Played as part of Atari 50.
Really not the worst thing in the world, it's very much just a SMK knockoff but with a kind of annoyingly prolonged progression system that gates off most of the game until you slog through the easy difficulties first. This was the 90s though, and releasing this a mere 1 year before MK64 really puts into perspective how much Atari was struggling to keep up with the industry.
Really not the worst thing in the world, it's very much just a SMK knockoff but with a kind of annoyingly prolonged progression system that gates off most of the game until you slog through the easy difficulties first. This was the 90s though, and releasing this a mere 1 year before MK64 really puts into perspective how much Atari was struggling to keep up with the industry.
Maybe the most decent Jaguar game i've played yet, i'm simply disappointed at how laggy it is.
Also, all those literally who Atari IP characters but no Yar from Yar's Revenge?💀
Also, all those literally who Atari IP characters but no Yar from Yar's Revenge?💀
(played as part of ATARI 50)
Okay so wait, are these other characters from Atari games, or is Bentley Bear the only one? I don't know which would be more embarrassing - that he's the only remotely recognizable one, or that they genuinely couldn't field a roster of eight for a mascot racer so they just got ONE and made the rest up themselves.
Anyway, it's pretty dire. Looks, sounds, and feels like a bad PC game. I played an entire circuit and never figured out if any of the powerups do anything, literally.
Okay so wait, are these other characters from Atari games, or is Bentley Bear the only one? I don't know which would be more embarrassing - that he's the only remotely recognizable one, or that they genuinely couldn't field a roster of eight for a mascot racer so they just got ONE and made the rest up themselves.
Anyway, it's pretty dire. Looks, sounds, and feels like a bad PC game. I played an entire circuit and never figured out if any of the powerups do anything, literally.
Fine enough Kart racer from Atari, not Mario Kart, but going into it expecting Mario Kart is pretty dumb, but gameplay wise it does a good job emulating it and being it's own thing. Biggest criticism i have is the lack of items not being clear as to wtf to do with that, that and the lack the dumb accidental reversing that happens if you break/turn too much.
Still though it's a fine Kart racer.
Still though it's a fine Kart racer.
ATARI KARTS FANS WHERE ARE YOU??????
Finally, three years after the release of Super Mario Kart, you can play a worse version with the bear from Crystal Castles.
The gameplay is kinda dick but the soundtrack SLAPS WOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
pffft hahaha
So if you turn too hard in this game you start to skid, or sometimes even spin out completely, so you have to keep letting go of the acceleration every time you make a turn in order to maintain any semblance of speed. Normally this type of thing wouldn't be too much of a problem, but it's a kart racer with a lot of turns.
Thankfully, Atari Karts features the funniest power-up I've ever seen in any racing game: the steering wheel. When you use this power-up, you, for a brief moment, are allowed to experience normal-ass turning without skidding, like literally every other kart racing game I've ever played.
This game sucks, but I'm gonna go ahead and give it an extra star because the playable rooster wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket goes hard.
Also THIS is the music that plays after you've finished a course. Hell, it's the music that plays after you've WON A GRAND PRIX.
Get off the track, Bentley Bear.
He looks like he was kidnapped and doesn't want to be here.
So if you turn too hard in this game you start to skid, or sometimes even spin out completely, so you have to keep letting go of the acceleration every time you make a turn in order to maintain any semblance of speed. Normally this type of thing wouldn't be too much of a problem, but it's a kart racer with a lot of turns.
Thankfully, Atari Karts features the funniest power-up I've ever seen in any racing game: the steering wheel. When you use this power-up, you, for a brief moment, are allowed to experience normal-ass turning without skidding, like literally every other kart racing game I've ever played.
This game sucks, but I'm gonna go ahead and give it an extra star because the playable rooster wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket goes hard.
Also THIS is the music that plays after you've finished a course. Hell, it's the music that plays after you've WON A GRAND PRIX.
Get off the track, Bentley Bear.
He looks like he was kidnapped and doesn't want to be here.
