# Of all the racing games , what is peoples obsession with Mario Kart ?



## air2004 (May 24, 2013)

Of all the racing games , what is peoples obsession with mario cart ? Pole postion was the only racing game I liked .....why do you all love mario cart so much ?
I played the game a few times , I didnt think it was anything special .
Pole postion on the other hand , I used to love that game as a kid , and spy hunter.


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## 2ndApex (May 24, 2013)

Over the top tracks, cool items, catchy tunes, and great multiplayer?


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## Gahars (May 24, 2013)

It's pretty much the premiere kart racing franchise. If you want a wacky, arcadey racing game that's actually worth spending some time in, the series is your most consistent bet.

Also, Mario, Nintendo franchise, yadda yadda yadda.


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## Flood (May 24, 2013)

Personally I prefer Diddy Kong racing.


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## Thirty3Three (May 24, 2013)

air2004 said:


> Of all the racing games , what is peoples obsession with mario cart ? Pole postion was the only racing game I liked .....why do you all love mario cart so much ?
> I played the game a few times , I didnt think it was anything special .
> Pole postion on the other hand , I used to love that game as a kid , and spy hunter.


 
I hate the game lol. I'm probably in the minority here, but it's the worst game I've ever bought, imo.

I like Sonic and All-Stars Racing: Transformed though. Fits very well on the Vita.


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## air2004 (May 24, 2013)

I dont get all the hoopla over this game ....controls suck for one , 2 : you get random shit , 3: dude its a race what happened to that aspect ?


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## ShadowSoldier (May 24, 2013)

air2004 said:


> I dont get all the hoopla over this game ....controls suck for one , 2 : you get random shit , 3: dude its a race what happened to that aspect ?


 
Uh you get random shit, yeah... what's your point?

Controls also don't suck. They're incredibly simplistic.


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## Hielkenator (May 24, 2013)

air2004 said:


> Of all the racing games , what is peoples obsession with mario cart ? Pole postion was the only racing game I liked .....why do you all love mario cart so much ?
> I played the game a few times , I didnt think it was anything special .
> Pole postion on the other hand , I used to love that game as a kid , and spy hunter.


In order to enjoy this game fully, you need real friends.
Imho it has an unbeatable multiplayer. So much fun.
Getting all unlocked requires serious skill.
Shit is less random once you have played the game some more/ know the game better/ completed all cups.
There's a reason you'll gett a bullet bill or get hit by a bleu shell you know.

Solid, solid franchise, though personally I have the fondest memories of super mariokart ( SNES ).

One of the best racers released ( only in NTSC region ) on Wii is probably Excitebots.
Visuals are awsome, gameplay is different, hard as hell, lots of unlockables, fast.

http://excitebotstrickracing.com

air2004 said: ↑ 
I dont get all the hoopla over this game ....controls suck for one , 2 : you get random shit , 3: dude its a race what happened to that aspect ?
You forgot it's lots of fun! ( with friends )


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## nando (May 24, 2013)

mario kart is super fun. the controls are simple but super cool to master them. the random items even out the playing field between skill levels and while better drivers may get upset that their grandma can beat them, to me it keeps it entertaining, without it i would whoop my family everytime without effort and it wouldn't be challenging at all. 

i tried sonic racer and hated it.


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## Guild McCommunist (May 24, 2013)

Mario Kart is easily accessible and most of all fun. It's not all about simulation, it's just fun courses and cheery tunes.

Although Crash Team Racing is the shit.


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## Pleng (May 24, 2013)

Micro Machines 96 -> One of the franchises ruined by technology advances (playsation versions were just awful)
Road Rash 2 (Genesis) -> One of the franchises that just kind of disappeared, and could have really worked with modern day technology
Sega Rally/Daytona/Virtua Racing -> Best arcade racers ever (well the first two certainly, Virtua Racing perhaps not quite up there)


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## kumpandjill (May 26, 2013)

i've played my share of racing games on the ds and mario kart is definitely up there at the top of the pack. something about the fluidity of the gameplay.. the items.. and the cartoony aspect just makes it a real treat to play. even when you're in last you don't feel hopeless because of the items/map tricks. not to mention the great online multiplayer (and it came out during a time that almost all other ds games were lacking in the area)


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## Satangel (May 26, 2013)

Mario Kart is incredibly FUN, with a EASY to learn and HARD to master. It's really a prototype of a really good game. Where a beginning player has a very small chance at winning from a good player, but only a small chance. It's not impossible, but 9/10, the best player will win.
This way it remains fun for everyone, but sure you lose 9/10 times, but that 1 time will make you very happy and you'll learn a lot by the other 9 losses, which will enable you to get better.

