Some days I just feel totally braindead, and too tired to dive into a 70 hour JRPG with complex mechanics and more text than, uh... Anna Karenina. Those are the days I pop up Mario Kart.
Now, I will admit, my Mario Kart experience is pretty much limited to Mario Kart 8, 7, and DS; also having experienced some of the Wii game at parties and such, however.
I do know what I love about Mario Kart though, and that is the interactive environments (all the different shortcuts, things that pop up on stage, and the like), and in general just a ton of possibilities and learnable skills that make getting better at the game fun. Hell, even the times I lose in Mario Kart (which have been frequent recently, since I'm pretty rusty), I still have a lot of fun. The adrenaline rush of all the shells being thrown, all the karts being bumped, and the acceleration to the finish line all add up to one of the best competitive/multiplayer game series. When I was younger, my sibling said that "there was always a way back in Mario Kart" (or something like that). Meaning that even if you get into 7th place on lap 2, anything could happen and you could very likely get into 1st place in lap three. This ability for comebacks is really what makes these games shine, in my opinion.
I think the problem with Super Circuit is that it foregoes a lot of the aforementioned things - yet, I can't find a reason to blame it for doing so. Mario Kart on the GBA seems like a tough enough thing to attain. Still, a lot of sacrifices were made for this goal.
The tracks are kind of boring, is my first critique. To explain: I think while the idea of having a static backdrop and a pseudo 3D track is kind of what most GBA kart racers opt for, I also think it kind of takes away a real sense of exploration of these tracks. A sense of landmarks. Luckily, there are environmental obstacles and little graphics scattered about in a lot of the stages, such as Snow Land with all it's penguins. However, it never really breaks up the monotony of the stages.
Of course, I can't imagine any way they wouldn't have static backdrops and integrated some kind of pseudo 3D onto the GBA (kind of like some games did). This would likely not turn out well.
Yet, the theming of the levels was kind of bland - in other games we get stuff such as theme parks, cruise ships, and generally atmospheric areas to explore. I think the problem is this game opted more for "enviroments": swamp, sky, etc. which are kind of basic and not as fun to explore - since they are environments without landmarks or places to go.
Drifting is also kind of miserable, though I can't blame this game in particular, since the F-zero GBA games also control miserably in this way. Maybe (probably) I'm bad at the game, but it is a complete bump-fest and boy is there no sense of sticking to the ground or generally of being able to drift around corners smoothly. In fact, I found my strategy was always to slow my kart when going around corners. This was probably the basic Mario Kart strat before drifting came into play, but still, I don' like it :( (it's probably a me issue).
Super Circuit was a game that I found had kind of a blandness, even a loneliness to it. It definitely doesn't pop out at you, and while a lot of this can be attributed to the inherent difficulties of trying to put a Mario Kart game on the GBA, I think the game can take some responsibility for what seems like a rushed game without much intrigue as far as level theming, fun mechanics and the like go. It is fun, don't get me wrong. I do not want to be too hard on it, but it's just not my first pick for Mario Kart, although I can see myself playing it to wind down.
Now, I will admit, my Mario Kart experience is pretty much limited to Mario Kart 8, 7, and DS; also having experienced some of the Wii game at parties and such, however.
I do know what I love about Mario Kart though, and that is the interactive environments (all the different shortcuts, things that pop up on stage, and the like), and in general just a ton of possibilities and learnable skills that make getting better at the game fun. Hell, even the times I lose in Mario Kart (which have been frequent recently, since I'm pretty rusty), I still have a lot of fun. The adrenaline rush of all the shells being thrown, all the karts being bumped, and the acceleration to the finish line all add up to one of the best competitive/multiplayer game series. When I was younger, my sibling said that "there was always a way back in Mario Kart" (or something like that). Meaning that even if you get into 7th place on lap 2, anything could happen and you could very likely get into 1st place in lap three. This ability for comebacks is really what makes these games shine, in my opinion.
I think the problem with Super Circuit is that it foregoes a lot of the aforementioned things - yet, I can't find a reason to blame it for doing so. Mario Kart on the GBA seems like a tough enough thing to attain. Still, a lot of sacrifices were made for this goal.
