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!