User Reviews
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 Mario Kart 64 |  3.7
0 comments |
by  King ing
from Southampton, , England | Dec 12, 2007 |
THE GOOD:
+ Good courses
+ Good music
+ Fun multiplayer
+ Nice 3D courses...
+ Cool items
+ Cool battle playTHE BAD:
- ...however the characters are ugly and pixelated
- Nothing to unlock
- Not enough characters...
- ...or courses!
- Gets boring if you're on your own
- Computer AI is terrible
- Some pointless text popping up SUMMARY:
Mario Kart 64 is by far the worst Mario Kart in the series. Don't get me wrong, it's a good game. It lacks all the spit and polish that made all the other Mario Karts so great. With stupid cheating computers, poor character visuals and high repetition, Mario Kart 64 falls flat on its face.
GRAPHICS
MK64 has nice and detailed courses but the characters? Bleggh.
Mario Kart 64 does not put the Nintendo 64's graphics to superb use. The courses in MK64 are in gorgeous 3D, with nice texture and brilliant colours. However all this is let down by the look of the characters. They look ugly as hell. They are EXTREMELY pixelated and turn with the camera, making them look 2D. And these ugly pixel visuals DO NOT in ANY way cross over with the graphics of the wonderful 3D courses. Dissapointing.
GAMEPLAY
Don't expect the best MK play from MK64.
Mario Kart 64 is the traditional Mario Kart gameplay. You select a character and race him against the other 7 computers on any course. You get many wacky items from all MK games, like Speed Mushrooms, Banana Peels, Red & Green Shells and much more. The multiplayer in MK64 is fantastic. In 3 player and 4 player modes players can test their speed in a VS match or duke it out karting-style in the amazingly fun battle mode, where players have to hit each other with the many items and make each other lose all 3 balloons. The last person standing wins. But 2 player is the best. You get VS, Battle and a two player Grand Prix. How awesome! This is also very fun having a co-op GP with mates. But, however, MK64 has many spoils in its gameplay. I'll get to that in the BAD section.
MARIO KART 64 HAS NO STORY, SO STUFF THAT SECTION
BAD
MK64 is the black sheep of the MK series. Many bad sides.
Mario Kart 64 has many negative sides which made me give it a 3.7. Let us begin. First of all, there is NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING, to unlock in this game. No characters, courses, cups, NOTHING! Thats why this game is very boring with only one player, because doing all the races is pointless. I think you get a new title screen but that's about it. Rubbishness. Secondly, Mario Kart 64 has hardly any characters to play as. Only eight, in fact. And it only has 16 tracks, and mixing these two key bad sides gives you a high repetition level. This game really needed to include more characters from the Mario universe. Oh well. Thirdly, the computer AI in this is just so awful. The computers cheat like nutz. Even if you use 3 mushrooms, they still zoom right past you! And they seem to drive into obstacles on purpose and throw stuff like bananas in front of them and drive into them. WHAT? This is by far the best game for crappy CPU AI. Just dreadful. Also, MK64 has pointless and very annoying text coming up. When you try to do a power slide these weird letters come up (I think its E's?) and every time you jump it says BOING! And every time you land it says POMP! Look, Ninty, we know whats going on. We can see that we're boinging and pomping. No text. I have already talked about boring on your own and the ugly characters so that about covers it.
OVERALL
There above sits the black sheep of the Mario Kart series.
Mario Kart 64 should be enjoyable for die-hard MK fans. But simple Mario fans will be dissapointed with the lack of unlockables, cheating computers and high repetition. A dissapointment to the Mario Kart series.
