MK7 needs to be flipped with DS. I've always felt 7 to be a more boring version of DS. Especially with 7 reusing Wuhu Island up to 3 times in the new tracks.
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Kotaku: Let's Rank The Mario Kart Games, Worst To Best
- Thread starter ZeoVGM
- Start date
I think it was SMG that skewed my expectations. Seems like MK Wii has plenty of fans here, so you're definitely not alone!
I've never played a racing game that felt sooooooo slippery before this one. And it's not that great to look at either.
Double dash was so good. Choosing two characters based on their items and swapping to go for the right items at the right time was a great little mechanic that needs to come back somehow.
OP
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Because Mario Kart 8 was killing it, I literally added the option to select two games in the poll and based on the results, it seems as if people are still only picking Mario Kart 8.
I guess MK8 is pretty good, eh?
I guess MK8 is pretty good, eh?
I still only picked MK8. It's the only Mario Kart I'd consider to be great.
I've only played the home console versions but I think they've basically gotten better with every game. The only exception might be Double Dash and Wii being swapped. Maybe. I really liked the two character mechanic and unique items.
DS is my personal favorite for the online at the time, mission mode, and mechanics that clicked with me like no other game in the series. MKWii is the most interesting game competitively. 64 is also in that same tier, and is more accessible to newcomers in that regard since the competitive scene doesn't take advantage of wonky physics engine. MK8 is probably the strongest package, especially for the casual/average consumer.
I went with Wii but 8 is my second favorite so I added another vote for 8
DS is way too low on the list. It had a ton of amazing tracks, such as Luigi's Mansion, WaluigI Pinball and Aidship Fortress. It had the best battle mode courses. And it had a great roster too
Yeah, I don't get why people say that 7 has poor track design. Every one of these is great, and the Wuhu Island tracks set the stage for the brilliance of Mt. Wario.
I never actually liked the fact they stopped using just carts (or karts) and didn't that start with the GBA or DS entries?
Mario Kart 7 was wrongfully panned because it came out when the 3DS was still being maligned for being the 3DS.
I'm going to recommend changing Mario Kart 8's controls to act more like a racing game (ie use the triggers for acceleration) and play some more soon.
But all in all? MK 64 for me - the single player, multi and battle modes all were equal parts perfect in my eyes.
The end credits really showed off those beautiful courses, kinda wish we got more 3D games in those places. Especially Koopa Troopa Beach.
Mario Kart 7 was wrongfully panned because it came out when the 3DS was still being maligned for being the 3DS.
I'm going to recommend changing Mario Kart 8's controls to act more like a racing game (ie use the triggers for acceleration) and play some more soon.
But all in all? MK 64 for me - the single player, multi and battle modes all were equal parts perfect in my eyes.
The end credits really showed off those beautiful courses, kinda wish we got more 3D games in those places. Especially Koopa Troopa Beach.
Mk7 the worst. The best bet in a lot of races was to stay a close second because of blue shells.
I can't vote it if I didn't play it!
Can't believe I still haven't gotten around to it honestly lol.
MK7 was pretty great. It felt like the game paved (pun intended) the way towards the power sliding and weapon balance bliss of MK8. It was also the first MK to have a solid and fun online mode. MKDS was half broken and full of cheaters/snakers.
But MKDS had the mission mode, ROB, and felt like a truly big jump for a handheld game. It also has a really great battle mode that introduced bots, and also had a true elimination style mode —> which we haven't had since IIRC.
So I give MKDS the slight* nod over MK7.
GTFO with Mario Kart Wii being that low on the list. One of the most impactful games of the 7th gen.
12 players chucking items and the tracks having to be wider could be a bit much. 7, DS, and 8 are definitely the best and double dash is super good especially if you were really into the GameCube at the time. My kids like to play it because of the two-in-one functionality.
Any Mario Kart where you have more options beyond "choose your character" cannot be the best Mario Kart. Shit's suppose to be dumb fun casual party garbage, not goddamned Gran Turismo.
I personally loved MK64 the best. Partially because I was in high school at the time and would play local multiplayer for hours on end. And partly because I felt like I had super precise control in that game. All the games that follow I feel like I'm being taken on a roller coaster rather than racing.
Opinions and all, but something being impactful doesn't necessarily mean that it's also one of the best.
My rankings:
1. Mario Kart 8 - Godlike in every aspect. The only flaw is no Diddy Kong.
2. Mario Kart Wii - This game is ugly as sin but captures the high speed spirit and craziness of the series
3. Mario Kart DS - Faithful translation of the series to a handheld. Maybe I'm a bit nostalgic since it was the first online Mario Kart (for me). Snakers go away.
