View source for User:TheUndescribableGhost/History of Mario in the Mario Kart series

==''Mario Kart'' series==
[[File:MK8-Line-Mario-Hop.gif|thumb|[[LINE]] sticker of Mario [[hop (move)|hop]]ping from ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'']]
{{quote|Welcome to Mario Kart!|Mario|''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]''}}
In the ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' series, both in the mainline series and the [[Mario Kart (series)#Arcade games|''Mario Kart Arcade GP'' subseries]], starting with ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'', Mario has always been a playable character and, except in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'', is usually available at the start. In games where characters are divided into weight groups, Mario is a middleweight character with all-around stats. Numerous racecourses throughout the series have been named after Mario, usually as [[Mario Circuit]] and often in the [[Flower Cup]].

===''Super Mario Kart''===
In the first installment, ''Super Mario Kart'', Mario and Luigi are two of the only middleweight characters in the game, a feature that is present until ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'', where Peach and Yoshi are reclassified as middleweights while adding Birdo and Waluigi as middleweights. Mario as a computer-controlled opponent uses [[Super Star|Star]] power, which gives him invincibility. ''Super Mario Kart'' also features one Mario Circuit per [[cup]] of increasing complexity, but the Mario Circuits typically have minimal hazards aside from [[oil slick]]s and pipes and off-road shortcuts that can be taken with a [[Dash Mushroom|Mushroom]].

===''Mario Kart 64''===
''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' features Mario and Luigi as middleweights, but unlike in other games, Mario's stats work differently from being balanced. His weight class grants him the lowest acceleration but similar top speed to heavyweights, a constant diminishing acceleration when reaching top speed (compared to the other classes being more erratic), better cornering than the other weight classes, and better off-road than heavyweights. Despite being classified in the same class, Mario is slightly heavier than Luigi and has the advantage when they are colliding with each other. [[N64 Mario Raceway|Mario Raceway]] is a basic track with several hairpin turns and stationary Piranha Plant hazards on the sides of the road.

A snow structure shaped like Mario is in [[N64 Frappe Snowland|Frappe Snowland]], while Mario's face cameos as a neon light on [[N64 Rainbow Road|Rainbow Road]]. ''Mario Kart 64'' also introduces various sponsors and billboards, with some featuring Mario.

===''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''===
In ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'', Mario and Luigi are again two of the only middleweights. [[GBA Mario Circuit|Mario Circuit]] features no hazards, but it has hairpin turns and winding paths, similar to other Mario Circuits.

===''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!''===
[[File:MarioLuigiDD1.png|thumb|left|upright=0.85|Official game art for ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' always depicts Mario as the driver.]]
''Mario Kart Double Dash!!'' is the first game where Mario, while classified as a middleweight character, does not directly affect the stats of a vehicle. Depending on his partner's weight, he can choose between a middleweight vehicle (if the partner is a lightweight or a middleweight) or a heavyweight vehicle (if the partner is a heavyweight). His signature vehicle is the [[Red Fire]], featuring balanced stats; even internal data that often contradict with the in-game stat display show no outstanding stats.

Mario is usually paired with Luigi, in game art and in 50cc and 100cc speeds, although there is some game art that shows Mario paired with Princess Peach and Bowser instead. Mario and Luigi's special item is the [[Fireball]], which splits into five smaller fireballs and spins out any racer that the fireballs hit.

[[GCN Mario Circuit|Mario Circuit]] features hairpin turns, and obstacles include a large Chain Chomp and several Piranha Plants that can flip [[kart]]s over and cause the rear character to be dragged behind. The end of the track features hills to impede with driving and respawnable Goombas that can be flattened to release Mushrooms. An unlockable Battle Mode course, [[Tilt-a-Kart]], is a large tilting suspended platform in the shape of 8-Bit Mario. Mario is also seen as part of obelisk engravings in [[GCN Dry Dry Desert|Dry Dry Desert]], but the engravings are absent in Dry Dry Desert in future games.

Baby Mario makes his debut in ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!''

===''Mario Kart Arcade GP'' subseries===
In the [[Mario Kart (series)#Arcade games|''Mario Kart Arcade GP'' subseries]], Mario shares his special character items with Luigi. His special items are a Star, which gives Mario invincibility; a fireball, which can be shot forward or backward to damage a kart; the hammer, which can hit a rival, giving them damage; and the Chain Chomp, which provides damage to any kart it hits. In ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP DX]]'', his personal kart is the [[Lightning Champ]]. He also receives a Fire Mario alternate palette swap. In ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart Arcade GP 2]]'', [[Mario Highway]] and [[Mario Beach]] are some of the only tracks named after him that are not based on a circuit. [[Robo Mario]] also appears as a [[rival]] in ''Mario Kart Arcade GP''.