The tracks are kind of boring, is my first critique. To explain: I think while the idea of having a static backdrop and a pseudo 3D track is kind of what most GBA kart racers opt for, I also think it kind of takes away a real sense of exploration of these tracks. A sense of landmarks. Luckily, there are environmental obstacles and little graphics scattered about in a lot of the stages, such as Snow Land with all it's penguins. However, it never really breaks up the monotony of the stages.
Of course, I can't imagine any way they wouldn't have static backdrops and integrated some kind of pseudo 3D onto the GBA (kind of like some games did). This would likely not turn out well.
Yet, the theming of the levels was kind of bland - in other games we get stuff such as theme parks, cruise ships, and generally atmospheric areas to explore. I think the problem is this game opted more for "enviroments": swamp, sky, etc. which are kind of basic and not as fun to explore - since they are environments without landmarks or places to go.
Drifting is also kind of miserable, though I can't blame this game in particular, since the F-zero GBA games also control miserably in this way. Maybe (probably) I'm bad at the game, but it is a complete bump-fest and boy is there no sense of sticking to the ground or generally of being able to drift around corners smoothly. In fact, I found my strategy was always to slow my kart when going around corners. This was probably the basic Mario Kart strat before drifting came into play, but still, I don' like it :( (it's probably a me issue).
Super Circuit was a game that I found had kind of a blandness, even a loneliness to it. It definitely doesn't pop out at you, and while a lot of this can be attributed to the inherent difficulties of trying to put a Mario Kart game on the GBA, I think the game can take some responsibility for what seems like a rushed game without much intrigue as far as level theming, fun mechanics and the like go. It is fun, don't get me wrong. I do not want to be too hard on it, but it's just not my first pick for Mario Kart, although I can see myself playing it to wind down.
There’s a few considerations to make when reviewing Super Circuit,
Firstly, where does it slot into the Mario Kart franchise? It is similar to Super Mario Kart, utilising Mode 7 and Super Scaler technology, features 20 tracks (as well as an additional 20 from Super Mario Kart as unlockables - gold cups in 150cc, then race them again and collect 100 coins).
There is also an overall improvement incorporating Mario Kart 64 items and drifting mechanics. And it reaches great heights with vivid sprite work.
However, I have seen the argument that it is not the most innovative Mario Kart title - which might be true at the time of Double Dash, today I feel the titles are more iterative or as with MK8D a foundation to build upon. I felt it improve upon Super Mario Kart in a meaningful way.
Lastly, I look towards the platform. Super Circuit is a top tier Game Boy Advance title and probably the best racer on the system.
My review score indicates where I think the game slots in as a GBA racer title, playability and it’s historic position.
Overall I had blast playing through the initial cups, followed by the SNES tracks. I might have played this initially on an emulator but it was cool revisiting it on the NSO service.
I’m tempted to try and get some people online to do battle and vs. modes. I’ll update this review if I get there.
The vs. mode is a cool addition but not substantially different to the SNES version overall.
Firstly, where does it slot into the Mario Kart franchise? It is similar to Super Mario Kart, utilising Mode 7 and Super Scaler technology, features 20 tracks (as well as an additional 20 from Super Mario Kart as unlockables - gold cups in 150cc, then race them again and collect 100 coins).
There is also an overall improvement incorporating Mario Kart 64 items and drifting mechanics. And it reaches great heights with vivid sprite work.
However, I have seen the argument that it is not the most innovative Mario Kart title - which might be true at the time of Double Dash, today I feel the titles are more iterative or as with MK8D a foundation to build upon. I felt it improve upon Super Mario Kart in a meaningful way.
Lastly, I look towards the platform. Super Circuit is a top tier Game Boy Advance title and probably the best racer on the system.
My review score indicates where I think the game slots in as a GBA racer title, playability and it’s historic position.
Overall I had blast playing through the initial cups, followed by the SNES tracks. I might have played this initially on an emulator but it was cool revisiting it on the NSO service.
I’m tempted to try and get some people online to do battle and vs. modes. I’ll update this review if I get there.