(Atari 50)
This feels competent but Bentley Bear and a bunch of random characters we made for this game do not have the star power you need for a mascot kart racer
This feels competent but Bentley Bear and a bunch of random characters we made for this game do not have the star power you need for a mascot kart racer
While it's definitely no Super Mario Kart, it's fine for what it is. The karts handle well enough and I actually do like a lot of the stage backgrounds. The powerups are a bit lame, but I think what actually holds the game back the most is the music - it is downright depressing in the menus and even a lot of the stages!
HOLY SHIIIIIIIIIIIIT
Super Mario Kart if it were defanged and declawed to the point of helplessness, and somehow having less star power than Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale.
Atari Karts has very little in the way of defending itself from the player. You have access to moderately decent control, and by "decent" I mean not constantly smashing your face into walls like in Checkered Flag. Meanwhile the CPU whimpers and lets you win, as if you were their boss and taking first from you meant them getting sent to the cobalt mines with a fractured ass and broken ribs. Items barely exist, as all of them are buffs like "extra speed, "extra traction", etc. No offensive power ups here, you're gonna need to find a more exciting kart racer elsewhere I'm afraid, we only accept fair and leisurely racing in Atari Land apparently.
If you were expecting a star-studded roster I'm afraid you'll be disappointed that the only character they could apparently pay to show up was Bentley Bear from Crystal Castles. I'm sure everyone was excited with childish glee to play as their favorite bear from their favorite arcade game, who somehow has less charisma than the skeleton and octopus they made solely for this game. I ended up using the demented snowman for my playthrough pretty much because I'm a massive mark for that dumb archetype that shows up in too much media.
You'd think with something like Atari they'd use stuff like the dragons from Adventure, the floating eyes from Haunted House, or even that red monster from the cover of Tempest 2000. Hell, I would've taken the green decapitated head from Cybermorph. Right away I've made a better roster than Miracle Designs did. Bentley Bear though! That'll put butts in seats and get all the kids scrambling to hop onto their Russian emulators to play Atari Karts!
BENTLEY BEAR!!!! YEEAGH!!! bashes can of A&W into my forehead multiple times
All apologies to Crystal Castles fans, I just think it's super funny that's the only playable cameo here.
Additional Note: It has also come to my attention that a cartridge of this game has sold on ebay for 400 bucks, so if you'll excuse me I got another game to add to my "Garbage That Goes For Too Much Money" list, even if it wasn't really that shitty. It's still dumb though.
Atari Karts has very little in the way of defending itself from the player. You have access to moderately decent control, and by "decent" I mean not constantly smashing your face into walls like in Checkered Flag. Meanwhile the CPU whimpers and lets you win, as if you were their boss and taking first from you meant them getting sent to the cobalt mines with a fractured ass and broken ribs. Items barely exist, as all of them are buffs like "extra speed, "extra traction", etc. No offensive power ups here, you're gonna need to find a more exciting kart racer elsewhere I'm afraid, we only accept fair and leisurely racing in Atari Land apparently.
If you were expecting a star-studded roster I'm afraid you'll be disappointed that the only character they could apparently pay to show up was Bentley Bear from Crystal Castles. I'm sure everyone was excited with childish glee to play as their favorite bear from their favorite arcade game, who somehow has less charisma than the skeleton and octopus they made solely for this game. I ended up using the demented snowman for my playthrough pretty much because I'm a massive mark for that dumb archetype that shows up in too much media.
You'd think with something like Atari they'd use stuff like the dragons from Adventure, the floating eyes from Haunted House, or even that red monster from the cover of Tempest 2000. Hell, I would've taken the green decapitated head from Cybermorph. Right away I've made a better roster than Miracle Designs did. Bentley Bear though! That'll put butts in seats and get all the kids scrambling to hop onto their Russian emulators to play Atari Karts!
BENTLEY BEAR!!!! YEEAGH!!! bashes can of A&W into my forehead multiple times
All apologies to Crystal Castles fans, I just think it's super funny that's the only playable cameo here.
Additional Note: It has also come to my attention that a cartridge of this game has sold on ebay for 400 bucks, so if you'll excuse me I got another game to add to my "Garbage That Goes For Too Much Money" list, even if it wasn't really that shitty. It's still dumb though.