4. Mario Kart 64 - FOUR PLAYER MARIO KART. It still has some of the best tracks and the king of battle maps: Block Fort
5. Mario Kart Super Circuit - Good for what it was, a Mario Kart game on GBA.
6. Super Mario Kart - This game actually made me nauseous the first few times I played it (something with the Mode 7), but it's a very solid start to the franchise. Maybe technically better than Super Circuit who cares.
7. Mario Kart Double Dash - I didn't like the twin racer gimmick at all and many of the maps, outside of the brilliant Baby Park, are incredibly boring.
8. Mario Kart 7 - I don't know why this game runs me the wrong way, but I didn't have fun with it at all. It just didn't control the way I wanted it too. Gotta give it props for introducing kart customization though.
1. Mario Kart 8 - Godlike in every aspect. The only flaw is no Diddy Kong.
2. Mario Kart Wii - This game is ugly as sin but captures the high speed spirit and craziness of the series
3. Mario Kart DS - Faithful translation of the series to a handheld. Maybe I'm a bit nostalgic since it was the first online Mario Kart (for me). Snakers go away.
4. Mario Kart 64 - FOUR PLAYER MARIO KART. It still has some of the best tracks and the king of battle maps: Block Fort
5. Mario Kart Super Circuit - Good for what it was, a Mario Kart game on GBA.
6. Super Mario Kart - This game actually made me nauseous the first few times I played it (something with the Mode 7), but it's a very solid start to the franchise. Maybe technically better than Super Circuit who cares.
7. Mario Kart Double Dash - I didn't like the twin racer gimmick at all and many of the maps, outside of the brilliant Baby Park, are incredibly boring.
8. Mario Kart 7 - I don't know why this game runs me the wrong way, but I didn't have fun with it at all. It just didn't control the way I wanted it too. Gotta give it props for introducing kart customization though.
1. 8 Deluxe
2. DS
8 is just amazing all around. DS is worth playing due to the amazing mission mode. The rest are just worse versions of these two and therefore irrelevant.
2. DS
8 is just amazing all around. DS is worth playing due to the amazing mission mode. The rest are just worse versions of these two and therefore irrelevant.
I don't really get the wider tracks complaint, I kind of like having more room at times plus the tracks tend to have more shortcuts and alternate paths than 8.
Mario Kart 8 is the best.
Mario Kart Wii is a close runner up. Motion controls were surprisingly tight.
Mario Kart Wii is a close runner up. Motion controls were surprisingly tight.
Exatcly. It's still trash now and shouldn't be so high. I'm glad the Wii version got dumped on, such a cheap version of MK. 8 reigning supreme makes me happy ^-^
The only interesting game mechanically is Double Dash. It requires a lot of thinking even in first place.
All the other games require
1. Know the track well enough to get in first early
2. Hold a green shell behind you
Double Dash felt like more of a slug fest battle game than a racing game. The rest just felt like zany racing games, which really aren't that fun. And Battle Mode has sucked for fifteen years.
All the other games require
1. Know the track well enough to get in first early
2. Hold a green shell behind you
Double Dash felt like more of a slug fest battle game than a racing game. The rest just felt like zany racing games, which really aren't that fun. And Battle Mode has sucked for fifteen years.
No fan of the hate for the original.
My top 3 is
Mario Kart 8 DX
Mario Kart Double Dash
Super Mario Kart
After that it's iffy.
My top 3 is
Mario Kart 8 DX
Mario Kart Double Dash
Super Mario Kart
After that it's iffy.
Mario Kart Wii is objectively the worst.
MK8 is damn good (Deluxe, obviously)
But I am the most fond of Super Circuit - real white knuckle tight Kart racing. Other games in the series are fun party racers, but SMK and Super Circuit are "true" Kart racers to those familiar with go-kart racing.
MK8 is damn good (Deluxe, obviously)
But I am the most fond of Super Circuit - real white knuckle tight Kart racing. Other games in the series are fun party racers, but SMK and Super Circuit are "true" Kart racers to those familiar with go-kart racing.
DS (Best Tracks)
8 Deluxe (Best Controls)
64 (Best music)
8 definitely has quantity on it side and it feels great, but the more I come back to it, the more I wish I actually liked more of the tracks.
Also, 8 Racers > 12
For the love of God, put MKDS on Switch like they did for the Wii U.