The vs. mode is a cool addition but not substantially different to the SNES version overall.
Believe it or not, Mario Kart: Super Circuit was just about the most exciting GBA game when it released. Mario Kart 64, in your pocket? Count me in!
The game hasn't aged gracefully though. The rustic graphics and tinny sound design still hold some charm but this is the easiest Mario Kart entry to completely pass over because it does nothing that literally every other instalment doesn't do so much better.
The game hasn't aged gracefully though. The rustic graphics and tinny sound design still hold some charm but this is the easiest Mario Kart entry to completely pass over because it does nothing that literally every other instalment doesn't do so much better.
Pros: Visually, it's a step up from Super Mario Kart, using models and concepts from Mario Kart 64 for the characters like Donkey Kong and Wario and items like triple shells and the notorious blue shell, which these visual facelifts also help make the game play better too. As now, it's easier to see objects coming up ahead on the road (particularly the item boxes, which are no longer flat textures that you have to drive over), and all characters on the track are more balanced using the same regular items, keeping the races frenetic and fun. There are plenty of creative tracks like Cheese Land, Ribbon Road, and Sky Garden that make this game a step above the SNES original. But, as an extra, every track from the SNES game is unlockable here as well! It's hard to deny this game as anything but better!
Cons: Generally, this feels like a step down from Mario Kart 64 though, as everything still has that "mode7" look and feel, which makes tracks less interesting, even if they have some creative background art and theming for a few tracks. Multiplayer is also Mario Kart's bread and butter, and even though this game does allow single card only multiplayer, where each player plays as a different colored Yoshi, it's kind of difficult to get a group together with four Super Circuit game paks, to play modes that require it, like Battle Mode... which, I barely played but once, and didn't feel much different than it did back on SNES. And yeah, similar to how the SNES didn't feel strong enough to truly deliver on an exciting Kart racer, the Game Boy Advance still wasn't strong enough to give us the most authentic Mario Kart experience either, and I'd say we didn't get that on a handheld until Mario Kart DS. But, for a GBA game, and when comparing to the SNES original, Super Circuit clears, it's the best of this "mode7" style of Mario Kart, for sure. Just wish Battle Mode was more accessible.
What it means to me: I didn't own this game as a kid, only played it at my step brother's house, and it was fun when we played multiplayer here and there, but just not fun enough, never got to the point where I loved the game. But hey, it's the first Mario Kart on a handheld system, that alone was pretty impressive!
Cons: Generally, this feels like a step down from Mario Kart 64 though, as everything still has that "mode7" look and feel, which makes tracks less interesting, even if they have some creative background art and theming for a few tracks. Multiplayer is also Mario Kart's bread and butter, and even though this game does allow single card only multiplayer, where each player plays as a different colored Yoshi, it's kind of difficult to get a group together with four Super Circuit game paks, to play modes that require it, like Battle Mode... which, I barely played but once, and didn't feel much different than it did back on SNES. And yeah, similar to how the SNES didn't feel strong enough to truly deliver on an exciting Kart racer, the Game Boy Advance still wasn't strong enough to give us the most authentic Mario Kart experience either, and I'd say we didn't get that on a handheld until Mario Kart DS. But, for a GBA game, and when comparing to the SNES original, Super Circuit clears, it's the best of this "mode7" style of Mario Kart, for sure. Just wish Battle Mode was more accessible.
What it means to me: I didn't own this game as a kid, only played it at my step brother's house, and it was fun when we played multiplayer here and there, but just not fun enough, never got to the point where I loved the game. But hey, it's the first Mario Kart on a handheld system, that alone was pretty impressive!
découvert sans nostalgie un bon jeux
One of the weaker Mario Kart entries in the series! The controls are janky! Despite that, it still has that Mario Kart charm everyone likes!
controls are a bit of a bitch to grapple with. they're fine to work around on the more forgiving tracks, but the second you get to the special cup it's all over. this gains a point over SMK for having actually interesting courses but the other mario karts far exceed it.
pretty fun game for a game boy advance
controls are pretty rough, levels are a bit basic, probably way better as multiplayer as most of the Kart games are.