Tracks are fun, it's fun bumping your friend and fucking his race up.
Online modus is good (for a Nintendo system at least), replayability could be better but still very nice. I've played over 150 games on the DS, and the first one remains the very best; Mario Kart DS.


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## FAST6191 (May 26, 2013)

"kart racing" itself. Reasonably easy to learn games with a bit of chance to gain some skill in... that is pretty much the recipe for a popular game.

http://gbatemp.net/threads/gbatemp-game-of-the-week-91-kart-racing-game-special.343839/

I am never quite sure why Mario Kart took over the "kart racing" world, it could be a nice game but Nintendo seem to routinely hose it up with regards to making it a proper long term multiplayer thing which is surprising as they do OK with the smash brothers series. That said competition that blows it away is a bit thin on the ground and getting rich by copying is not the most common of things.

@Pleng road rash stuck around for a bit longer, the less said about later entries in the series the better in most cases though. I have met people that do quite like the GBA entry though.


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## DinohScene (May 26, 2013)

Mariokart is pretty much about having fun.
Items to block opponents/gain boosts etc.
Colourfull worlds, wacky tracks etc.

Granted, Forza 4 and others are based on getting it as real as possible, but Mariokart focuses on the fun aspect of the game.


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## Eerpow (May 26, 2013)

Satangel said:


> Mario Kart is incredibly FUN, with a EASY to learn and HARD to master. It's really a prototype of a really good game. Where a beginning player has a very small chance at winning from a good player, but only a small chance. It's not impossible, but 9/10, the best player will win.
> This way it remains fun for everyone, but sure you lose 9/10 times, but that 1 time will make you very happy and you'll learn a lot by the other 9 losses, which will enable you to get better.
> 
> Tracks are fun, it's fun bumping your friend and fucking his race up.
> Online modus is good (for a Nintendo system at least), replayability could be better but still very nice. I've played over 150 games on the DS, and the first one remains the very best; Mario Kart DS.


Yeah, the game is unfair and all but if you are good you will still win the majority of the races, when you don't win because of bad luck everyone gets a laugh, it's part of the fun, at least when you are playing locally or in a community. People you play against are aware they won unfairly because of a blue shell so in the end who cares? If you want to prove that you're better than someone at the game for whatever reason you can play timetrials or play single item only, but that kinda ruins the point of the game imo.


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## weavile001 (May 26, 2013)

The fun of playing with your friends,the cool tracks,great music, and because it´s fucking mario.
i would say this is the best racing game, but sonic and sega all-stars racing transformed is very cool too. but i only know the sonic characters and others from the first game.
i don´t like diddy kong racing too much because i never played any donkey kong game, only country returns.


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## ShadowSoldier (May 26, 2013)

Guild McCommunist said:


> Mario Kart is easily accessible and most of all fun. It's not all about simulation, it's just fun courses and cheery tunes.
> 
> Although Crash Team Racing is the shit.


 
I wish that would make a comeback. Like Naughty Dog would buy it and make a new game. Honestly I think that's the only game that could actually rival Mario Kart.


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## BORTZ (May 26, 2013)

Guild McCommunist said:


> Mario Kart is easily accessible and most of all fun. It's not all about simulation, it's just fun courses and cheery tunes.
> 
> Although Crash Team Racing is the shit.


CTR represent.


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## war2thegrave (May 26, 2013)

air2004 said:


> Of all the racing games , what is peoples obsession with mario cart ? Pole postion was the only racing game I liked .....why do you all love mario cart so much ?
> I played the game a few times , I didnt think it was anything special .
> Pole postion on the other hand , I used to love that game as a kid , and spy hunter.


