No flat tire for Mario Kart Arcade GP

UPDATED:  The first Mario Kart game appeared on the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)/Super Famicom, not the NES/Famicom. This game was Super Mario Kart. Thanks to jayz_a of Pinoy-N.com for pointing out this error — we really appeciate it.–Joey Alarilla

I REMEMBER playing the first Mario Kart on the [Super] Nintendo Entertainment System (that’s the Family Computer to young folks) and it was among the most enjoyable racing games I’ve played on a console.

Since then, the Mario Kart series has been among the most prolific titles on all Nintendo platforms, from the Game Boy Advance, N64, GameCube and DS. Now for the first time ever, Nintendo finally introduced an arcade version of perhaps the most popular Mario-type game. Mario Kart Arcade GP is the first Mario Kart version that was not fully developed by Nintendo. The company partnered with Japanese game firm Namco, a company known for its Tekken and Ridge Racer series. Obviously, Nintendo wanted an expert to create an arcade version of Mario Kart.

Mario Kart Arcade GP seems to be a direct port of the GameCube version (Mario Kart Double Dash) but only on the graphics side. The gameplay comes from the Mario Kart DS version and lets you play against six other players. Although the machines seem to cater to children who play simple, straightforward racing games, MKA is anything but. Fans of the original MKA series in other Nintendo platforms will surely have a lot more fun playing MKA now with a controller, pedals and action buttons.

The game features 11 playable characters, including Mario, Wario, Donkey Kong, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, Toad, Yoshi and Bowser. Namco added its own characters Blinky, Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, into the game. It has a total of six stages representing the environments of six of the playable characters with four tracks each.

As in all titles in the Mario Kart series, the objective of the game is to beat your competitors to the finishing lines and do damage to them or slow them down by using various items strewn all over the race tracks. These items include the favorite Turtle Shells, Boo, Square Wheels, Lighting Rod, Bomb, Banana Peel and Mushroom. These can be launched using the Blue button on the steering wheel, which also has force feedback functions to make it look like a real Namco racing game.

The game is very fast and very cute. Steering the virtual karts is a breeze and you quickly get used to the controls. It’s a straightforward racer and there’s no need to use gear shifts. It’s as simple as stepping on the gas and shooting Turtle Shells at your enemies while trying to pass or overtake them. The races are just about five minutes long but those minutes are spent screaming with glee at your competitors. What’s more, Nintendo has added a save card system for MKA, similar to the Initial D and Maximum Tuner racers. This means that players can win awards points to buy items in the game.

One of the niftiest features of MKA is a digital camera at the top of the machine. Snapshots taken of the players will flash above a racer. But the snapshots of the players can also be cut up and superimposed with distinctive images from the characters they choose. For instance, your mouth and ears would be covered with Donkey Kong’s own or Mario’s hat and moustache.

Overall, MKA is a fun addition for fans of quick arcade racers and Nintendo players. It’s not close to Namco’s Ridge Racer but people will play it, if only for its novelty as the first arcade incarnation of one of the longest-running game series. To better enjoy the game, it’s best to play it against another person since the AI is quite easy to beat.

Share This