Es pochillo pero te vale pa echar un rato muerto
My true childhood Mario Kart, if I don't count Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii and the Mario Kart GP Arcade games I would sometimes get to play (all of which are probably better).
I know everyone says Double Dash is the one Mario Kart that's worth going back to if you don't want to just play Mario Kart 8, but I disagree. Sure this thing is pretty old school, but it controls and looks so different than any other Mario Kart besides the original. The Super Circuit tracks are mostly really fun (fuck Snowland for them migraines tho) and getting all the Super Mario Kart tracks is a sick bonus. It's truly fun to get good at this game, as it feels so much more skill based than some of the newer titles.
I never got passed a few cups on 50cc when I was a little kid, so I'm glad I sunk like 9 hours into this to mostly complete it now. Overall it was worth it.
But man, the Choco Island tracks don't DESERVE the Sunset Wilds background and it's so SADDDD
played on NSO GBA
I know everyone says Double Dash is the one Mario Kart that's worth going back to if you don't want to just play Mario Kart 8, but I disagree. Sure this thing is pretty old school, but it controls and looks so different than any other Mario Kart besides the original. The Super Circuit tracks are mostly really fun (fuck Snowland for them migraines tho) and getting all the Super Mario Kart tracks is a sick bonus. It's truly fun to get good at this game, as it feels so much more skill based than some of the newer titles.
I never got passed a few cups on 50cc when I was a little kid, so I'm glad I sunk like 9 hours into this to mostly complete it now. Overall it was worth it.
But man, the Choco Island tracks don't DESERVE the Sunset Wilds background and it's so SADDDD
played on NSO GBA
Personally... probably one of the hotests takes I ever got... but this game is better than 7 & 64. Super circuit has more variety of the courses and actually fun to play on (mostly all), 7 feels their not trying and 64 while some tracks are ironic, are overshadowed by the remakes (with one expection that has been remade). But I really had fun in this game. Please don't attack me I love the Mario Kart series
it's okay but I will never go out of my way to play it again
To close out my quest of beating Mario Kart games I never quite finished as a child, I decided to boot up Super Circuit on my 3DS. I don't really remember if I'd ever beaten this game on the GBA as a kid. I do remember playing it a fair bit, but I also remember being confused on how new tracks were actually unlocked, so I'm doubtful if baby me ever actually properly completed it. It took me a bit over 3 hours to beat all of the normal courses on 50cc to 150cc in the English version of the game (but I didn't bother putting in the time to unlock or beat all of the SNES tracks, as I'd more than had my fill of those XP).
Being the 3rd entry in the series, Super Circuit is a weird beast in how it combines aspects of both the 2D SNES original with updates from the N64 title and beyond. For starters, it plays much more like the SNES title in that we're once again on flat tracks in a "Mode 7" style (although this isn't true Mode 7, of course). However, tracks have a bit more going on in them, a little like the N64 version, and items have been improved significantly (mostly in how the red shell FINALLY does not travel as the crow flies, so it finally has some greater utility as a catch up mechanic). Boasting multiplayer over cable connection and twenty tracks on its own (including an extra 20 in the form of unlockable SNES tracks), Super Circuit has quite the loadout when it comes to trying to outdo its console-borne predecessors.
As far as the racing goes, this is the first one that actually starts to feel fairer in a fun way. The AI does still feel a bit too rubberband-y when it comes to its competency, but it doesn't nearly feel like you're playing against a bunch of hackers like the first two games did. Sadly, the reintroduction of the Mode 7-like graphics style reintroduces the larger problem the first game had in regards to it being difficult to see gaps in the track. This is a problem worsened further by the small GBA screen (even playing it on my larger 3DS XL screen, it was still hard to do this). Another unfortunate callback to the SNES days is the reintroduction of the 3-life system, so even though your score in the cup can mean that you could get first place 3 times and still be assured a 1st place victory with 0 points scored in the last track, you still need to get 4th place or higher to not have to redo the track completely. That was a bad idea in 1992, and it is still bad in 2001.