 
You are thinking about it with the wrong perspective.
Mario Kart isn't really a racing game. It's just an imitation of one.
Racing games are about thinking fast, predicting the outcome of events, and using precision to
complete courses in the shortest amount of time while avoiding crashing into walls or other objects.
Mario Kart isn't designed like that. Instead, it uses it's rubberband AI to hold your hand to victory
by giving you speed boosts, items to knock out opponents ahead of you, and improving handling to
help you around corners if you happen to suck.
If you happen to be experienced, it will slow you down, warp opponents closer to you,
make you the target of special items, and degrade handling of your vehicle in order to punish you.
It's less like a racing game and more like a slot machine with the purpose of putting an experienced
person on equal footing with someone who picked up a controller for the first time,...ever.
"It's fun for the whole family!" like a parent who tells their mentally handicapped child that they are "special".


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## weavile001 (May 26, 2013)

war2thegrave said:


> You are thinking about it with the wrong perspective.
> Mario Kart isn't really a racing game. It's just an imitation of one.
> Racing games are about thinking fast, predicting the outcome of events, and using precision to
> complete courses in the shortest amount of time while avoiding crashing into walls or other objects.
> ...


 
Not sure if true, joke or sacarsm.


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## war2thegrave (May 26, 2013)

weavile001 said:


> Not sure if true, joke or sacarsm.


It's all three.
Seriously though, If you look up rubberband AI, there will be a picture of mario kart.


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## The Real Jdbye (May 26, 2013)

Because it's fun and it's really satisfying hitting people in front of you with items 



war2thegrave said:


> You are thinking about it with the wrong perspective.
> Mario Kart isn't really a racing game. It's just an imitation of one.
> Racing games are about thinking fast, predicting the outcome of events, and using precision to
> complete courses in the shortest amount of time while avoiding crashing into walls or other objects.
> ...


I don't know where you're getting all this. Everyone drives at the same speed and handling as long as their vehicle parameters are the same.
If you picked up a controller for the first time and you play Mario Kart, you'll still suck at it. It's far from all about luck. A friend of mine consistently wins every round in any Mario Kart we play. How can that be luck?


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## EzekielRage (May 26, 2013)

yeah the rubberband AI is horrible. But you dont have that problem if you play with friends.
I like mario kart but my problem is i am so good i get slaughtered at #1, really. my girlfriend is lucky, her enemies seldom get a blue shell to kill her and if they do its in round 2 or so.
i usually get blown up by the blue shell in round 3 shortly before the goal so that everyone can drive by me. typical.

stil a fun game though^^


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## Bake (May 26, 2013)

Crash Team Racing is what drove my childhood.


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## war2thegrave (May 26, 2013)

The Real Jdbye said:


> Because it's fun and it's really satisfying hitting people in front of you with items
> A friend of mine consistently wins every round in any Mario Kart we play. How can that be luck?


It is exploitable. You could either hang out in the middle of the pack and push ahead in the final 1/4 lap, or fall behind until
the final lap and have the computer push you ahead.

If you fall behind, the computer thinks you suck and helps you out, if you hand in the middle of the pack, then the computer thinks
that you are average and does nothing. The computer can't determine if you are doing it intentionally.



Link to patent.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=aT-pAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false


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## Clydefrosch (May 26, 2013)

probably cause it had battle mode.

though i honestly wish they'd finally add item control into those games, at least for online/wifi matches. you know, disabling blue shells  for example, or lightning. (not in general, but its really just annoying if people shot other people down with lightning while they take an unavoidable jump over lava or something.)


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## GamerzHell9137 (May 26, 2013)

I played MK7 over 200 hours and SSASRT just 3 hours so.....


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## weavile001 (May 26, 2013)

The Real Jdbye said:


> Because it's fun and it's really satisfying hitting people in front of you with items
> 
> 
> I don't know where you're getting all this. Everyone drives at the same speed and handling as long as their vehicle parameters are the same.
> If you picked up a controller for the first time and you play Mario Kart, you'll still suck at it. It's far from all about luck. A friend of mine consistently wins every round in any Mario Kart we play. How can that be luck?


 
i usually choose characters with good off-road, like the dry bones´s magikoopa bike, it has SPD and ACC a little ahead from the middle and the OFFR is almost at the maximum, because i like to go through small patch of grass to gain 0,01 secods ahead of the opponents.....


GamerzHell9137 said:


> I played MK7 over 200 hours and SSASRT just 3 hours so.....


 
almost 100 hours on each(79MK and 68SSASRT)


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## Wolvenreign (May 26, 2013)

My tastes tend to lead towards Burnout/Excitebots rather than Mario Kart as far as fast, fun arcade racing games go, but to each his own.

