As someone with a degree in Accounting, I analyze games in a way that most people don’t. I pay attention to things like how resources are allocated, how to prevent one strategy from snowballing, how to make sure player choice is always rewarded while still allowing randomness and chance to factor into the outcome. Mario Kart 64 does all of this and more.
An Insider’s Perspective On Mario Kart 64
There are eight characters to choose from, split up between racing circuits and battle arenas, three cups of varying difficulty levels, and three engine tiers. Simply put, the setup is kart racing–driving around courses multiple times using items to strategically overtake opponents and cross the finish line first. Where MK64 shines, however, is how they distribute items on each individual course.
Items are obtained by driving through item boxes scattered throughout each track. These items are randomly distributed based on where you are when you collect the item. In first? You are far more likely to receive defensive items (i.e. bananas to protect yourself from drivers behind you, fake item boxes to deter other players from trying to target you with items), or utility items (i.e mushrooms that give you a short speed boost). Drivers in 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.?. These players are much more likely to receive aggressive items (i.e. red shells that home in on the player in front of you, green shells that roam around any area they are thrown forward).
Essentially the game knows where you are in the race and strategically distributes items to benefit players who are falling behind without making it impossible for players in first to maintain their lead.
What’s more is you can accurately predict what items you will receive based on your position. Seasoned players know the exact probability they will receive an item depending on where they are in the race.
The Perfect Item Economy
The red shell is arguably the most important item in all of kart racing. When obtained, it is a projectile that homes in on the player immediately in front of you. Red shells in MK64 are powerful, but fair. Proper positioning on the track allows enough time to dodge red shells that are heading for you. And if you place bananas behind you, you can even block red shells.
Blue shells, on the other hand, are much more punishing. If you are in first when a blue shell is acquired, your lead can be erased instantly. However, blue shells are so rare and easy to identify that players behind you can hear when a blue shell is targeting you and prepare themselves.
Red shells can be obtained at any time due to the probability distribution. Blue shells are rare. Whenever a blue shell spawns, it typically catches players by surprise. So when a blue shell does spawn, all players nearly forget about the race and prepare for the blue shell. MK64’s item distribution is meticuosly crafted. Green shells serve as area denial; you throw them forward in hopes they hit another player. Bananas serve as defense, you leave them behind you hoping another player runs into them. Mushrooms give you a brief speed boost. Bullet Bills grant you temporary automated high speed driving. The Star allows you to destroy any item or obstacle for a few seconds.
Mario Kart 64 provides an item for every type of player. There are items for aggressive players, defensive players, skilled players, and players who just want luck to side with them.
Tracks That Champion Competition
Luigi Raceway is your standard wide open track with simplistic pops of racing drafts to teach new players how to utilize basic racing mechanics. Moo Moo Meadows has optional cows that you can hit for a slight advantage or avoid. Koopa Troopa Beach features sand patches that slow you down if you drive through them. Kalimari Desert has an occasionally passing train that will run over you if you’re not careful. Royal Raceway features multiple shortcuts that reward precision timing and accuracy. Bowser’s Castle is an obstacle course punishing you for straying off the racing line.
Each track favours a different type of playstyle. Some players may enjoy courses with lots of items and wild racing conditions, allowing for more aggressive driving. Some players may enjoy tracks with challenging jumps and clean tracks that allow for more technical racing. Because of this, there is now strategy to your cup selection. Some players may choose certain courses based on their playstyle or the luck of the item randomizer.
Battle Mode takes place in tight arenas where the goal is to be the last player remaining by hitting opponents with items. Battle Mode is incredible. Since everyone is confined to a small space trying to attack each other, you will find yourself running into enemies constantly. Additionally, the item economy is flipped on its head. Every aggressive item in your arsenal is now being thrown at you.
When someone gets a mushroom, you are fearful. When someone gets a star, you know everyone is going to die except for that player. The thrill of 1v1 Mario Kart battles is genuine.
Why It Has Lost Nuance Over Time
A lot of modern reviewers fail Mario Kart 64 for reasons it shouldn’t be. They compare it to newer entries with more tracks, more playable characters, and better hardware and assume it is an inferior product. They don’t realise Mario Kart 64 had to teach players these fundamentals. MK64 had to teach players that kart racing can work in a 3D environment. It had to prove to players that item-balancing is possible to prevent snowballing. For the first time, players had to understand how local multiplayer would work through a split screen.
Mario Kart 64 mastered every one of these categories. The frame rate may drop if you have three players onscreen. The graphics aren’t what you’d expect…even for 1996. But the racing mechanic works, the item balancing allows for any player to win each race, and the multiplayer is a blast to play through.
Gameplay
The kart physics are very forgiving yet responsive. There is weight to how your kart handles as you turn. You can build up a speed boost by successfully drifting into a corner. It’s easy to learn, satisfying to execute, and rewards skill. Different surfaces your kart drives on also effect handling; driving on grass is slower than driving on pavement, and ice is slippery. Everything about the kart physics are translated well through game feel.
Even the AIs are decently balanced. Easy has a nice curve of being legitimately easy to play while not making it feel like you’re cheating to win. Medium is challenging but feels fair. Hard forces you to be precise with your driving and smart with your item usage. You even unlock a Very Hard difficulty that features AIs that actually use smart strategies on where they use items and which racing line to take.
Does It Hold Up?
Graphically, it looks ugly now. The frame rate isn’t consistent. The riding mechanic and camera sometimes makes certain corners a pain to deal with. There aren’t as many characters. There aren’t as many tracks.
But the racing is still fun. The item balancing still works. The multiplayer is still enjoyable. The courses are all well designed. Nothing about Mario Kart 64’s fundamental gameplay has aged poorly—they’ve just been built upon in new games.
The main difference between modern Mario Kart games and Mario Kart 64 is polish. MK64 simply hasn’t been touched since 1996. And that’s okay! It doesn’t make MK64 a bad game– it just shows the growth of racing game design.
Closing Thoughts
Mario Kart 64 gets a lot of flack for reasons it shouldn’t. Newer doesn’t always mean better, and just because other games expanded off of Mario Kart 64’s foundation doesn’t mean said foundation was any less competent.
Mario Kart 64 is an excellently designed racing game. The item distribution is perfect. The tracks are all fun to race on. Battle mode is a blast. And the game is just hard enough that everyone has a chance to win each race.
Mario Kart 64 may not be the best Mario Kart game you’ll ever play (Mario Kart Double Dash and newer entries are much better overall packages), but MK64 is still a damn solid kart racing game that deserves more love than it usually receives.
If you’ve never played Mario Kart 64, play it to understand where the series came from. If you played Mario Kart 64 and hated it, go play it again and appreciate how well the gameplay holds up despite its technical issues.
Rating: 8/10 — It may not have all the bells and whistles of modern Nintendo kart racers but Mario Kart 64 is still a solid racing game that started it all.
Cheque out our full N64 article to learn about what the other games are that made this list
Samuel’s been gaming since the Atari 2600 and still thinks 16-bit was the golden age. Between accounting gigs and parenting teens, he keeps the CRTs humming in his Minneapolis basement, writing about cartridge quirks, console wars, and why pixel art never stopped being beautiful.
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