One more small introduction to this game is that even though there are still only 8 racers, you have differences between them now in regards to their speeds and weights. The only issue with that is that it isn't balanced super great, and especially on higher difficulties, the way the AI spins you out if a heavier character bumps you can feel very overly mean when combined with their high-difficulty-cheat-speeds they can reach.
The presentation is very good, as would be expected from a Nintendo first party game. You have fast moving, colorful sprites, and very nice looking characters. The music is also very good, with lots of remixes of classics alongside new good tunes as well.
Verdict: Hesitantly Recommended. The jump from this to Double Dash!! would still be another massive leap in quality, but this is the first one of these three that I had enough fun with that I can actually recommend on any level. The later difficulties still get a bit too hard with how the AI can cheat, but it's nowhere near the level of how bad it can get in the previous two games. This is where Mario Kart actually starts getting fun beyond being a party vs. game, and it's a better game for it.
maybe ill pick this game up some other day but it has as much charm as a beer wall
God this game is so fucking SLIPPERY I never feel good playing this game.
still, the same flat design tracks as the super mario kart, it's just not fun for me, although it has some modern improvements over the original
I mean, they tried!
Super Mario Kart if it was actually good
no one needs this much mario circuit tracks
What
the most underrated mario kart game ever
É bom
Recuerdo que se controlaba como el ojete.
a definicao de dificuldade artificial . no 150cc vc pode estar c uma vantagem de 5km e mesmo assim os bots vao te alcancar em 5 segundos
Received as a gift back when I was really getting into the Mario Kart series, unlocked and cleared the Special Cup, probably in 50cc. It's not a bad game per se, but like Super Mario Kart, it's too early of an entry in the series for me to truly enjoy it. I will not be returning to this title.
The best Mario Kart up to this point, this is pretty much a mix of the best parts of SMK and MK64. It even has all of SMK's tracks here. I like this game a lot more than I should.
If you're interested in Mario history or seeing what some of your friends might have grown up addicted to (if you didn't have it yourself on GBA), this is a diversion worth checking out for a little while. I basically just played through every cup to get a win on 100cc and roll credits ... had I spent more time with the game trying to take it seriously, I think the more frustrating aspects would have gotten on my nerves far more. But I don't need to unlock the SNES courses because I already played way too much SMK growing up (which may be why I was primed to cut this game some slack).
Still, I think the aesthetics and track ideas here are really nice, considering the limitations they had to work with, and started to lay the groundwork for some of the really cool ideas the MK series went on to explore. Intelligent Systems brought the same care and creativity for the Mushroom Kingdom that they were introducing in Paper Mario at this time (even literally including Bowser's floating castle from the first PM game). Including their love of Yoshi's Island elements and stylistic inspiration.
I dunno, people seem quick to write this one off, but I think it has its charm. There's very little reason to go back to it, of course, except as a curiosity. See what it's all about, and if you hate the controls, it's fine to leave this one in the past.
Still, I think the aesthetics and track ideas here are really nice, considering the limitations they had to work with, and started to lay the groundwork for some of the really cool ideas the MK series went on to explore. Intelligent Systems brought the same care and creativity for the Mushroom Kingdom that they were introducing in Paper Mario at this time (even literally including Bowser's floating castle from the first PM game). Including their love of Yoshi's Island elements and stylistic inspiration.
I dunno, people seem quick to write this one off, but I think it has its charm. There's very little reason to go back to it, of course, except as a curiosity. See what it's all about, and if you hate the controls, it's fine to leave this one in the past.
It's basically a combination of 64 and Super, where you should 100% play this above Super. It's dumb that you essentially have to play all the cups twice for each CC rank just to play the SNES course remakes.
The only other 2D Mario Kart after the original Super Mario Kart, one of the nicest things to be said about Mario Kart: Super Circuit is at least it improves over its SNES predecessor (kinda?) The track variety is better at least, even though there's even more Bowser's Castles this time around.
One redeeming and better-aged attribute of Super Circuit is the track backgrounds, like the dynamic Sunset Wilds or the colorful Ribbon Road. They're vibrant and charming to look at on their own, but the moving and turning sprites on top of everything during the chaos of a race can make the screen into a headache simulator. The screen-shake effect on Snow Land is especially bad in this regard. The flat, 2D nature of some of these tracks can even result in jump ramps causing the player to go backwards in the course if taken at the wrong angle, pretty easy to have happen considering how many of these are placed right after turns.