I personally can't stand the random element. Makes it kind of like poker while driving fast, which I can understand would appeal to some people.


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## FAST6191 (May 26, 2013)

war2thegrave said:


> It is exploitable. You could either hang out in the middle of the pack and push ahead in the final 1/4 lap, or fall behind until
> the final lap and have the computer push you ahead.
> 
> If you fall behind, the computer thinks you suck and helps you out, if you hand in the middle of the pack, then the computer thinks
> that you are average and does nothing. The computer can't determine if you are doing it intentionally.



The zen bastard within says does that not then mean that the first place indicator is an illusion or at best incomplete and should be treated as such?


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## war2thegrave (May 26, 2013)

FAST6191 said:


> The zen bastard within says does that not then mean that the first place indicator is an illusion or at best incomplete and should be treated as such?


Perhaps. However in many better racing games, if you can climb to the head of the pack and maintain your position with skillful driving, the 1st place finish will be yours.
In Mario Kart, you could race the whole track perfectly, achieve a 1st place position, yet finish 4th or fifth because because you were knocked out by a seemingly random pickup item,
or your opponents have seemingly doubled or tripled in speed a quarter lap before the finish line.


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## weavile001 (May 26, 2013)

war2thegrave said:


> Perhaps. However in many better racing games, if you can climb to the head of the pack and maintain your position with skillful driving, the 1st place finish will be yours.
> In Mario Kart, you could race the whole track perfectly, achieve a 1st place position, yet finish 4th or fifth because because you were knocked out by a seemingly random pickup item,
> or your opponents have seemingly doubled or tripled in speed a quarter lap before the finish line.


 
sorry , but: the opponents double their speed?????
obviously, you never played MK WII,DS or 7


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## war2thegrave (May 26, 2013)

weavile001 said:


> sorry , but: the opponents double their speed?????
> obviously, you never played MK WII,DS or 7


 
I was generalizing about the series as a whole, which includes mario kart 64, where that does occur.
Now since processing speed and/or AI programming have improved significantly since the N64,
option 1 has become more commonplace among kart racing games as the rubberbanding of choice
in order to make the races seem more exciting than they rightfully should be.
They are meant to appeal to everyone, and I do mean "everyone".


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## Guild McCommunist (May 27, 2013)

Mario Kart 64 is a bad game, problem solved.

Seriously outclassed by CTR.


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## Deleted member 318366 (May 27, 2013)

air2004 said:


> Of all the racing games , what is peoples obsession with mario cart ? Pole postion was the only racing game I liked .....why do you all love mario cart so much ?
> I played the game a few times , I didnt think it was anything special .
> Pole postion on the other hand , I used to love that game as a kid , and spy hunter.


 

First of all...it's "Mario Kart" not mario cart wtf? And the levels dude  thats the best thing about mario kart, plus of course the items, multiplayers and many playable characters lol well thats my favorite stuff about mario kart XD


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## Hells Malice (May 27, 2013)

war2thegrave said:


> It's all three.
> Seriously though, If you look up rubberband AI, there will be a picture of mario kart.


 
It must suck being forever alone 

Mario Kart is for multiplayer and playing with friends. Who the fuck cares about AI.


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## lokomelo (May 27, 2013)

I'm a racing game fanatic, and I love GRID and Forza, but I love Mario Kart too. What you have to understand is that there are subdivisions on racing genre, it is natural the same way that strategy games can be subdivided in real time and turn based for example.

But Mario Kart (except 64 version, wich is the worst one) is special for just two reasons:

1- "Clean" tracks, the tracks are easy to look, easy to understand. You dont get confused on you first play, you know exactaly where to go, you see the obstacles clearly, even the surprise obstacles. When you got hit, you know form where it came. The tracks are not boring (like Gran Turismo, or even like rainbow road 64), but is not a huge mess (like sonic and sega, modnations).

2- The catch up. Many cry because it is unfair and stuff, but the fun of the game lies on it. A 8-years-old kid fight for the lead the same way that a 28-years-old guy. You are aways fighting for the lead, wich is interesting. When your skills raise too far and blue shels are not enouth to take you off the lead, you stop playing it or go online.

This two reasons explain the success of Mario Kart, and as far as I can remember, every racing game (arcade or simulation) with at least one of this two elements got success. I can use as examples here: Wave Race, Daytona, Forza 4, Road Rash, etc.