FINAL SCORES
Neoscore------------3.7
% Score-------------73%
/10 Score-----------7/10
Grade---------------C- |
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| Mario Kart 64 - One Of The Early N64 Games That Could Still Hold Its Own. |  4.4
0 comments |
by  NSX
from , WA, United States | Jul 20, 2005 |
1996. This was really the year that changed the gaming world forever. The new Crash Bandicoot game for the Playstation swarmed the country. The Super Mario 64 game that was the start of the Nintendo 64 dominated the sales of that year, and has withstood the test of time. The SNES was unfortunately starting to decline, and the Sega Genesis and Saturn were also nearing their end. Also, with the release of Mario Kart 64, for the Nintendo 64, the racing category was certainly filled. Mario Kart 64 was really the beginning of racing for nowadays, because of the fact that it got much publicity, from the commercial of Donkey Kong slipping on a banana peel to the sunset, to the incredible multiplayer action.
Graphics
Even though the commercial looked surprisingly real, the environment in Mario Kart 64, while not nearly as impressive, is still savoring to the eye. Give it a break, it was a game that was released near the debut of the system released. Frappe Snowland, and Toad Turnpike, are two fairly good examples that show the visuals in action. I was kind of disappointed of the fact that the mini-snowmen were two-dimensional, and I was disappointed by the two-dimensional tires at Toad's Turnpike. It looked like the vehicles were on conveyor belts, and of course, that sets standards reasonably low. To the positives, though, which there are many. Mario Kart 64, while overly impressive with the features, uses a relatively simple tactic: background. One of the main things that have always been a problem in games is the background, but Mario Kart 64 does a fine job for Nintendo 64 standards. I thought that Mario Kart 64 had great visuals on the Rainbow Road, Yoshi Valley, Banshee Boardwalk, and Donkey Kong's Jungle Parkway, among others. This is definitely one of the more eye-candied games of the mid-90s.
Gameplay
Even with the fact that there is only sixteen courses in the game, not including four battle areas, with the multiplayer thrown in, you are in for a very hectic, yet significantly enjoyable ride. You get to play as eight characters, and all of them are the most popular in the Mario franchise. Mario, Toad, Peach, Luigi, Bowser, Yoshi, Wario, and Donkey Kong are available to play, and all are featured in a part of three different classes. In single-player, you go through four different championships of four races each, and you have time-trials. Other than that, there isn't much else you possibly could do in single-player. Multiplayer, however, is a totally different story. You still have the option to battle in the championships, and while not being able to play time trials, the Battle Mode, one of the best parts of the game, takes over in its place. The Battle Mode is, in fact, too addicting to get out of, and the fact that you have unlimited amounts of chances, obviously this is a recommended section of the game.
Sound
Not much to say here. Every track course has a different music feel to it, and both fit the tracks overall appeal perfectly. All eight characters' voices will get annoying after a while, and the fact that the same music is played in the menu over and over is a bit repetitive. Very simple, yet very original and complex at the same time. Although it is pretty straight-forward, the different item sounds do make the other competitors cringe at its feet, and the fact that you could actually hear the items, or in case of a star, the person coming towards you just makes it all the more real, and yet nerve-wracking at the same time.
Replay Value
Most sports games' strong points are its' replay value. This game is definitely no exception. Any Mario sporting title is bound for lengthy lifetime,s and Mario Kart 64 still holds its own, almost nine years after its release. Its creative gameplay, that will probably take you months to get tired of. Its graphics, that are now DS-caliber. The sound, that is harmonic and peaceful to the ears, yet dark and engaging to drive you crazy. The multi-player is very fun and extremely difficult if you have two all-around competitors at your side, and even though you don't have the ability to play three or four-player Grand Prix modes. Unfortunately, after a few hours of non-stop gameplay, it will get a little boring, and you will get tired of it relatively quickly afterwards. But, you wake up next morning wanting to play of the game we all know and love.
Multiplayer
This, like I have said earlier, is the best part of the game in its entirety. No matter if it is Battle Mode, or championship racing with a friend or family member, you will play this game against each other until your brain demands you to go to sleep. Other than championship mode, the game's unlimited battle play is what makes this game as great as any racer on a now discontinued system. Both modes' item selection is astounding because you never get tired of running over your opponent, shrinking the competition, or just knocking your partner out of first place, either way the fun just never ends.
