Super Mario Kart: The Beloved Nintendo Franchise Drifted On to SNES 32 Years Ago
We celebrate Mario Kart's anniversary with a look at the franchise's past, present, and future.
On September 1st, 1992, the first entry in the Mario Kart series was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America. Super Mario Kart was a humble beginning for what would quickly become a cultural phenomenon beloved by countless players. With just 20 tracks, and some dated visuals, Super Mario Kart doesn't seem quite as impressive when compared to later entries in the series. However, it all started with this game, and a lot of the gameplay has been retained over the last 32 years. For those that have never played the first entry, today's anniversary is a good place to get started!
In the original Super Mario Kart, players could choose from a small cast of favorites, each with their own strengths: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Koopa Troopa, Donkey Kong Jr., and Bowser. Not only would the game end up spawning a whole lot of sequels, it would also inspire several would-be competitors, from Crash Nitro Kart, to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. However, none have proven nearly as successful.
Super Mario Kart: Where to Play It
Unless you're still hanging on to a Super Nintendo, the next best place to check out the original Mario Kart game is through Nintendo Switch Online. Every subscriber to the service can download the dedicated Super Nintendo app, which features a large number of games that originated on the system. Super Mario Kart was one of the earliest games offered on the app, and it can be found alongside favorites like Super Metroid and the original Star Fox. Nintendo Switch Online only costs $19.99 per year, making it significantly cheaper than the online services for most platforms. A subscription can be obtained right through the eShop, or through retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, Target, and Walmart.
In addition to the standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription, there's also Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. That service is a little more expensive, at $49.99 per year. However, it gives subscribers access to additional apps for past Nintendo systems. For Mario Kart fans, this means being able to play subsequent games like Mario Kart 64 on the N64 app, and Mario Kart: Super Circuit on the Game Boy Advance app. Through those three games, players can experience the early beginnings of the series.
Mario Kart: The Present
While the early Mario Kart games have their strengths, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is easily the pinnacle of the series. First released on Wii U in 2014, the game was quickly brought to Nintendo Switch alongside all of its DLC and some additional features. On Switch, it built a massive audience, becoming one of the biggest games of all-time. With more than 71 million copies sold across both versions, Mario Kart 8 has a huge and passionate audience. Nintendo has also supported the game with downloadable content, bringing the total number of courses to 96. That's a big contrast to the 20 found in Super Mario Kart!
In addition to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the last few years have seen some additional Mario Kart games released. Mario Kart Tour is a mobile take on the series, and while new content came to an end last year, the game remains playable on iOS and Android, making it a solid option for those that don't own a Switch. There's also Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. Released in 2020 for Nintendo Switch, the game allows players to build their own courses around the house and race through them using a radio controlled Kart that connects to Switch. It's quite different from a traditional Mario Kart game, but there's a lot to enjoy if you have the space for it.
Mario Kart in Other Media
The success of Mario Kart has had a huge impact on the culture of the overall Mario franchise. When The Super Mario Bros. Movie released in theaters last year, a large portion of the film drew inspiration from the Mario Kart games, and even offered an origin story for the Karts themselves. In the film's universe, the Karts are the creation of the Kongs, which helps to explain why banana peels have been a road hazard in the series since Super Mario Kart.
These days, there are Mario Kart t-shirts, Hot Wheels toys, and even a theme park attraction at Super Nintendo World. It's safe to say that Mario Kart might be the most successful spin-off of any video game ever. Next year will see even more Mario Kart merchandise arrive in stores, when we get the first batch of LEGO sets based on the games.
The Future of Mario Kart
While Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to entertain audiences, many fans have been clamoring to see a new game released in the series. The reality is, it's been 10 years since we got a new main series game, and people are eager to see what will come next. When it comes to Mario spin-offs, Nintendo tends to avoid releasing multiple on the same system, opting instead to release just one Mario Kart, Mario Golf, and Mario Tennis (to name a few). As such, we probably shouldn't expect to see a new Mario Kart until Nintendo's next video game system.
That said, we can likely expect to see a new Mario Kart game announced soon. The next Nintendo system, which has been tentatively named the "Switch 2," will be fully revealed sometime within the next seven months. Given how massive the Mario Kart series has become over the last 32 years, it's a very safe bet that we'll see a new Mario Kart released sometime close to the new system. At this time, we have no idea what to expect from the next game in the series, but it will be interesting to see how it continues the evolution we've seen since Super Mario Kart. The series has come a very long way since its SNES beginnings, expanding the tracks, the power-ups, and even the racers that appear. There have even been some big changes to the gameplay, including the ability to glide, and drive underwater. There's no telling what will come next, but hopefully the series will continue finding new ways to entertain players.
Are you a fan of Super Mario Kart? Have you ever played the original game in the series? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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