Mario Kart (series)
The Mario Kart racing series is widely known, as a Mario Kart game has appeared on almost every Nintendo system since the SNES. With a total of eight titles in the popular spin-off series, Nintendo has started a sort-of fad of cartoon-styled racing games amongst many gaming companies – one of the more notable similarly-designed series of racing games are those of the Crash Bandicoot series.
Main Franchise Timeline
Super Mario Kart
- Year Released – 1992
- Compatible Console – SNES
- For this game's beta elements, see here.
Super Mario Kart was the very first Mario Kart game ever to be released. The game had a total of eight playable characters and 20 different racecourses to pick from. This was the only game featuring five courses for a Grand Prix; all succeeding games had four. It was the only the only Mario Kart title to feature Donkey Kong Jr. as a playable character; he was replaced by his father in the remaining titles of the widely-popular spin-off series. Though the game was on a 16-bit system, it still featured three-dimensionally rendered surroundings – this gave the game somewhat more of a realistic tone – along with the aspect of depth. This particular Mario Kart game was heavily influenced by Super Mario World.
Mario Kart 64
- Year Released – 1996
- System – Nintendo 64
- For this game's beta elements, see here.
Mario Kart 64 is a 64-bit Mario Kart game, as it's name would suggest. It is the first title in the series to feature entire three-dimensional graphics, including the characters' designs, course layout, and the items' designs. It is the first Mario Kart title to feature Donkey Kong and Wario as playable characters; despite the new additions to the cast of playable characters, this game still only had eight playable characters – just as it's predecessor did. The game featured 16 normal racecourses, as well as four battle courses.
Mario Kart Super Circuit
- Year Released – 2001
- System – Game Boy Advance
Mario Kart Super Circuit is the first Mario Kart title to be brought to a handheld gaming system. It was compatible with the Game Boy Advance (now with the Nintendo DS as well), and was a 32-bit game. It was highly influenced by its two home console predecessors. The game featured eight playable characters once more, all of which were in Mario Kart 64. A total of twenty racecourses could be selected from. This game also has a feature that allowed players to swap ghost data via the use of a Game Boy Advance connection cord.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
- Year Released – 2003
- System – Nintendo GameCube
- For this game's beta elements, see here.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the fourth game to be released in the franchise, introduced many new changes. One difference is that in the game, there are two drivers to a kart, in contrary to all other games in the Mario Kart series; this allowed the player to hold more items simultaneously. Another new feature was Special Items. Two characters always have the same Special Item – each of which were entirely various and unique. Only those two characters could use their own Special Item, with the exceptions of King Boo and Petey Piranha. They are more rare than regular items. This game featured 16 race courses, as well as 20 different characters to select from.
Mario Kart DS
- Year Released – 2005
- System – Nintendo DS
- For this game's beta elements, see here.
Mario Kart DS is the fifth mainstream title in the Mario Kart series, and is the second title to be released on a handheld gaming system. The game featured 64-bit graphics, as Mario Kart 64 did. This game featured 13 playable characters: eight default racers, four unlockable racers, and one only available for racing via Download Play. This game was also the first in the series to feature racecourses previously encountered in its preceding titles. In the Retro Grand Prix mode, players could select to race on courses from Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Super Circuit, and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
Mario Kart Wii
- Year Released – 2008
- System – Wii
Mario Kart Wii is the sixth and most recent game in the series. This game, unlike it's console predessecor, Double Dash!!, returned to one-person driving. Special items were removed from the game as well. A new feature in Mario Kart Wii is Bikes. Bikes allow the players to do wheelies, speeding them up temporarily. Also, the players can do Tricks as they jump off certain ramps, to get a short boost when landing. Another new feature is the Mario Kart Channel. This channel, installable on the Wii Menu, allows players to check rankings, race ghosts, and compete in tournaments. Similar to the Retro racecourses, the game also had five Retro Battlecourses. One Retro Battlecourse was featured from each of the past five games in the series, in addition to five all-new courses. Mario Kart Wii has 24 playable characters, with 32 courses to choose from.
Arcade Series
Mario Kart Arcade GP
- Year Released – 2005
- System – Arcade Machine
Mario Kart Arcade GP was the very first Mario Kart title to ever be released into an arcade. Though, many of the same elements from previous games were still featured in this game, it was entirely unique from the rest at the time. This game featured a total of eleven playable characters; eight were from the Mario series, while the remaining three were from the Pac-Man series. This was the first Mario Kart title to feature third-party characters. It also featured a mere twelve racecourses to select from, two each were in a separate cup.
