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Least ambitious Mario Kart
- Thread starter sox
- Start date
I feel people are answering this thread with "the mario kart i dont like" is the least ambitious
Let's see:
-Can't be the first as it revolutiized the whole racing genre.
-Not the second either. It was hugely ambitious, adding 4 players and a much improved battlemode
-I can't comment on Super Circuit. Never played
-DD added lan play, 480P, two cart mechanic, and the GOAT track--Baby Park
-MKDS added online play and mission mode
-MKWii added bikes
-MK7 added gliders and underwater sections
-MK8 was the first HD MK8. The production values and assets were through the roof. The soundtrack was also incredible and two DLC packs.
-MK Tour added tons of stuff that will probably come to the console mainlines.
It's Wii.
-Can't be the first as it revolutiized the whole racing genre.
-Not the second either. It was hugely ambitious, adding 4 players and a much improved battlemode
-I can't comment on Super Circuit. Never played
-DD added lan play, 480P, two cart mechanic, and the GOAT track--Baby Park
-MKDS added online play and mission mode
-MKWii added bikes
-MK7 added gliders and underwater sections
-MK8 was the first HD MK8. The production values and assets were through the roof. The soundtrack was also incredible and two DLC packs.
-MK Tour added tons of stuff that will probably come to the console mainlines.
It's Wii.
I'd say Super Circuit. It's fine as a throwback to the SNES game but I didn't find the track designs nearly as enjoyable.
This is crazy talk. 7 set up the franchise for 8 by doing things like breaking the cart down into component parts, adding gliders and underwater segments (thank you entremet for the reminder), and drifting changes.
This is crazy talk. 7 set up the franchise for 8 by doing things like breaking the cart down into component parts, adding gliders and underwater segments (thank you entremet for the reminder), and drifting changes.
26.7% of voters need to explain how Mario Kart 7 can be less ambitious than it's HD port Mario Kart 8.
Yes, tracks which had literally been done before.
You got me tbf
that post combined with that avatar...i had to laugh.
Actually a hard question.
SNES first one
64 move to 3d and a really really fun battle mode (prefere it 10 times to the first one)
GBA first portable one
GC - 2 person carts
DS - online?
Wii - bikes?
3DS - gliders and underwater
8 - anti gravity
if i would go by which ones i like:
8 > Wii/64 > GC > SNES/GBA (not played 3DS and DS one)
Some of them seem to be more gimick than progression (8, GC)
you could argue 8 since the anti gravity is just a gimick, but its th most ambitious in presentation and the place where it just feels so great that im not shure where to go from here.
Probably one of those: 64, 7, Wii
I forgot about antigravity.
You know what antigravity gave us? The closest thing to an F-Zero sequel :(
It's absolutely Super Circuit; which the only novelty is be a Mario Kart on a handheld. The graphics are downgraded from 64, while the execution is similar to Super. The only really "ambition" was adding the whole set of course tracks from Super Mario Kart (thus, in a way, starting the trend of Retro courses in the series)
There are better Kart racers on GBA too (Konami Krazy Racers and Crash Nitro Kart)
There are better Kart racers on GBA too (Konami Krazy Racers and Crash Nitro Kart)
Out of the MK games I've put any fair amount of time in, 7 is by far the one that least stands. I was actually thinking of selling it because there's no reason ( for me anyway) to go back to it if you have the Switch version.
=(
the trackdesign is way more creative because antigravity...but i feel its more a pressentational thing than something that changes how you play. its never "antigravity", you are moving still (mostly) on a 2d plane, but that plane has an exuse to wind way more in the 3d space than pefore.
I honestly get the feling that most of them have something to keep them still interesting/unique, except 7, that one looks like a prototype for 8? so since we can have 8 on the go, 7 lost all its reason to exist?
not sure what's with all the votes for 7. it was coming off the back of one of the worst games in the series and turned out not only to be really great but the foundation for the best MK ever.
in fact, you could argue 8 is the least ambitious because even though it's phenomenal, out of all MKs it's the closest to its predecessor.
in fact, you could argue 8 is the least ambitious because even though it's phenomenal, out of all MKs it's the closest to its predecessor.
7 was incredibly generic. It just lacked any sort of personality and I actually got bored driving around the tracks.
Super Circuit was the first handheld Mario Kart game and looked great at the time it came out.
Super Circuit was the first handheld Mario Kart game and looked great at the time it came out.
Im pretty sure there was more thought put into the new track design and the whole remakes track design of mario kart 8, the menu design and how the music work on everything than the shitfest that was the double player karts of double dash, and thats really the only "innovation" of that game.
After 8 double dash is the mario karts ive played more, becuase it was the multiplayer go game after smash with some friends years ago when we went 1 or 2 days each week during whole years to play to his home. And i still think is a bad mario kart.
After 8 double dash is the mario karts ive played more, becuase it was the multiplayer go game after smash with some friends years ago when we went 1 or 2 days each week during whole years to play to his home. And i still think is a bad mario kart.