===''Mario Kart DS''===
In ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', Mario's karts are the [[B Dasher]], the [[Standard MR]], and the [[Shooting Star (kart)|Shooting Star]]. His track, [[DS Mario Circuit|Mario Circuit]], which is now the third track in the [[Star Cup]] instead of the Flower Cup, features [[Fire Piranha Plant]]s as well as normal Piranha Plants. After the player beats the game, Mario, as well as the rest of the roster, can race in any of the karts. He also fights two bosses in Mission Mode: [[Eyerok]] in Level 2 and [[Wiggler]] in Level 7. Mario is also used to race a special red car in [[Shroom Ridge]]. A Mario-shaped topiary is part of [[DS Peach Gardens|Peach Gardens]].

===''Mario Kart Wii''===
{{quote|Mario Kart Wii!|Mario|Mario Kart Wii}}
In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', Mario provides a boost to handling, weight, and acceleration on any vehicle he drives. [[Mario Circuit (Mario Kart Wii)|Mario Circuit]], similar to the track in ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'', features a Chain Chomp as well as Goombas near the end of the track, with similar behavior as the Goombas in ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' A statue of a snowboarding Mario is seen in [[Wii DK Summit|DK Summit]], and it is replaced in later games with a snowboarding Donkey Kong. Mario also cameos in a poster for a musical called ''The Mushroom Moon'' on [[Moonview Highway]]. A Mario statue along with Luigi, Peach, and Daisy statues appear in [[Block Plaza]], and they slowly descend and disappear to expose [[pit]]s after 60 seconds.

===''Mario Kart 7''===
{{quote|Mario Kart 7!|Mario|Mario Kart 7}}
Like in the first ''Mario Kart'' games, Mario, Luigi, and [[Mii]]s are classified as middleweights, making this game similar to the first two games where Mario and Luigi are the only two characters classified as middleweights. [[Metal Mario]] makes his debut in the ''Mario Kart'' series in ''Mario Kart 7'' and has been described as a rival on the American website for ''Mario Kart 7''. Likewise, ''Mario Kart 7'' features a rival system; Mario's rivals are Metal Mario, Bowser, and Princess Peach (if Metal Mario is absent). Mario is also the rival for Luigi, Bowser, and Wario; he is the third rival for Metal Mario, [[Lakitu]], and male Miis. [[3DS Mario Circuit|Mario Circuit]] features cherry blossoms and a brief segment inside [[Peach's Castle]].

===''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''===
[[File:MK8 Deluxe Art - Mario and Inkling.png|thumb|250px|Mario battling [[Inkling Girl]] in [[Battle_Mode#Balloon_Battle|Balloon Battle]]]]
{{quote|Mario Kart 8!|Mario|Mario Kart 8}}
Mario's stats in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' are also not perfectly balanced. His top speed and traction are his strongest stats, while his acceleration is his weakest stat. ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' introduces stat changes from ''Mario Kart 8''. While in ''Mario Kart 8'', Mario shares stats with Luigi, Iggy, Ludwig, and medium-sized Miis, Luigi and Iggy's stats have slight alterations, receiving slightly higher handling but slightly worse traction. Due to this, Mario shares stats with only Ludwig and medium-sized Miis. If Mario drives certain vehicles, they are colored red to match Mario's color. The exceptions are his gray [[GLA]] and his white [[City Tripper]] (though with red accents). Unlike in ''Mario Kart Wii'', all characters can ride on any vehicle in the game. [[Mario Circuit (Mario Kart 8)|Mario Circuit]] makes extensive use of the featured [[anti-gravity]] component of ''Mario Kart 8'', transforming the track into a {{wp|Möbius strip}}. The track also has [[ramp]]s, Piranha Plants, Goombas, and [[Goomba Tower]]s as features. DLC content for ''Mario Kart 8'' includes a new playable variant for Mario, [[Tanooki Mario]].

As in ''Mario Kart 7'', Mario has a rival system in the Grand Prix mode. Mario's rivals are Peach and Bowser, and he is one of the rivals for Luigi, Bowser, and Wario.

In ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'', when Mario is a computer-controlled opponent, his vehicle preferences include the following:
*[[Standard Kart]], [[Standard (tire)|Standard Tire]], and [[Super Glider]]
*B Dasher, Standard Tire, and Super Glider
*[[P-Wing (kart)|P-Wing]], [[Blue Standard]], and [[Parafoil]]
*[[Comet]], [[Slim (tire)|Slim]], and Super Glider

===''Mario Kart Tour''===
In ''Mario Kart Tour'', Mario is an unlockable Super driver. His [[Special skill (Mario Kart Tour)|special skill]] is the [[Fire Flower]]. Mario also has a [[Mario Cup|self-titled cup]] in the game, as well as self-named tours and Team Rally tours [[Mario vs. Luigi Tour|against Luigi]] and [[Mario vs. Peach Tour|against Peach]].

