Mario Kart: Super Circuit, known as Mario Kart Advance in Japan, is the third game to come out in the Mario Kart series. Like the other games, it is a kart racer with emphasis on using weapons familiar to the Mario franchise on unique tracks. This title features eight characters from the Mario universe. A Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable can be used to connect up to four players to race one-another.
Singlep-player Gameplay[]
There are three modes to choose from when a single player game is selecting. These modes include:
- Grand Prix - In this mode, the player races against computer controlled opponents. There are three difficulty levels in this mode. These are the 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc.
- Time Trials - Any track unlocked at 150cc in Grand Prix may be raced upon. The player starts with three Mushroom power-ups. A lap-time and total-time record are set for each, to provide a challenge, and the player's best lap time and total time recorded. Upon racing once on a track, the player races against their "Ghost car", showing their progress on the previous attempt. This may be switched off.
- Quick Run - The player may choose any unlocked track, from any cup, and any speed, and race against seven opponents as in Grand Prix. Coins can be toggled on or off, and the number of laps ranging from three to five can be changed. The items can also be turned on and off.
Multi-player Gameplay[]
- Grand Prix - Up to two players may compete in this mode. It works identically to the single-player Grand Prix, except that there are two players and six computer-controlled ones.
- VS Mode - Similar to single player Quick Run mode, except with two to four players, and no computer-controlled ones.
- Ghost Trade - Up to two of the player's "Ghost Car" saves may be copied to another player, and up to two can be received in return.
- Battle Mode - Two to four players can battle on four specially designed tracks. The objective of this mode is for the player to use the items at his or her disposal to damage the other player. There are three balloons which rotate around both players. If one player is hit or runs into an item such as a Koopa Shell or a banana, that player loses a balloon. The player who loses all three balloons loses the game.
Characters[]
Lightweights[]
Princess Peach[]
- Acceleration: 5
- Maximum Speed: 1
Yoshi[]
- Acceleration: 4
- Maximum Speed: 2
Toad[]
- Acceleration: 5
- Maximum Speed: 1
Middleweights[]
Mario[]
- Acceleration: 3
- Maximum Speed: 3
Luigi[]
- Acceleration: 3
- Maximum Speed: 3
Heavyweights[]
Wario[]
- Acceleration: 2
- Maximum Speed: 4
Donkey Kong[]
- Acceleration: 2
- Maximum Speed: 4
Bowser[]
- Acceleration: 1
- Maximum Speed: 5
Tracks[]
There are forty race tracks in the game, including four battle stages, tallying up to forty-four.
The player must earn a gold trophy in each of the first four cups to unlock the Special Cup. If the player goes in each race and collects at least one hundred coins, he or she unlocks the game's Extra Cup, a mode with all the tracks from Super Mario Kart. The Extra Cups are available only in the engine class that is used to unlock it. The player must continue earning gold trophies in all of the engine classes to unlock the Extra Cups for 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. In order for the player to unlock the Extra Cup tracks in Time Trials, he or she must unlock them in the 150cc engine class.
Items[]
Item boxes allow the player to receive an item when the box is driven into. The player's position in the race usually affects the position in the race he or she is in.
- Banana: Racers spin out when they drive over this slippery fruit.
- Green Shell: Green Shells can be shot out straight ahead or behind a driver. There are also Triple Green Shells which spin around the player's kart and have three green shells.
- Red Shell: Red Shells home in on the kart in front of the driver. The driver can also place the Red Shell down on the track homes in on the next racer that passes by. There are also Triple Red Shells which rotate around the player's kart and serve as three red shells.
- Spiny Shell: Spiny Shells home in the racer in first place. It collides into anyone within contact with the explosion.
- Boo: Boo allows the player to steal other racers' items and allows the player to turn invisible and invincible.
- Lightning: The lightning bolt has the ability to shrink any player in front of the user of the item. This effect is only temporary though.
- Super Mushroom: Gives a boost of speed.
- Star: Gives invincibility, increases speed, and spins out anyone the driver touches. The player can also drive straight through trees and statues while the item is in effect.
Enemies and Hazards[]
- A pirate ship that shoots cannonballs at drivers.
- Crabs
- Block Statues
- Mice
- Tepees: Collide with a tepee and an angry Shy Guy jumps aboard the player's kart and slows him or her down.
- Penguins
- Kart-eating plants
- Volcanic rocks which fall from the sky
- Boos
- Koopas
- Lightning
- Falling stars