Friday, 2 May 2014

Super Mario Kart Memories


www.genkivideogames.com/japanese_imported_video_games.asp?pagetoshow=search&keyword=shvcmk


Few multiplayer games can surpass the simplicity of Super Mario Kart in battle mode. Genki may be showing our years, but the Super Famicom version worked a treat for us. Simple on screen graphics in modern day comparison, yet with Mode 7 power to ensure it zipped along full speed. Obtain the power up, destroy opponents balloons. Full stop (if they are indeed still called full stops this side of the pond...) Yet the twist seemed to lie in being able to use turtle shells in a defensive manner aswell as to attack with Genki's preferred weapon of the red shell having its homing capabilities. Few will forget the fear that was felt when realising a red shell yielding cart was in hot pursuit. Yet sharp cornering could help preserve that vital last
He is, indeed, behind you.
balloon from getting popped. Or perhaps grab a green shell, set it up as a reverse shield on the back of the cart and gain satisfaction from your opponent wasting a opportunity with the killer red. Or maybe a well timed star of invincibility to save your bacon with the beauty being players never knew the next power up coming: perhaps the foot would be on the other shoe within minutes?

The choice of kart was just as crucial as in the race with perhaps the smaller carts more suited to the tight
Decisions, decisions: bit of a Yoshi man meself like
manoeuvres required on the track. Yet veterans better than Genki's mere mortal status will no doubt have come to love the meatier machines of Bower's and Donkey Kong's carts. Then its the tactics: lie in wait for a passing kart in a discreet part of the course perhaps? Or lure an opponent out before out manoeuvring them to gain the upper hand? Few multiplayer games could claim to be as good in the plural player mode as the single player. Yet Mario Kart was worthy of this accolade. Granted Bomberman is superb fun and, kept simple without too much graphical candy or power up overload, is a piece of pure gaming joy in multiplayer mode. But the single player version doesn't reach such dizzy heights. An old school tennis title with all players visible on screen at once also works a treat in multiplayer mode. Something personal about being able to console (and taunt) your opponent mano e mano does something for Genki rather than an over the net jibe. Anyway, I digress. Multiplayer Mario Kart: pure gaming essence and soul food for the fingertips.