The key problem here and most surefire way to kill a racing game is the poor control scheme. It's as if every road is ice while your tires have been coated in butter, drifting just does not feel intuitive or responsive, especially when coming from any later Mario Kart game. My goal with this game was just to beat all of the Grand Prix on 150cc, and it took some real effort learning the controls to have a shot at this. There's something to be said for a game not holding the player's hand and providing a challenge, but maybe the hyper-casual Mario racing game wasn't the place for it.
The Special Cup is a nightmare. Lakeside Park has multiple locations where taking turns the wrong way can send the player over 20 seconds backwards in the track. Broken Pier is one of the worst and most frustrating Mario Kart tracks I've ever seen. Parts of Bowser's Castle 4 are so cramped and narrow for no reason, awkward to drive and seeming ill-suited for a race with eight participants. Even Rainbow Road is a letdown compared to other iterations in the series.
Getting any place below 4th forces the player to use a continue (???) which just felt strange in a Mario Kart game. There's 3 total before a game over, even finishing the last race of a grand prix in 5th while still having enough points for first overall will force the player to try again.
On the bright side, some of the easier courses that actually have room to drive without fighting for your life on every turn feel anywhere from decent to enjoyable. There's also some decent music for what the GBA speakers are capable of, Sky Garden's track was always a standout to me.
Despite this review mostly being an onslaught of criticism, Super Circuit is salvaging a 2-star review here mostly on the grounds that any racing game on the Game Boy Advance probably wasn't going to hold up well 20+ years later. It was a solid effort for the first portable Mario Kart game on limited hardware, but alas, the gameplay is too slippery and not fun enough to rank much higher than near the bottom of the the Mario Kart franchise.
2.0/5.0
One redeeming and better-aged attribute of Super Circuit is the track backgrounds, like the dynamic Sunset Wilds or the colorful Ribbon Road. They're vibrant and charming to look at on their own, but the moving and turning sprites on top of everything during the chaos of a race can make the screen into a headache simulator. The screen-shake effect on Snow Land is especially bad in this regard. The flat, 2D nature of some of these tracks can even result in jump ramps causing the player to go backwards in the course if taken at the wrong angle, pretty easy to have happen considering how many of these are placed right after turns.
The key problem here and most surefire way to kill a racing game is the poor control scheme. It's as if every road is ice while your tires have been coated in butter, drifting just does not feel intuitive or responsive, especially when coming from any later Mario Kart game. My goal with this game was just to beat all of the Grand Prix on 150cc, and it took some real effort learning the controls to have a shot at this. There's something to be said for a game not holding the player's hand and providing a challenge, but maybe the hyper-casual Mario racing game wasn't the place for it.
The Special Cup is a nightmare. Lakeside Park has multiple locations where taking turns the wrong way can send the player over 20 seconds backwards in the track. Broken Pier is one of the worst and most frustrating Mario Kart tracks I've ever seen. Parts of Bowser's Castle 4 are so cramped and narrow for no reason, awkward to drive and seeming ill-suited for a race with eight participants. Even Rainbow Road is a letdown compared to other iterations in the series.
Getting any place below 4th forces the player to use a continue (???) which just felt strange in a Mario Kart game. There's 3 total before a game over, even finishing the last race of a grand prix in 5th while still having enough points for first overall will force the player to try again.
On the bright side, some of the easier courses that actually have room to drive without fighting for your life on every turn feel anywhere from decent to enjoyable. There's also some decent music for what the GBA speakers are capable of, Sky Garden's track was always a standout to me.
Despite this review mostly being an onslaught of criticism, Super Circuit is salvaging a 2-star review here mostly on the grounds that any racing game on the Game Boy Advance probably wasn't going to hold up well 20+ years later. It was a solid effort for the first portable Mario Kart game on limited hardware, but alas, the gameplay is too slippery and not fun enough to rank much higher than near the bottom of the the Mario Kart franchise.
2.0/5.0