In Wii's defense, aside from the bikes it also introduced the aspect of trick jumps to the series. Motion controls were also a huge addition although obviously aren't an influence on the series now aside from Labo support.
I like to credit retro tracks to MK DS more than Super Circuit because the former expanded the track selection to all previous entries, and also because Super Circuit didn't go far enough imo in doing the SNES tracks justice since things like the backgrounds were reused from its main tracks rather than recreating SNES ones.
I like to credit retro tracks to MK DS more than Super Circuit because the former expanded the track selection to all previous entries, and also because Super Circuit didn't go far enough imo in doing the SNES tracks justice since things like the backgrounds were reused from its main tracks rather than recreating SNES ones.
I'd go with Wii - motion control and bikes, barely a step up on a technical and production value level.
Mario Kart 7 introduces customisable Karts and Kart components as well as underwater sections and glidings, mechanics which made their way into 8, and I also think in terms of track design, visual design etc it was a step up over Wii. I also think Super Circuit deserves credit for containing 20 new courses (ok, some of them are variations, but it's more than the 16 included in other games) plus 20 courses from the SNES version - it's a generous game, especially when Nintendo could've ported the SNES courses and called it a day. For its time, Super Circuit is a gem.
Mario Kart 7 introduces customisable Karts and Kart components as well as underwater sections and glidings, mechanics which made their way into 8, and I also think in terms of track design, visual design etc it was a step up over Wii. I also think Super Circuit deserves credit for containing 20 new courses (ok, some of them are variations, but it's more than the 16 included in other games) plus 20 courses from the SNES version - it's a generous game, especially when Nintendo could've ported the SNES courses and called it a day. For its time, Super Circuit is a gem.
8 is the least ambitious, it's just a better looking 7. With each prior entry you can point to something that was added to the gameplay, there isn't anything substantial added to 8. 7 added gliding, Wii added bikes, DS added online, Double Dash added the dual-rider feature, Super Circuit brought the game portable for the first time, 64 was the first 3D, and Super Mario Kart is the original. 8's biggest update was that it looks better.
Heck, in original 8 they reused regular tracks as battle courses, that's the opposite of ambitious.
That's not to say that 8 isn't good, it's still one of the best Mario Kart games, but a game can be amazing and also not ambitious.
Heck, in original 8 they reused regular tracks as battle courses, that's the opposite of ambitious.
That's not to say that 8 isn't good, it's still one of the best Mario Kart games, but a game can be amazing and also not ambitious.
i still can't believe someone made this and thought it was goodAll of them
and then an editor looked at it and said yes this is good
On top of unabashedly boasting the greatest production values of the series yet, Mario Kart 8's main gimmick is more conducive to large scale inventive track design and player interaction (on top of making the retro courses a lot more radically reinvented - particularly the GBA tracks), it gave us GOAT courses like Mount Wario, the Deluxe version added the best battle mode of the series since Double Dash (even if it took us a while to finally get it), the character roster is way better, 200cc completely changed the playing field, it dips into more crossover elements, and overall better online.
Looking back at 7, I feel like it only really served as a foundation for a bigger game.
Mario Kart 8 definitely borrows so many aspects of its core gameplay from 7, but I think it still made some great additions. Anti-gravity is largely visual yes, but it does change your interactions by giving boosts when you bump into objects, and can also lead to multiple routes on tracks like how you can take the main path or run alongside the wall in Thwomp Ruins.
Also MK8 deserves props for its handling of the retro tracks, since it put a lot of effort into making them feel brand new rather than just moving them over from the old games. Ribbon Road is a perfect example of this.
I'm not giving kudos to 8's battle mode though since that was by far the series' worst, and it took a next gen re-release to make it incredible.
Also MK8 deserves props for its handling of the retro tracks, since it put a lot of effort into making them feel brand new rather than just moving them over from the old games. Ribbon Road is a perfect example of this.
I'm not giving kudos to 8's battle mode though since that was by far the series' worst, and it took a next gen re-release to make it incredible.
Has to be 8, surely?
It's a great game, but the only things it brought to the table was anti-grav (which CNK did way more interestingly a decade before), a season pass and content from other IPs. Everything else was just polished versions of ideas and mechanics from past titles.
It's a great game, but the only things it brought to the table was anti-grav (which CNK did way more interestingly a decade before), a season pass and content from other IPs. Everything else was just polished versions of ideas and mechanics from past titles.
Super Circuit is my vote. It was a mode 7 retread of the original developed outside Nintendo. It's certainly the cheapest feeling MK in terms of budget and scope.
Surprised MK7 is ranked so high, did people who voted for it even played it? MK8 riffed on so many things from 7.
Surprised MK7 is ranked so high, did people who voted for it even played it? MK8 riffed on so many things from 7.