Mario has several variants of himself appear. ''Mario Kart Tour'' additionally introduced a number of High-End variants of Mario, with most of them being based on his outfits from ''Super Mario Odyssey''.
*'''Mario (Musician):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Double Bob-ombs]] special skill and was available as of the [[New York Tour]].
*'''Mario (Hakama):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Coin Box]] special skill and was available as of the [[Tokyo Tour]].
*'''Mario (Santa):''' This variant is added in the [[Winter Tour (2019)|2019 Winter Tour]], with the Fire Flower being his special skill (like his normal counterpart).
*'''Mario (Happi):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Bob-omb Cannon]] special skill and was introduced in the [[New Year's Tour (2020)|2020 New Year's Tour]].
*'''Mario (Classic):''' Mario has the [[Triple Mushrooms]] special skill and is available as of the [[Mario Bros. Tour]].
*'''Mario (Chef):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', based on the chef outfit from ''Yoshi's Cookie'', he has the [[Lucky Seven]] as his special skill and is introduced in the [[Cooking Tour]].
*'''Mario (Swimwear):'''  From ''Super Mario Odyssey'' and introduced in the [[Marine Tour]], he has the [[Dash Ring]] as his special skill.
*'''Mario (SNES):''' This variant is based on Mario's sprites from ''Super Mario Kart'', and he appears as of the [[Super Mario Kart Tour]] with the Triple Mushrooms as his special skill.
*'''Mario (Sunshine):''' From ''Super Mario Sunshine'', he has the [[Giant Banana]] special skill, and he appears as of the [[Los Angeles Tour (2020)|2020 Los Angeles Tour]].
*'''Mario (Halloween):''' This variant has the Lucky Seven for his special skill and was added in the [[Halloween Tour (2020)|2020 Halloween Tour]].
*'''Mario (Racing):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has Triple Mushrooms special skill and was introduced in the [[Mario Tour (2021)|2021 Mario Tour]]
*'''Mario (Tuxedo):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Coin Box]] special skill and was introduced in the  [[Wedding Tour]].
*'''Mario (Baseball):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Mushroom Cannon]] special skill and is introduced in the [[Los Angeles Tour (2021)|2021 Los Angeles Tour]].
*'''Mario (Satellaview):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Lucky Seven]] special skill and is introduced in the [[Space Tour (2021)|2021 Space Tour]].
*'''Mario (Golf):''' A variant of Mario in his golf outfit originally from ''Golf: U.S. Course'' and ''NES Open Tournament Golf'' but also included in ''Super Mario Odyssey'' and ''Mario Golf: Super Rush'' was introduced in [[Los Angeles Tour (2022)|2022 Los Angeles Tour]].
*'''Mario (Aviator):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Dash Ring]] special skill and was introduced in the [[Sky Tour]]. Also formatted as '''Aviator Mario'''.<ref>[https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1633119423 ''Mario Kart Tour''] (United States). apple.com. Retrieved November 12, 2022. ({{file link|App Store screenshot story MKT 2021.png|Screenshot}}.) ([https://web.archive.org/web/20221108155848/https://apps.apple.com/us/story/id1633119423 Archived] November 8, 2022, 15:58:48 UTC via Wayback Machine.) "''Float through the 3DS Rainbow Road track in the Space Tour, fly through the GBA Sky Tour''{{sic}}'' as Aviator Mario…who knows what’s coming next?''"</ref>
*'''Mario (Samurai):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Boomerang Flower]] special skill and was introduced in the [[Samurai Tour]].
*'''Mario (King):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Coin Box]] special skill and was introduced in the [[Anniversary Tour (2022)|2022 Anniversary Tour]].
*'''Mario (Black Suit):''' From ''Super Mario Odyssey'', he has the [[Mushroom Cannon]] special skill and was introduced in the [[Summer Tour (2023)|2023 Summer Tour]].
The game also features [[Metal Mario]], [[Ice Mario (Super Mario Galaxy)|Ice Mario]], [[Builder Mario]], [[Dr. Mario]], [[Penguin Mario]], [[Tanooki Mario]], and [[Cat Mario]] as separate drivers. In total, Mario has 26 different playable variants, making him the driver in ''Mario Kart Tour'' with the most playable variants. He also has multiple victory animations depending on which variant the player uses. His Builder variant holds up his hammer, then nods his head; his musician variant waves his hat in the air; his Sunshine variant dances in his seat; his Halloween variant looks around, then playfully giggles; and his Satellaview variant performs an astronaut's wave.

For ways in which Mario and his variants have been obtainable throughout the game's history, see [[List of availabilities for Mario in Mario Kart Tour|List of availabilities for Mario in ''Mario Kart Tour'']].

===''Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit''===
Mario and Luigi are the two fully playable characters in ''[[Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit]]''. As in ''Mario Kart Tour'', alternate variants are available, though they are only cosmetic.