Here's where you can leave your thoughts regarding Mario Kart: Super Circuit for possible inclusion in the podcast when it's recorded.

I probably belong to a very small statistical minority in that Mario Kart: Super Circuit was my very first introduction to the Mario Kart series when it first came out. Looking back on it, it doesn't particularly stand out in any way, and it is one of the rare games I haven't felt compelled to revisit since. Still, the driving is fun, the tracks are varied and the sound effects are charming. I also remember the 150CC Special Cup being extremely challenging.

All in all, it doesn't reinvent the wheel(s), but it is a perfectly valid adaptation of the 2D Super Mario Kart formula on a handheld device. For what it's worth, I had more fun with it than with Mario Kart Wii.


Three Words Review: Simplistic Iterative Fun

It's never going to be anyone's favourite Mario Kart, but as the first handheld version of the game available, Super Circuit totally won me over at the time. Graphically it looked great, and it played fantastic too. Man, it was Mario Kart in my pocket! The Gameboy Advance is one of my all time favorite consoles, and this was a brilliant addition to its library. Does it hold up well? I don't know, a quick look on YouTube suggests it ran a lot less smoothly than I remember it, but I'll always look back fondly on the fun times I had with it.

I am a latecomer to every Nintendo console that has ever existed. I only recently bought a Wii U and a DS. I never owned a SNES until the SNES mini and (gameboy aside) I was usually a generation or two behind in picking up their consoles.

I have never owned a gameboy advance so never had the ability to play super circuit until 2018. I also have never really been a Mario Kart die hard fan. The series is arguably one of the quintessential couch multiplayer games and I was always late in buying the console so everyone had moved on by then.

For these reasons I have predominantly played most Mario kart games solo which I’m
sure has skewed my opinion of each iteration uniquely compared to those who have sampled in the multiplayer delights.

In my opinion super circuit is one of the best single player Mario kart experiences I have played to date. I think one of its main strengths is that it feels less unfair than other entries. Classic mario strategy for me has always been to race mediocrely then pip the leader to the finish line as they are inevitably pounded by weapons on the home stretch.

In this game I felt I was rewarded far more often for racing well and could seldom rely on those ahead of me faltering or being bombarded at the eleventh hour. It made for a far more enjoyable time.

Obviously when playing it on a DS in 2018 it seems unfair to comment on any of the game’s technical aspects. I suspect the graphics and sound quality were impressive on release whereas now they seem merely acceptable.

I’m glad I got the chance to play this and feel it is one of the best mario kart experiences I have ever had which is made all the more fun given it’s portable to boot.