Out of the ones I have played which is any non handheld MK it has to be 8 for me, it didn't really add anything that I thought was that big of a deal. Anti Grav is cool I guess. It's still a great game regardless.
That's me. I love the MK series, but i wont touch that game till they add controller support.
You tapped into the acceptable answer I had in the back of my mind, which is that anti-gravity is the first idea the series has had to level the playing field between those stuck in the pack and the leader playing time trial uncontested up front since the spiny shell - and a more ingenious one at that. But Mario Kart 8 is not daring enough to leverage its main innovativion as more than a gimmick on par with glider or underwater sections.
Beyond that, console production values aren't more ambitious than doing great things on handheld and 7 had a battle mode by default while 8 tied balloons to some karts and dumped them on reused tracks, plus Queen Bee just barely trumps Pink Gold Peach.
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i get you, but it's not really the "least ambitious", especially in terms of characters and content and updates.
This. And I don't mind because 7 was awesome and I really like the gameplay.
Maybe people forgot, but 8 had a terrible undercooked battle mode.
At least, 8 Deluxe add double objects, a real battle mode, assist mode. So, even 8 => Deluxe 8 is more ambitious than 7 => 8, which says a lot.
Definitely not Super Circuit. First portable entry, highest track count in the series for a long time, and went farther with it's shortcut design than any other MK game up to that point.
Not really understanding how this is winning when Wii and 8 exist.
Not really understanding how this is winning when Wii and 8 exist.
Didn't 7 allow you to create private "rooms" for online play though? I actually feel like the DS/3DS games had some online features 8 strangely doesn't
Resolution is not a feature lol. Each of those systems was a different resolution
Super Circuit was a pretty impressive landmark title for the first handheld Mario Kart, I wouldn't say it was unambitious at all.
I originally checked 7, but it introduced a fair bit, even if it cut a few features. 8 (sans DLC, without the proper battle mode) is by far the least ambitious - it basically just had very nice graphics going for it. Even its character roster was kinda crap.
Wii is probably my least favorite by virtue of not being able to remember anything from it, but it was certainly ambitious with its bikes and motion controls.
I originally checked 7, but it introduced a fair bit, even if it cut a few features. 8 (sans DLC, without the proper battle mode) is by far the least ambitious - it basically just had very nice graphics going for it. Even its character roster was kinda crap.
Wii is probably my least favorite by virtue of not being able to remember anything from it, but it was certainly ambitious with its bikes and motion controls.
I agree. I'm jealous of all those tracks. I wish we had them on console.
7 is pretty much a solidly put together rush job to prop up the 3DS in its early days, basically carrying over the same gameplay with the slightest of twists in gliding.
The fact it drops features from the already pretty safe MkWii seals its fate.
The fact it drops features from the already pretty safe MkWii seals its fate.
I can't be as harsh on the handheld versions because they have less to work with. Super Circuit wasn't bad considering the hardware and 7 introduced gliding and going underwater if I'm remembering correctly. For me, the most bland entry has to be the Wii version. I don't remember it being anything special or introducing anything special other than holding the Wiimote sideways and being able to use it like a steering wheel. But it seemed like a gimmick more than a fun way to play for me personally.
I strongly disagree with the notion that Mario Kart 8 is the least ambitious game in the series.
The base game had 32 tracks across 8 cups. The Expansion Pass added 16 more which is equivalent of 50% of the games track count at launch, pumping up the totals to 48 tracks in all, the largest in terms of variety in the series to date. The most notable thing though is 25 of the 48 tracks are all entirely new. So the updates were substantial with the majority of being new content despite the remakes of older tracks such as SNES Rainbow Road for example.
There is no case that adding 25 entirely ALL NEW tracks implies a lack of ambition, the most new tracks added to a single MK game to date, and I'm not even getting into the new drivers added that weren't in a previous game either.
The base game had 32 tracks across 8 cups. The Expansion Pass added 16 more which is equivalent of 50% of the games track count at launch, pumping up the totals to 48 tracks in all, the largest in terms of variety in the series to date. The most notable thing though is 25 of the 48 tracks are all entirely new. So the updates were substantial with the majority of being new content despite the remakes of older tracks such as SNES Rainbow Road for example.
There is no case that adding 25 entirely ALL NEW tracks implies a lack of ambition, the most new tracks added to a single MK game to date, and I'm not even getting into the new drivers added that weren't in a previous game either.
Gotta go with Wii. After DS took the series to another level, opened up the franchise to online play, and still kept the absolutely nuts gameplay from 64, Wii felt like a massive step back.
Even if the DLC and Deluxe content isn't counted, vanilla 8 shouldn't be put at the bottom. Antigravity had as big a role in track design as the gliding had in 7 (arguably more given how it was used to refresh the retro courses) and the way it recontextualized kart-to-kart contact had significant gameplay implications. The bump to HD led to a huge jump in production values including the expanded driver animations for the largest playable cast to that point, all of which could be viewed in their full glory thanks to the new replay system.