Mario Kart 64
Reviewed by Walker Martin
My name is Walker Martin and I have a problem. I am addicted to Super
Mario Kart, which is definitely the best game for the SNES. I thought I would
enhance this addiction for the purchase of Mario Kart 64. I called Toys'R'Us
and was the first to pick up a copy. I ran home, plugged it up to the 27" and
started playing.
My initial thoughts when the Nintendo logo came up spinning and car
noises were I had definitely made a good choice. Mario Kart logo came up with
voice of Mario "Welcome to Mario Kart", and yes it is the same annoying
Italian accent. I was ready to play. I chose 1 Player Grand Prix - which
Mario announced for me - and saw the choices for players. Everyone's back
except Koopa who was replaced by Wario. I thought it cool they had a little
animation (blinking eyes). I of course chose Mario to start off. The graphics
are incredible and rich. The music is a lot better this time around and the
voices are very good (except Toads which gets annoying fast, esp. when he
gets hit). Well I started to play and my dreams were shattered.
This exactly what everyone has said, this game is only an update if you
can even call it that. I believe this to be an attempt to get a game on the
market that Nintendo fans will recognize so as to satisfy software demand and
to show off the abilities of the N64. This game is not better the than the
original. Yes the graphics are nicer but as far as game play is concerned the
original far exceeds it. This game is geared more for younger kids than the
original. The graphics are "cuter" as are the voices. The game is not hard at
all. I bet the game at each cc level as well as the mirror tracks - which
isn't hard at all except for Toad's Turnpike with the cars coming at you - in
less than seven hours. I agree with Scott about the Rainbow Road. In the
original this one was very hard because you could fall off but in this one
there is almost no possibility of falling off and your almost assured of
getting first place. The sliding technique isn't as needed in this game as
the original. The courses over all are easier but longer. I think my
favorites are Koopa Troopa Beach (because it is one the more beautiful ones
and it pays homage to the left out contestant in this game-look for the
"statue" of rock and grass on the beach), Wario Stadium ( because of the
possibilities that Mario Kart could have been like with all the jumps like
this one has), and Bowser's Castle ( because it offers more challenge and the
music is the best on this course). My last gripe is the ending. Couldn't they
have thought of something better??? What a let down.
You may think after all of this that I don't like the game, but your wrong. I
am such a big fan of the original that I had high hopes for the sequel and
they just weren't met. Now in comparison to the other games out for the N64
this is definitely one of the best. Two player mode is excellent, I haven't
had a chance to play it in three or four player mode. The tracks are longer
and more diverse in this one. I think the place this game shines is the rich
detailed graphics, excellent music, and varied, clear voices. The new items
are very good especially the three shelled items. The spike shell works very
good just make sure you have a clean shot at the beginning because it takes a
second for the shell to get going. The red shells are very good also. I do
miss the feather though (esp. in battle mode) and the only real gripe with
the items is the fact that the computer racers also get the lightning bolt
and they seem to get it an awful lot. All in all this is definitely a game
worth buying, esp. if you have never played the original. I definitely
recommend this game and would give it a 4.0 out 5.0.