| Mario Kart 64 | |
|---|---|
 box art of game | |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo EAD |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
| Released | December 14, 1996 (JP) February 10, 1997 (NA) May 3, 1997 (AU) June 24, 1997 (EU) |
| Genre | Racing |
| Ratings | ESRB |
| Modes | Single Player, Mutilplayer |
Mario Kart 64 (マリオカート64, Mario Kāto Rokujūyon) is the second installment in the Mario Kart (series). It features updated graphics, all-new courses, different characters and modified gameplay mechanics. It's also the first game in the series to feature Wario and Donkey Kong as playable characters.
Mario Kart 64 was released on the Virtual Console in 2007. However, ghosts cannot be saved, as this originally required a seperate peripheral. It has new courses and features that will be in later Mario Kart games like Wario Stadium and Sherbet Land. This was also placed Number 4 in Nintendo Power's Greatest Games of All Time in 1997.
Changes from Super Mario Kart[]
- The replacement of the item panels with item blocks. Unlike the panels, the blocks regenerate.
- Additionally, Fake Item Boxes were added.
- The addition of voices for some of the characters, although some characters speak to a very minor extent in Super Mario Kart.. The rest have sound effects.
- Koopa Troopa and Donkey Kong Jr were replaced by Wario and Donkey Kong.
- The stages are 3-D, though the characters are still 2-D sprites. The courses are also broad enough that the player can become lost.
- Many items were introduced such as the infamous Blue Shell. The Feather was removed.
- Coins were removed from the game.
- The game now has four cups per difficulty instead of three (although the 100cc cup in SMK had the unlockable Special Cup)
- The races are now three laps instead of five, though the retry feature is retained, this time, endlessly.
- The addition of Time Trials.
- Up to four players can now play instead of two.
- Special items were removed from the game, although they would return in Mario Kart: Double Dash.
- The Special Cup is now available as a default cup (in fact, this is only game in the entire series to have this feature).
Characters[]
Playable
| Name | Pipe Frame Color | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Mario | Red | Medium |
| Luigi | Green | Medium |
| Peach | Pink | Light |
| Toad | Blue | Light |
| Yoshi | Light Green | Light |
| Wario | Purple | Medium |
| Donkey Kong | Yellow | Heavy |
| Bowser | Orange | Heavy |