8 Deluxe (Best Controls)
64 (Best music)
8 definitely has quantity on it side and it feels great, but the more I come back to it, the more I wish I actually liked more of the tracks.
Also, 8 Racers > 12
For the love of God, put MKDS on Switch like they did for the Wii U.
It's Mario Kart DS for me.
...I might've been really, really good at snaking.
Mario Kart 8 (Deluxe) is easily my second-favorite after DS, though.
...I might've been really, really good at snaking.
Mario Kart 8 (Deluxe) is easily my second-favorite after DS, though.
That's a stretch. Just pick standard everything if you dislike options that much.
DS for me. Has the best tracks, and if you wanted to play online there was actually a pretty sizable skill gap between people who effectively power slide, and those who don't.
MKDS just seemed to have the best skill curve of a Mario Kart in a long while, and I miss that about MK.
MKDS just seemed to have the best skill curve of a Mario Kart in a long while, and I miss that about MK.
Mario Kart 64 is objectively the worst. Slippery controls, often broken physics and collision detection, muddy and unattractive mix of sprites and polygonal graphics, worst tracks in the series (it took the ingenious designers of 8 to fix a lot of them.) Doesn't hold up at all.
1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
2. Mario Kart 8
3. Mario Kart Wii
4. Mario Kart DS
5. Super Mario Kart
6. Mario Kart: Double Dash
7. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
8. Mario Kart 7
9. Mario Kart: Tour
10. Mario Kart 64
1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
2. Mario Kart 8
3. Mario Kart Wii
4. Mario Kart DS
5. Super Mario Kart
6. Mario Kart: Double Dash
7. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
8. Mario Kart 7
9. Mario Kart: Tour
10. Mario Kart 64
MK64 was kinda the essential MK experience for me, I really loved its simplicity but would have liked more maps I suppose.
MKWii was the one I played the most, that game somehow got my entire family into Mario Kart and my parents actually prefer it to MK8D (mostly because they miss all the Wii maps that didn't make the cut)
I'd have ranked those two slightly higher, but this is a pretty decent ranking all things considered.
MKWii was the one I played the most, that game somehow got my entire family into Mario Kart and my parents actually prefer it to MK8D (mostly because they miss all the Wii maps that didn't make the cut)
I'd have ranked those two slightly higher, but this is a pretty decent ranking all things considered.
What the hell is this narrative? There are very clear flaws to point to with MK7 and you think for whatever reason people just criticize it because 3DS, like 3D Land wasn't out at the same time crushing it.
I loved MK7 online, but as a single player experience it was a huge step back from the last two games. I couldn't even just practice with the computers outside of grand prix. Cool online and fun tracks, underwater racing is cool too, but come on.
Flip 7 and DS, and put both ahead of Double Dash. Also 8 needs to specifically be Deluxe. Even then I'd be tempted to bump DS even higher, hell of a game that one. It blew away every game in the franchise up to that point and truly elevated the series. Such good tracks/music/modes.
I really wish Mission Mode stayed with the franchise. :(
I really wish Mission Mode stayed with the franchise. :(
And yet it remains the default nostalgic pick for Mario Kart tournaments. I literally play this at bars on widescreens with people. The lags is apparent, but it controls fine for everyone.
Super Circuit is absolutely magnificent. I do still prefer Mario Kart 8 but I feel Super Circuit would be very highly regarded these days had multiplayer not been so much of a faff on GBA. It also has the best Rainbow Road, lined with jump pads. It made for hilariously panicked attempts to get back on track (or wild shortcuts for the more confident player).
It's definitely distinct enough from the original SMK to need its own poll option though.
They're mostly all great games though; Mario Kart 64 is the only one I don't enjoy playing (of the poll anyway; Tour isn't very good either).
It's definitely distinct enough from the original SMK to need its own poll option though.
They're mostly all great games though; Mario Kart 64 is the only one I don't enjoy playing (of the poll anyway; Tour isn't very good either).
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This is equally one of the strangest and worst takes I've ever read.
I agree 8 is the best, by some distance actually and I love the others. But I have super fond memories of the DS game. I was at uni and none of my mates played video games, whereas back home we were playing 64 and Smash Bros constantly. So the online mode in that was a real treat.
Nintendo have always had dogshit online but Mario kart was always the exception, it worked pretty flawlessly even on the DS
Nintendo have always had dogshit online but Mario kart was always the exception, it worked pretty flawlessly even on the DS