Mario Kart Super Circuit

When the original Mario Kart came out on the SNES, it created a whole new genre. Nothing quite like it had ever been seen before. The SNES’s Mode 7 sprite-scaling abilities combined with the spot-on handling to form a style of gameplay which is still unrivalled to this day. While the N64 update was a great game, it didn’t quite capture what the original was all about. With the third instalment, Nintendo has listened and learned – the engine is based on the SNES classic. The four-player link-up mode was used to show off the power of the GBA at last year’s ECTS.

Needless to say, everyone came away impressed. The handling of the game is very close to its 16-bit cousin, but thankfully, ideas have also been drafted in from the N64 version. As an example, the triple homing shells are back in full force!

Some of the courses are based around the Mario 64 world, and some are straight out of the retro SNES, although a full roster hasn’t been released yet. The character selection screen has already been allowed to slip out – it’s the same line-up as the SNES version. It seems like Nintendo is purposely trying to recreate the fantastic atmosphere from all these years ago. Cross your fingers!

One of the most exhilarating games from the Super Nintendo era is about to make a comeback! Mario Kart Advance is a souped-up version of the SNES original with all the favourite characters, tracks and power-ups that made the game so popular. You get to select a driver from an impressive line-up that includes Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong and Wario along with Princess Toadstool for the more sensitive players. Their differing weights and driving skills mean you can select one that perfectly suits your play style. The twisting tracks are all based around levels from the classic Super Mario World with the Mario Raceway, Creepy Ghost House and Bowser's Castle being some of the most tricky to race! Fast, fun and making a welcome return with special multiplayer options using the new link-up cable — we can't wait!

Originally released in 2001, Mario Kart Super Circuit was the first handheld game in the Mario Kart series. It was a huge release for the Game Boy Advance and many people at the time purchased a GBA just so they could play Mario Kart on the go!

SuperSpeed

Mario Kart Super Circuit is kind of a halfway point between Super Mario Kart on the SNES and Mario Kart 64 on the Nintendo 64. The core game features 20 brand new tracks for you to race on and as usually there are different CC levels of speed which work as the game’s difficulty levels.

One thing that I really like in Mario Kart Super Circuit is the way coins work. You can carry up to 10 coins at a time and the more coins you have the more powerful your engine is so there is a real point to actually picking up coins in this game. For a handheld game, Mario Kart Super Circuit actually has a great sense of speed on the higher CC levels.

The Gang Is All Here

The game features eight racers. This was the norm for the first Mario Kart games and it was not really until the Game Cube game, Double Dash that the Mario Kart roster really expanded to what we have today. While I have no problem with Mario Kart Super Circuit only having eight characters, I do wish that they added a couple of new ones. You see all eight of the characters in this game are the exact same characters that were in Mario Kart 64.

Snestastic

20 tracks are already a whole lot to keep you busy, but Mario Kart Super Circuit was the first game in the series to feature what we now know as classic tracks. The game incredibly featured all of the tracks from Super Mario Kart on the SNES. This is pretty amazing and even more amazing still is that Nintendo actually tweaked a few of these tracks to make them more in line with the other tracks that were new to this game.

Mario Modes

As you would expect there is the standard Mario Kart GP which is the staple of the series. This is what you will be spending most of your time doing. In addition to this, you also have the standard time trails and battle mode that the series is famous for. There is also a new mode called Quick Run which allows you to race or practice on a specific course and tinker with the settings. Interestingly, Mario Kart Super Circuit allows you to play four-player co-op with just one cartridge which is pretty awesome.

Pros:

• 20 brand new tracks to race on
• Features all the tracks from the SNES game
• Has a new game mode which is interesting
• The gameplay is easy to learn, but hard to master
• The game looks and sounds great

Cons:

• No new characters at all
• 50 CC can feel a little slow

Nintendo's Mario Kart Advance will surely make every gamer's list of must-have GBA games, even though there's no set release date (our fingers are crossed that it makes launch). Up to four players can pick from their favorite Mario characters and race head-to-head or challenge Battle mode. Tracks include Princess Peach's castle, a Ghost House and a desert track, among others (can't be a Mario Kart game without Rainbow Road!). A U.S. release shouldn't be far from launch.