Overall
Mario Kart 64 is of course a game for the party crew. Its excellent craftiness in gameplay, its nice graphical feel, its vibrant sound, its lengthy replay value, and its brilliant multiplayer action makes this game a great collector's item. Need I say more?
Ratings
Graphics: 4.6/5.0
Gameplay: 4.4/5.0
Sound: 4.2/5.0
Replay Value: 4.0/5.0
Multiplayer: 4.8/5.0
Overall: 22.0/25.0 - 4.4/5.0 - 88% |
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| Mario Kart 64 |  5.0
0 comments |
by  GallantmonX
| Jun 7, 2005 |
THE GOOD:
Fun racing system, multiplayer racing makes this game potentially the best racing game ever created, fun weapons and items to use against your opponent and/or yourself, lots of characters to choose from.THE BAD:
Literally, nothing. SUMMARY:
Mario Kart 64, I must say, is basically the best 'fun' racing game ever created. First of all, there are some characters to choose to race with, from Mario and Luigi, to Bowser and Wario. This is very fun because of the fact that you are advaliable to play with whoever your favorite Nintendo character (although there aren't EVERY Nintendo character) in it, and beat the crap out of anyone who you're racing against. There are also lots of fun weapons and items to use such as Mushrooms which are used as boosts, red/blue/green shells that are used as rockets or missles, banannas which are used as distractions for if your opponent hits them, etc.
So basically, there really isnt any reason that you shouldnt own this game if you are a fan of racing games or Nintendo, and you have people to play with. Although its a racing game, its still lots of fun for a while when you're playing solo. There are lots of other environments that you can race in, so it really seems like one of the best racing games ever created.
Its definetly a must-have. |
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| Mario Kart 64 |  3.6
0 comments |
by  Kiker
from , , Australia | Jun 1, 2005 |
THE GOOD:
Racing elements are well done.
Power ups were cool.
Graphics are pretty good.
Soundtrack is well executed and memorable.
Sound effects are also good to listen to, and slightly comical.
Controls are very slick.
Good game to play with friends.THE BAD:
Not as long lasting as Super Mario Kart.
A bit too easy by my standards. SUMMARY:
Lastability: 6/10.
Won't take too long to beat all 16 tracks in all 4 difficulties. Only replay value is within the multiplayer. I thought Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo was longer.
Graphics: 9/10
The track designs each differ visually and all look amazing. Character models and karts are also visually pleasing.
Sound: 8/10.
Memorable, nice on the ears and sometimes funny for the sake of it (well for kids anyway). Well done.
Gameplay: 9/10.
There are four sets of four tracks and four difficulty levels to beat them all in, and only eight characters. As for the actual gameplay, it's a racing game, just have the cars be karts and slap Mario characters in it. The power ups really make the gameplay interesting. Playing against your mates is also good because, unlike the AI of this game, they can stand a chance against you. It'll be neck-to-neck competition against you and your mate(s) while the computers just slog along. Battle mode, which is basically hitting your opponent 3 times with power ups on different maps, is an interesting concept and you bet it works! This increases replay value by a lot, but you can't do it with the computer, only with other real people. Overall - TOP NOTCH!
Overall: 4/5
A very, very well designed racing game that lasts a while, but maybe not too long unless you got friends to play with. Worth buying. |
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| Mario Kart 64 |  4.6
0 comments |
by  Super Vegeta
| Feb 26, 2005 |
THE GOOD:
All the original characters and a few more.
Nice big variety of levels.
Range of things to do.
Multi-player is really good fun.THE BAD:
Not sure if i like the 3D as much as the original. SUMMARY:
Mario Kart 64 is a really great game and one of my favourites for the Nintendo 64 but i don't think that it has the same feel as the SNES game. It's a really great game with nice 3D graphics and really good gameplay, the controls are really simple to master too. The levels are nice and big and there is a variety that you can choose from including ones based around your favourite Mario games. The multi-player is really fun to play on the game because you can now play 4-player instead of 2 which i think is alot more fun in most cases. The music for the game is as good as the last one, not too repetetive and changes for each level depending on the theme.