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2
- Year Released – 2007
- System – Arcade Machine
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 is the second (and latest) Mario Kart title to be released in the arcades. It featured the same playable characters as Mario Kart Arcade GP, with the additions of Waluigi and Mametchi. This title also featured something different from the last arcade release: custom karts for each playable character, just as Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii did. This game featured a total of sixteen racecourses.
Playable Characters
Template:Spoiler With so many Mario Kart titles, the list of characters that can be found from within these games is quite impressive, ranging from Mario and Luigi to Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. Below is a list of all the characters found in each game.
Weight and Effects
Throughout the Mario Kart series, a common element in each game is the weight of different characters. Ever since the very first title in the series, characters have been classified by their weight. Up until Mario Kart Wii, the three weights were "light", "medium", and "heavy"; in Mario Kart Wii, the main element was the size of the character, splitting in three categories: "Small", "medium" and "large". Different weights and sizes have different effects on racing.
Light/Small
Characters in this classification are easily knocked aside by their heavier opponents. Light/Small characters have high acceleration, but low top speeds. When off-road, they lose a very minimal amount of speed.
| Game | Light/Small Characters |
|---|---|
| Super Mario Kart | Koopa Troopa · Toad |
| Mario Kart 64 | Princess Peach · Toad · Yoshi |
| Mario Kart Super Circuit | Princess Peach · Toad · Yoshi |
| Mario Kart Double Dash | Baby Mario · Baby Luigi · Bowser Jr. · Diddy Kong · Koopa Troopa · Koopa Paratroopa · Toad · Toadette |
| Mario Kart DS | Dry Bones · Princess Daisy · Princess Peach · Shy Guy · Toad · Yoshi |
| Mario Kart Wii | Baby Daisy · Baby Luigi · Baby Mario · Baby Peach · Dry Bones · Koopa Troopa · Toad · Toadette |
Medium
Medium characters have a equal balance of weight, top speed, and acceleration. When they go off-road, they lose a moderate amount of speed, contrary to that of its corresponding weight classes.
| Game | Medium Characters |
|---|---|
| Super Mario Kart | Luigi · Mario · Princess Peach |
| Mario Kart 64 | Luigi · Mario |
| Mario Kart Super Circuit | Luigi · Mario |
| Mario Kart Double Dash | Birdo · Luigi · Mario · Princess Daisy · Princess Peach · Waluigi · Yoshi |
| Mario Kart DS | Luigi · Mario · Waluigi |
| Mario Kart Wii | Birdo · Bowser Jr. · Diddy Kong · Luigi · Mario · Princess Daisy · Princess Peach · Yoshi |
Heavy/Large
Heavy/Large characters can easily knock all opposing racers aside. They have high top speeds, but very poor acceleration. When they go off-road, their speed greatly decreases.
| Game | Heavy/Large Characters |
|---|---|
| Super Mario Kart | Bowser · Donkey Kong Jr. |
| Mario Kart 64 | Bowser · Donkey Kong · Wario |
| Mario Kart Super Circuit | Bowser · Donkey Kong · Wario |
| Mario Kart Double Dash | Bowser · Donkey Kong · King Boo · Petey Piranha · Wario |
| Mario Kart DS | Bowser · Donkey Kong · R.O.B. · Wario |
| Mario Kart Wii | Bowser · Donkey Kong · Dry Bowser · Funky Kong · King Boo · Rosalina · Waluigi · Wario |
Items and Effects
Throughout the races of the Mario Kart games, racers can pick up items out of item boxes. These items differ from game to game, but this is a complete list of all the items from every game, excluding the Mario Kart Arcade GP series. After running into an item box, items randomly shuffle in the Item Roulette. The player can then press the button to select the item. If a player doesn't select an item right away by pressing the item button, the computer automatically selects an item. After the item is selected, the player can press the item button to use it.
Item Buttons
- Super Mario Kart - A
- Mario Kart 64 - Z or C-Down
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - X or Y
- Mario Kart DS - L
- Mario Kart Wii - L on GameCube controller, D-Pad Left on Wii Wheel
* Indicates Special Item in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
Banana
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Arcade GP; Mario Kart Wii
The banana is a staple in every Mario Kart game. They can be held behind the player's kart, and anybody who hits it will spin out on contact. When thrown forward, the player's current speed and altitude determines how far it will be thrown.
Banana Bunch/Triple Bananas
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
This is essentially the same as the banana, but there are multiples. In Mario Kart 64, they come in fives, and in Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, they come in threes. When first activated, the bananas trail the player's kart, and can then by dropped or thrown one at a time. The Items stat available in some games increases the player's odds of getting a triple instead of a single. Triple Bananas follow the same physics as single Bananas.