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## mightymuffy (May 27, 2013)

I think what we all have to understand is the OP 'only likes Pole Position,' so I've gotta wonder why the dig at Mario Kart? Clearly he doesn't like racing games ....??

Massive racing game fan here, it's my favourite genre without question! Agreed with many on MK64 being a turd, what makes it worse is most of my friends reckon it's their fave game ever WTF: A night in with them lot, beers, Wario Stadium, all of em doing the wall jumping - fukkin tards!


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## FAST6191 (May 27, 2013)

mightymuffy said:


> I think what we all have to understand is the OP 'only likes Pole Position,' so I've gotta wonder why the dig at Mario Kart? Clearly he doesn't like racing games ....??
> 
> Massive racing game fan here, it's my favourite genre without question! Agreed with many on MK64 being a turd, what makes it worse is most of my friends reckon it's their fave game ever WTF: A night in with them lot, beers, Wario Stadium, all of em doing the wall jumping - fukkin tards!



I never actually managed to do the wario stadium glitch. My little brother on rainbow road on the other hand.... at his peak I swear he had it at about 90% success rate *every lap*.


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## mightymuffy (May 27, 2013)

FAST6191 said:


> I never actually managed to do the wario stadium glitch. My little brother on rainbow road on the other hand.... at his peak I swear he had it at about 90% success rate *every lap*.


....I never managed it either! 5 minutes trying and it was a case of 'ahh this is sad!' Rainbow Road I managed a couple of times....

Think Diddy Kong Racing (and CTR) have already been mentioned, clearly the better kart racers in that generation!
Hmmm.. 7 Mario Karts (and I've got/played them all) - list time:

1st - Super Mario Kart
2nd - Mario Kart DS
3rd - Mario Kart Wii
4th - MK 7
5th - MK Super Circuit
6th - MK Double Dash
7th - MK 64

I'm torn between 1st & 2nd though, it's close! As is 3rd & 4th!


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## The Real Jdbye (May 28, 2013)

war2thegrave said:


> It is exploitable. You could either hang out in the middle of the pack and push ahead in the final 1/4 lap, or fall behind until
> the final lap and have the computer push you ahead.
> 
> If you fall behind, the computer thinks you suck and helps you out, if you hand in the middle of the pack, then the computer thinks
> ...



It's neither. He gets an early lead and more or less keeps it for the entire race, being far ahead of everyone else by the end. I'd almost think he was cheating, but that's not possible.
Edit: He's about as good at Sonic Transformed as well. He beat single player in S-class when I even had trouble with some stages in B-class :S


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## kristianity77 (May 28, 2013)

Mario Kart is the best multiplayer for the simplest of reasons.   Anyone, regardless of how good they are, can win.  This is because Mario Kart makes use of rubber banding like no other racer ive ever seen.  At the back of the pack, you'll get the very best weapons and perks to push you towards everyone else.  At the front, youll get nowt but greens shells, bananas etc.   For racing purists, this is a bit frustrating.   But for out and out fun with mates, its a hell of a lot more fun as no matter how shit you are, or how good you are, your only a stones throw away from being back in the game.


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## Sakitoshi (May 28, 2013)

i only have two things to say: Modnation Racers.
that game is a fair kart racer period.

and just to ask, anyone had encountered a bob-omb ace mii on streetpass?? these guys are the most annoying miis you can find that almost made me throw my 3ds for the window.


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## Hielkenator (May 30, 2013)

Eerpow said:


> Yeah, the game is unfair and all but if you are good you will still win the majority of the races, when you don't win because of bad luck everyone gets a laugh, it's part of the fun, at least when you are playing locally or in a community. People you play against are aware they won unfairly because of a blue shell so in the end who cares? If you want to prove that you're better than someone at the game for whatever reason you can play timetrials or play single item only, but that kinda ruins the point of the game imo.


? the game is'nt unfair?
you need to have a certain amount of tactics to win the easy way, wich is alway sort of a gamble depending on your opponents
The trick is to not stay on pole position the whole time, save your best lap for last.
When everybody wants to stay 4th or second untill the last lap, the fun really begins.


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## Opticum (May 30, 2013)

Mario is awesome. And there is a game, where you can drive a Mario in a kart. And you have race with other characters.
Isn't that awesome? 
Anyway a lot of people like race games, and MK is very nice and funny game of this type, additionally with other famous Nintendo characters.


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