A great game, with great art, and lots more depth than you'd think. The balance between the diving and the kitchen felt very one-sided, and certain mechanics felt unfun to deal with (weapon upgrading, for instance).

In terms of its story, it's about what I expected; quite cliche, but with lots of charm. However, there were times when the story introduced elements that felt antithetical to the rest of the game.

In the end, I'd say it's still a great, well-made game and an enjoyable experience.

A really solid Mario Kart game, and therefore one of the best (arcade) racing games.

The deluxe edition takes everything from this game and then adds more to it, so it's impossible to give it better than 3.5/5.