Blooper
Appears in: Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Bloopers obscure the view of players, by squirting ink on the screen. This item will effect every racer that is currently ahead of the player. If the player is affected by a Blooper, the player's Items stat determines how long the ink will stay on the player's screen. The lower the player's Item stat is, the faster the ink will go away. If the player is affected by a Blooper, they can use a Mushroom or drive onto a boost pad to get rid of the screen the obstructive goo.
Bob-omb
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
The Bob-omb will stay on the track, exploding after a restricted period of time. If it is thrown forwards, the Bob-omb waits until another racer passes near to it to explode by then. Any driver who is in the blast radius and surroundings, will be blown up or spun around. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! the Bob-omb is the special item exclusive to Wario and Waluigi, and to King Boo and Petey Piranha; although it can be used for all characters during Battle modes. Bob-ombs appear as unique items in a battle mode of the game, Bob-omb Blast.
Boo
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart DS
A ghost from one of the many haunted houses in the Mushroom Kingdom. In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Boos slow down the race leader when the player uses it on them, compared to the other games, where he simply leaves them alone and takes their item. The target that is chosen is the one with the most powerful item, including Mushrooms. However, if no other racers have items, Boo will have no effect. Another benefit to Boo is the fact that the player becomes translucent upon using it, meaning they can pass right through other drivers and certain obstacles, including items. In addition to being immune to attack, the Boo item also allows the player to increase slightly his/her speed as well as driving through rough terrain without losing speed. Notably, Boos are absent in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii.
Bowser Shell
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*
The Bowser Shell is the special Item used exclusively by Bowser, Bowser Jr., and by King Boo and Petey Piranha.
This monstrous Shell, will go in a straight line, such as a normal Green Shell, bumping on walls and obstacles of sort, capable of knocking over ramdomly karts, or destroying other items that it collides. Unlike a Green or Red Shell, the Bowser Shell does not disintegrate if it collides on a kart. It will keep spinning around after several bumps, where it breaks apart. When the Bowser Shell collides with another special item, it will rebound away.
Bullet Bill
Appears in: Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Upon using a Bullet Bill, the player turns into a Bullet Bill, and follows the track automatically. The Bullet Bill is very fast, and boosts the player faster than any other item. The duration of the Bullet Bill depends on how high the player's Items stat is. If it is high, it will last about 8 seconds, and 4-5 seconds with a low Items stat. It is possible to steer the Bullet Bill, but only slightly. This feature may allow the player to "home in" on other racers as they are flying right past them.
Chain Chomp
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*
The Chain Chomp is a special Item used only by Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, and by King Boo and Petey Piranha as well.
When used, a Chain Chomp appears on the front of the kart, pulling the vehicle ahead at a very fast speed, while the Chomp sweeps any kart and item away. After a limited period of time, the Chain Chomp leaves the kart, while it still running along the track until disappearing. Similar in efects is the Bullet Bill Item.
Egg
Appears in: Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*
In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, these eggs will home in on rival karts. When they hit an object, they will explode and drop three items onto the track. A variety of items can come out of the egg. Items are: Mushrooms, Super Stars, Bananas, Green Shells, or Bob-ombs. It can only be used by Yoshi, Birdo, King Boo, and Petey Piranha.
Fake Item Box
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Fake Item Boxes can be placed on the stage anywhere, similar to Bananas. They can also be dragged behind the kart. Upon hitting a Fake Item Box, the player will roll over, similar to a Green Shell. As with the Banana, the speed the player going at determines how far it will be thrown forward. When laid down on the track, the player can distinguish one by looking for the telltale question mark inside the box. In most games, the Box had an upside-down question mark. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart Wii, there was an occasional red flash added. In Mario Kart DS, they simply had no question mark at all, and did not rotate either.
Feather
Appears in: Super Mario Kart
Gives the player a spin jump which is higher than the normal hop. It is useful for jumping over Thwomps and taking shortcuts in races over the barriers.
Fireballs
Appears in: Super Mario Kart (CPU only); Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*
These items can be shot forward or backwards. They start as a single fireball, and then they'll split into five smaller fireballs, which can hit multiple karts at once. The fire balls can bounce off of a wall one time. They are Mario, Luigi, King Boo and Petey Piranha's signature item. In Super Mario Kart, they were left by a CPU playing as Bowser, and acted similar to Banana Peels.
Giant Banana
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*
Like a normal banana, but much bigger, making it harder to avoid. After someone hits the Giant Banana, it will break up into three smaller bananas. Only Eggs, Bowser Shells, and karts can destroy it. The item is Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, King Boo, and Petey Piranha's only.
