. Placing a familiar Nintendo personality behind the wheel of a sputtering kart powered by a 50, 100, or 150-cc engine, the game lets players race computerized opponents or up to four other players on a variety of well-designed tracks. Because karts lack the power and speed of race cars, drivers must focus on collecting power-ups and nonlethal weapons rather than negotiating hairpin turns on two wheels. Grabbing and using on-track items is the heart of the game's fun: a strategically-placed banana peel sends the unlucky victim into a spin, nailing an opponent with a turtle shell launches their vehicle skyward, and a rocket provides a quick boost to near-breakneck speeds, if only for a moment.

Like the SNES version, this game includes 3 modes of play: GP (Grand Prix), Battle, and Time Trial. In GP you choose one of 8 characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Wario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Bowser in a large variety of courses in the Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup Star Cup, or Special Cup (which you unlike by getting gold trophies in each of the 3 basic courses) in 50cc, 100cc, or 150cc mode. 50cc is the easiest, but in 100cc and 150cc the computer gets much faster and more challenging. There are several items you can collect by driving through the question mark boxes which help you during each race. Lightning bolts (the rarest item to get) makes all of the other opponents small, mushrooms give you a speed burst, banana peels make one of your opponents crash if they slip on it, red shells are used to shoot directly at an opponent to get them off course, and green shells keep bouncing off the walls until it hits one of the racers. Unlike the SNES Mairo Kart game, there are several objects you need to avoid to stay on course. In different races there are trucks and cars that will make you crash if you hit them, snowmen that will blow up if you hit them, and many other obstacles in different courses.

In Battle mode you and up to 3 others choose one of the 8 characters. You drive around a course trying to pop each other's 3 balloons. You can pop their balloons by shooting red or green shells at them or throwing banana peels at them to make them slip. You can also use the other items to avoid being hit by them. Once all of your balloons are popped you become a bomb which you can drive around the course trying to run in to the other players. This mode is a lot of fun, especially if you get tired of continually playing Grand Prix mode.

In Time Trial mode you race in any of 15+ courses and try to set records for each lap and/or race.

The controls for Mario Kart 64 are very simple and easy to master, and the music and sound effects are great as well.

If you want a great racing game for your N64, I highly recommend that you check out Mario Kart 64.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


The must-have game for the N64  Dec 08, 1999
If you like racing games, you cannot ignore MarioKart 64. If you have several people to play against each other, this game will rarely leave your console. If you play solo, even after you have repeatedly beaten it, it is still fun to tool on the computer driven players. Graphics are excellent, and it takes very little time to master.

12 of 13 found the following review helpful:


This is the best N64 game I own  Nov 22, 1999
I bought this game once I got an N64. It has a very unique way of making the 3D characters perfect to the tiniest details. Everything's so smooth! Also, compared to MarioParty, the supporting characters have cooler voices. If you happen to be one of those people who are a big fan of one of these characters, get this game. Also, if you fit the description above, MarioParty and this game are as good as each other, and they're perfect for parties.

16 of 19 found the following review helpful:


Super Mario goes to the speedway  Aug 30, 2000
Mario Kart 64 is a very well made game. Good graphics,nice sound and most of all, fun! The game allows one to four players to join in the action. There are 16 racing games and four battle games of racing,mayhem, and Mario! One to two players can race for a Cup. There are four cups and four race tracks to go along with each cup. You can race by yourself for time trials but that's not much fun. Racing with friends is more fun and speaking of friends the battle mode is for two to four players only. One player can't play any of the four battle modes. The battle mode is where each player has 3 balloons. Every time players hit one of your balloons with a weapon,one balloon will fly away. But you can get back at them by doing the same. Once a player looses all of their balloons they lose. The last person still with balloon(s) is the winner. Your Go Kart drivers are almost all from the old Super Nintendo game,Super Mario Kart. Mario,Donkey Kong,Peach,Wario,Yoshi,Toad,and Luigi are your racing friends for this adventure. One of the first racing games the N64 has ever seen,this game is racing but with a friendly touch. No violence or unless you think getting hit by a shell is violent. This a fun game for the whole family to enjoy.

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