Mario Kart 64 - Bananas From Your Behind

MarioKart 64 is the sequel to the smash hit, MarioKart, which went Gold on the SNES console system. MarioKart 64 is back once again with better graphics, better sound, and tons more tracks to stimulate your gaming addictions. This review will hopefully point out pros and cons as to how this game handles in the gaming world.


Gameplay:
The point of MarioKart 64 is to race your way along a track and be the first to cross the finish line. Of course this won't be easy with 7 other racers right behind you. And don't think speed wins the game either, along the way you'll find ammo cubes which will give you weapons to knock down your opponent (Shells, Bananas, Stars, etc).

The gameplay for MarioKart 64 is easy for almost anyone to understand. When you turn on the game, you'll be prompted step by step as to what you want. There are options for 1-4 players, so you can play alone or with friends . Then there are different classes 50, 100, 150, Special. This will depend on how good you are, and how fast you want to run. Then you can pick from a Cup Race or a Practice run. In single player mode, you can choose a Time Trial race. MarioKart 64 also allows you to save your 'Ghosts' which are the fastest run on any given track. This allows you to save your run on the track, and your friends can race against your ghost. This, however, requires a memory save pack with loads of space.

There are 8 characters to choose from (Mario, Toad, Koopa, Wario, Etc), and each have a different way of racing (fast/slow on straights, fast/slow on turns, fast/slow acceleration, Etc). The character selection is somewhat disappointing, but you'll surely find a good racer. There are 3 Cup Series, and 1 Locked Special Cup. Within each Cup Series there are 4 tracks, this means 16 total tracks in all. Once you get the Gold Cup for all three series, you'll open the Special Cup and get to race there. After winning the Gold Cup on each series, you'll get to see the credits and say game over. The ending to MarioKart 64 will come fast and be boring, but an ending is not this game's strong point.

MarioKart 64 has a high replay value, and is excellent for parties or sleepovers. The single player mode can get boring after awhile, but having a buddy over to play really brings the game back to life.


Controls: - 9
The controls for MarioKart 64 are probably as easy as it gets. As with any standard racing game, you must press a button to accelerate and brake. These are nicely placed next to each other so you can make a quick stop if needed. You steer your Kart with the analog stick, which is good for making smooth turns. Unlike most racing games, MarioKart 64 uses the Z button to fire off a weapon (like the Banana, Shell, Or Star) Controls can be toggled in the options to fit your need. The standard setup favors left-right hand usage on the end extensions of the controller.


Graphics: - 8
The first thing you'll noticed about MarioKart 64 are the graphics. Even though this game is cartoon based, the graphics are still excellent. The levels are clearly draw out, with little to no visible blocks or dots of unrealistic coloring. Action graphics are also visible, like when you are hit with a shell, or smash into a wall. Anytime you hit something, or something hits you, you'll notice a visible cartoonish cloud of sparks around you. You can also expect to find moving trains, boats, or automobiles within a level. I love the Toad's Turnpike level, because it looks like you are really driving a Kart on the road. Overall the graphics are stunning, seeing as this was one of the first Nintendo 64 games put out.


Sound: - 6
I was a bit disappointed about the sound on MarioKart 64. Far be it for me to dislike a certain part of this game, but the sounds must go. There is menu music and in-game music, both of which are great additions to the game. The klunker part is the vocals in the menu and in-game. In the menu section while choosing a character, the characters make stupid sounds and noises. When you finally pick someone they say 'OK' in a raspy annoying voice. At first it seems ok, but once you play this game a few times, it gets annoying. In-game, the characters make funny noises and laughs when they take the lead of the race, get hit by a shell, or hit someone else with a shell. Also, when hitting people or getting hit yourself, there's a loud BANG noise almost like an explosion. It's little unrealistic to hear an explosion when getting hit by a simple shell.

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While the game may get old fast when played alone, it offers hours of excitement in multiplayer mode because humans players are not predictible.