Golden Mushroom
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Also known as the Golden Mushroom, this is an enhanced form of Mushroom. It is a Mushroom that the player can use an infinite amount of times for about 7-10 seconds. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!! the item could only be received by Toad, Toadette, King Boo, and Petey Piranha.
Green Shell
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Arcade GP; Mario Kart Wii
Another classic staple of the Mario Kart franchise, these items are useful in knocking other players. The player can hold one behind their kart, and can be thrown backwards. Green Shells move slower when thrown backwards, however. If a player gets hit by one, the player will roll over, losing time.
Heart
Appears in: Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*
Hearts that cirlce the player's kart, and if an item hits them, they will absorb it, and be able to use it. Spinies are noy caught, and falling off the course or getting hit with Lightning destroys it. It is Peach, Daisy, King Boo, and Petey Piranha's special item.
Mega Mushroom
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii
The player's character becomes bigger and is able to crush other characters in the amount of time.
Mushroom
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Mushrooms have appeared so far in every Mario Kart game. By using the item, the user got a temporary boost of speed, allowing them to go through terrain at ease. Also, charging into another driver while using the boost will result in knocking them to the side, regardless of how light or heavy the player's kart is. Braking is very difficult while using a Mushroom. It may offer a slight increase in handling for the duration of the boost, but it will not slow the kart down.
POW Block
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii
When dispatched by a player, other racers will find POW Blocks above their karts. They must jump three times (in rhythm) to destroy the POW Block; otherwise they will spin out, lose all items, and lose time.
Red Shell
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
These homing projectiles are slightly different in Mario Kart DS. They will not always take the quickest route to the target. Instead, they will usually strike them from the side to avoid any item they might be carrying behind them. If a red shell is trailing a player, they can use a Green Shell, Banana, or another Red Shell to shield it. As with Green Shells and Fake Item Boxes, the player rolls when hit. Red Shells can be held behind the player and fired backwards, just like a green shell. Red Shells fired backwards do not home in on anyone. Also note that Red Shells can perform complete 180 degree turns to pursue the player. This renders jumping off of ramps ineffective in avoiding red shells. In previous games, Red Shells went for the more direct approach, causing them to hit walls more often.
Spiny Shell
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Upon firing this item, it will zero in on the player that is currently in first, not including those who have already crossed the finish line. Upon being hit by a Spiny Shell, the kart will be flipped, like a Bob-omb would, losing much time. If another kart gets caught at the edge of the explosion, they will not flip, but will spin out.
Star
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Super Stars are arguably one of the most useful items in the Mario Kart series. They grant the player complete invincibility and offensive control. Any player to get in their path rolls sideways, as if hit by a fake item box. A Super Star lasts for about 8 seconds.
Thunderbolt
Appears in: Super Mario Kart; Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Everyone but the user is hit by a thunderbolt when this item is activated. If the player is hit by it, they will spin out, and become tiny, and slowing them down. In Mario Kart 64, Boos, Stars or Thunderbolts could not be used while tiny. In Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, the amount of time the player stays tiny depends on their rank; the lower the rank, the less time they stay tiny. In all games, any items in possesion were lost when hit by lightning.
Thunder Cloud
Appears in: Mario Kart Wii
When obtained, the player automatically receives a boost of speed, constantly. However, the Thunder Cloud will eventually strike Lightning at the player, just shrinking them just like an original Thunderbolt. The Cloud however can be passed on to another kart by bumping into any other racer before the lightning strikes. To use the item efficiently, the player's character will have to bump another character and let him be shrunk instead.
Triple Green Shells
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
This is the same as the single Green Shell, except the player has three of them orbiting around the player's kart. In Mario Kart DS, the player can fire these shells behind the player's kart, but in other games, the player can only fire them forwards. The item can also be used as a shield to other items. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the item was exclusive to Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa. Also, in Double Dash!!, if the driver was hit by any of the items, Koopa Troopa or Paratroopa will lose one or two shells they had held in.
Triple Mushrooms
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
This is basically the same as a Mushroom, but in triple form, meaning the player can use it three times. A higher Items stat, for the games that have it, means the player will obtain this more often. Also in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, if the driver was hit by any of the items, one of the two characters will lose one or two mushrooms they had held in.
Triple Red Shells
Appears in: Mario Kart 64; Mario Kart Super Circuit; Mario Kart: Double Dash!!*; Mario Kart DS; Mario Kart Wii
Red shells, in a group of three. They can be equipped by only pressing the item button once, and will circle the player until used, becoming a temporary shield against other shells and bananas. Again, a higher Items stat means the player will get these more often. In Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, it was available to Koopa Troopa and Koopa Paratroopa only. Also in Double Dash!!, if the driver was hit by any of the items, Koopa Troopa or Paratroopa will lose one or two shells they had held in.
