Speaking of Nintendo’s own games, I believe most readers will think of the “Super Mario” series! An uncle with big blue eyes, a playful mustache, and a red hat, in order to save Princess Brigitte who was captured by the villain Kuba, and the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom who were turned into bricks by Kuba, Mario started Embark on an adventure.
Since the launch of the Super Mario series, Nintendo has also launched a number of spin-off games, the most well-known of which is the family-friendly Mario Kart series. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Mario Kart, so let’s take a look back at the birth of this classic series!
When Mario gets in a kart –The Birth of Mario Kart
In 1990, the racing game “F-Zero” came out on the Super Nintendo (Super Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as Super Ren) console. -Zero was well received by players following its launch.
Nintendo wanted to further create a two-player game and decided to let Mario ride a kart to try it out, so “Mario Racing” was born.
Throwing bananas to disrupt opponents, collecting gold coins to increase speed, and battle mode to attack opponent’s balloons to win… These gameplays are still timeless today, 30 years later, and have inspired many game developers to develop ” “Sonic Drift”, “Thylacine Attack Racing” and other works.
Since the launch of “Mario Kart”, as long as Nintendo launches a new game console, the sequel to “Mario Kart” will basically be released, even mobile games are no exception.
With cumulative sales of 168 million units, Mario Kart is the highest-grossing franchise in the Super Mario spin-off.
Whenever we reunite with family and friends during the holidays, and think of party games on the Switch, there is always a trace of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition. As soon as the game is opened, the atmosphere at the scene will be lively!
♦︎ TO Recommended reading:[We all have such a friend around us]I hit the Switch so much that my thumb hurts, doctor: This is called Nintendo inflammation
“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition” is finally updated following 5 years, but the players’ reactions are very polar?
“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition” was one of the first flagship games of the Nintendo Switch when it came out. As of the end of June 2022, global sales have reached 46.82 million sets, beating “Collect!” Animal Crossing is the best-selling game on Nintendo Switch.
The game has been released for nearly 5 years, and the official has not released a sequel. In February of this year, the Nintendo press conference finally announced that the game will launch the “Track Pass” in the form of DLC, adding 48 classic tracks and dividing it into 6 releases.
If players want to experience the new classic track, they can buy a track pass for 2,500 yen through a buyout, or they can join the Nintendo Switch Online + expansion pack to play directly.
While the introduction of the new track has kept die-hard players enthusiastic regarding the game, not all players were happy with the first wave of DLC.
Some players have reported that the tracks added through the pass are not as fun as the original tracks, and some believe that many of the new tracks are even transplanted from the mobile game Mario Kart Tour.
According to Oliver Mackenzie, a veteran game reviewer, the excellent Mario Kart 8 tracks have challenging fast corners, gravity-defying anti-gravity elements, and track shortcuts are often dangerous.
In contrast, most of the new tracks are relatively calm, the overall planning is leisurely, the track features are not so interesting, and there are few ways to transform vehicles.
♦︎ TO Recommended reading:[With video]You can play Mario racing on Switch! Do you want to watch the screen or the runway?
Analyst: “Mario Kart 9” may be released with the new machine!
Now that “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition” has now become the Switch sales champion, players will of course look forward to Nintendo’s new works in the future, what new tricks can be played.
Serkan Toto, CEO and analyst at game industry consultancy Kantan Games, estimates that the sequel to Mario Kart will likely not be officially released until following 2024.He believes that when the Switch launches a new console, “Mario Kart 9” is likely to be released along with it.
As for how to break through the game and once once more achieve a peak in sales? Toto believes that Nintendo must look at the franchise in a new light,It can’t just copy the successful experience of “Mario Kart 8”, but to introduce some new gameplay.
“Mario Kart 64” can improve the speed by flicking the tail successfully, “Mario Kart 7” has added a glider, when the player hits a ramp and can fly briefly, and “Mario Kart 8” has added Anti-gravity mechanism that turns walls and ceilings into part of the race track.
Constant exploration and innovation have become the key to never getting tired of playing the game. As long as Nintendo is still around, I believe that Mario Kart can run a few more laps.
This article is open to partners for reprinting, reference source:BBC、Eurogamer、Inverse the source of the first picture:Nintendo、Unsplash