Overall i think this is a really great game but i just don't think it's quite as good as the original. |
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| Alot of fun | 5.0
0 comments |
by  Morton Koopa Jr
from , , | Feb 24, 2005 |
THE GOOD:
Fun, even single-player mode is quite cool, and multiplayer mode PWNS
Lots of race tracks
Creative race tracks
Alot of cool Mario characters to choose from
Cool items (some funny ones, too)
Good voices and some funny quotes here and thereTHE BAD:
A couple of the characters from the original Mario Kart were removed
So were one or two of the items from the original Mario Kart
Not much to unlock SUMMARY:
Well, to put it simply, this may just be a racing game, Mario style, but it's definitely a fun racing game, and for some reason, is more fun than most racing games considering it has Mario characters. The fact that there's not much to unlock is the only real major complaint I have about this game, but even with that, it's still an excellent game. No question about it. |
| 8 out of 15 people found this review helpful. | Did you find this review helpful? YES NO |
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| Good Time-Killer |  4.0
0 comments |
by  Dark Bowser
from , WA, United States | Feb 13, 2005 |
THE GOOD:
Graphics are pretty good, though I've seen better. Of course, since this is a racing game, control has to be good, and this is no exception. This is a very good game for those family gatherings. If you got a little free time before that big social, this game is the place to go.THE BAD:
Could use more courses to play on, especially battle arenas. The computer controlled players can be kinda stupid sometimes, like throwing banana peels in front of themselves and slipping on them. Ha! That still makes me laugh. Anyway, this game can get boring after you've played all 16 courses several times. By then, it's probably best to sell this piece o' plastic. SUMMARY:
If you're devoid of a good action packed, adrenaline boosting game, but this. It's fairly cheap, selling for about $15 at a local Game Trader. If you're looking for a more realistic racing game, try Cruisin' USA for N64. |
| 9 out of 16 people found this review helpful. | Did you find this review helpful? YES NO |
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| Mario kart, AW-SOME! |  4.1
0 comments |
by  Avril rocker
from , , | Aug 15, 2004 |
THE GOOD:
Loads of fun, great graphics and items. 4 great modes, and so much fun!THE BAD:
It's not your Double dash. It's not portable, and you can only play with up to 4 charicters, with only 20 courses. SUMMARY:
There's 8 charicters, Including Toad and Bowser. with 4 players, it's lots of fun. It's a great party game! You'll enjoy this IF you unlock mirror mode! Then It gets harder.<br><br>Grand prix:<br><br># of players: 1-2<br><br>In grand prix mode, you can choose any one of the 8 charicters and one of four cups. In it, you race the rest of the charicters! This is a fun mode!<br><br>Time trial:<br><br># of players: 1<br><br>A great mode for practise and a fun mode as well! choose one of 16 courses, and practise till your heart's content. Choose any one of the 8 charicters, and have a blast!<br><br>Vs. mode:<br><br># of players: 2-4<br><br>This is a party mode! Race around a course 3 times! Enjoy using items on your fellow racers or you may have a bad day, and lose that race.<br><br>Warning: DO NOT BET ON THIS MODE! YOU MAY EXPERINCE: no money<br><br>Battle mode:<br><br># of players: 2-4<br><br>Fun fun fun! Wipe out you friends on 1 of 4 courses! A great party must include battle mode otherwise, it's not a party!<br><br>Conclusion:<br><br>This is a party/practise game. Play this and read this review before MK : DD. Also, Read my other reviews, and I promise you, if you buy this game: You will NOT regret your purchise! |
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forums
4.42/5.0
4.5
but I just use the next best thing..Princess Peach..I know some of you are like, "she sucks". But hey she works well enough for me..I still win races..every now and then...but it really depends on the night...like I might have an off night, then John, then Steve..you get the picture...But I really thought that some of the stages could of been a little less harsh on the surroundings..like in Bowser's Castle..yea even if you know where eveything is and where to go, still something pops up and takes away your lead...>.< 
). Of course this has to be a Nintendo64 must buy!