Modes
Throughout the Mario Kart series, there have been several games that feature different modes of play. The standards featured in each game are 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. Other modes of play are also available. Different types of Battle Modes allow players to battle against each other in different competitions. Grand Prix Mode features different types of tournament classes as well, such as the Nitro and Retro Grand Prixs.
Battle Mode
Battle Mode is a game play mode in the Mario Kart series. Some games have multiple battle modes. In Battle Mode, the objective is to defeat all the other players. All games feature Balloon Battle, and some of the more recent additions in the series have additional modes.
Balloon Battle
Each player has a certain number of Balloons. Players' balloons pop when they are being hit by any item, such as Bananas or Koopa Shells. the last one standing won. In Mario Kart DS, balloons must now be blown up by either blowing into the microphone, or holding down the Select button. In Mario Kart Wii, the score was based on how many balloons popped, and was not a survival game, unlike others. When the player's balloons are all popped in that game, the player lose a point and get 3 new balloons.
Bob-omb Blast
In this mode, all items are Bob-ombs, and players can stack up to five Bob-ombs per character on their kart. When another player is hit by a Bob-omb explosion, that player loses a point (if he has one) and the other player gains it. The player who reaches three points first wins.
Coin Runners
This game mode is similar to Shine Runners; the teams must collect as many coins as they can. There are coins set on the stage from the beginning, and some that drop as the battle goes on. If a player with coins is hit by an item or falls off the stage, they will lose half of their coins. The team with the most coins at the end of the time limit wins.
Shine Runners
Shine Runners replace Shine Thief in Mario Kart DS. Instead of one Shine Sprite there are many Sprites. After about thirty seconds, the player with the least Shine Sprites is eliminated. This continues until only one player is left.
Shine Thief
In this mode, there is a Shine Sprite on the track which can be collected. As soon as a player has collected the Shine Sprite, a countdown starts. When it is over and the player is still holding the Shine Sprite, he wins.
Other players can steal the Shine Sprite by first hitting the player with it with any item, and then recolleting the Sprite themselves. The countdown is reset after this, but it starts at a lower level each time.
Grand Prix
The Grand Prix (known as Mario Kart GP or simply Mario GP before Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) is a game mode in the Mario Kart series. In this mode, eight drivers (or 12 in Mario Kart Wii) race a series of courses from a certain Cup and get points depending on their position when reaching the finish line. In Mario Kart Super Circuit and Mario Kart DS, there was an additional ranking system rating the quality of a player's race performance. After all tracks are finished, points are summed up and the three drivers with the most points get Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cups. Finishing a Grand Prix race with a certain score sometimes unlocks other Cups, drivers or karts.
Nitro Grand Prix
In Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, there is a section of the Grand Prix mode called Nitro Grand Prix (also referred to as Nitro GP or NGP for short). It is one of two sections of the Grand Prix mode. In the Nitro Grand Prix, there are four different cups to choose from: The Mushroom Cup, the Flower Cup, the Star Cup, and the Special Cup.
In Mario Kart DS, in order to play the Star Cup, the player must place first in the Mushroom Cup and the Flower Cup (it does not matter which order). Then, in order to play the Special Cup, the player must place first in the Star Cup. By placing first in the Special Cup, the player will unlock something depending if it is played on 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, or 150cc Mirror.
Retro Grand Prix
In Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, there is a section of the Grand Prix mode called Retro Grand Prix (also referred to as Retro GP or RGP for short). It is one of two sections of the Grand Prix mode. In the Retro Grand Prix, there are four different cups to choose from: The Shell Cup, the Banana Cup, the Leaf Cup, and the Lightning Cup.
In order to play the Leaf Cup, the player must place first in the Shell Cup and the Banana Cup (it does not matter which order). And in order to play the Lightning Cup, the player must place first in the Leaf Cup. By placing first in the Lightning Cup, the player will unlock something depending if it is played on 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, or 150cc Mirror.
Trivia
- The Mario Kart series is referenced to in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door by Luigi, who, while telling Mario about the races on Circuit Break Island, briefly mentions racing in karts previously.
- In the main games (not including the GP series), there has been at least one Mario Circuit, one Bowser Castle, one Rainbow Road, one Ice-themed course, and one Beach-themed course.
- In the American and European versions of Mario Kart 64, "Circuits" were renamed "Raceways".
- Despite the main logo design for the games Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii were changed, the banners at the beginnings of courses remained the original design.
- Mario, Luigi, and Bowser are classified in the same weight in every Mario Kart title.
