Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Template:Infobox Mario Kart: Super Circuit is the third game in the Mario Kart series and is for the Game Boy Advance. The game is known under the name Mario Kart Advance in Japan. This game combines the elements from the previous Mario Kart games and contains all the courses from Super Mario Kart. This game was released on July 21, 2001 in Japan, August 27, 2001 in North America, and September 14, 2001 in Europe. Mario Kart: Super Circuit is also the first handheld Mario Kart game. There will soon be a 3DS version on Q4 2011 in all regions, which is exclusive to all Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors.
Gameplay
The objective in this game is to place first in the races, as with most racing games. Each race has eight contestants, all trying to win. The player can pick up Item Boxes which contain items. Using these items are very helpful, but computer-controlled characters can also use items. On the course, coins are collected to increase a player's top speed. If the player has zero coins, they spin out if they come in contact with another racer. Fifty-five coins are found on each course.
This game has five cups, and each has four new race courses. These cups are the Mushroom Cup, the Flower Cup, the all new Lightning Cup, the Star Cup, and the Special Cup. If players collects 100 coins in a certain cup, they unlock the Extra Cup version. These cups contain all of the courses from Super Mario Kart making this game have more courses than any other Mario Kart game in the series. If the player manages to collect a gold trophy on all of the Super Circuit cups, the background for the title screen changes to a sunset. If the player manages to obtain a triple star ranking for all cups, the title screen's background changes to a night time setting. In addition to the aesthetic changes, the intro's theme will also change.
Controls
Menu Controls
: Select
: Confirm
: Cancel
: Access options for certain modes
Game Controls
- : Steer left or right
- : Accelerate (pressing the button when the light turns green lets the player do a rocket start)
- : Brake
: Hop and Power Slide (when holding for a few seconds, the player gets a mini-turbo)
: Use Items, stop Item Roulette- + : Drive backward
- +
: Shoot Item in certain direction - , +
: Quick sharp turn left or right 
: Pause game- : Horn
Game Modes
Mario Kart: Super Circuit has four different game modes. All are accessed by the single player except battle mode. Up to four players can participate using the Game Boy Advance Link cable with even a single game cartridge. However, all players using single cartridge mode are limited to selecting Extra Mushroom Cup using only Yoshi and different colors of him.
Grand Prix
In this mode, one or two players race against the CPU. The player chooses a cup and plays the four courses it contains. The player earns points by placing within the first four positions. When finished in fifth place or lower, the player must restart the race. The player is able restart a race three times representing three race flags as lives. When the flags run out, the player is unable to restart the race. When playing with two players, if one racer finishes in the Top 4 and the other does not, they both move on to the next race. At the end of the cup, the player with the most points wins. There are 3 different speeds to choose from, each with varying difficulty.
- 50cc - This engine size is the smallest engine size. Karts go at a slower pace than other engine sizes. Computers rarely use items against the player. This engine size is best suited for beginners.
- 100cc - A slightly larger engine size. Karts go slightly faster than 50cc, but not as fast as 150cc. Computers use items more often against the player. This engine size is better suited for intermediate players.
- 150cc - The largest engine size. Karts go at their fastest. The computer regularly uses items against the player, such as frequently throwing Red Shells, using Boos, or even tossing a Spiny Shell. This engine size is best suited for expert players.
Ranking
Depending on a player's performance in GP, which is determined by the amount of coins picked up and the time finished, the player could achieve one of the following eight ranks:
- Triple Star: The player has collected all 36 points, beat the default best time in time trial on the courses and have around 130 coins (150 on the Extra Cups).
- Double Star: The player has collected all 36 points and have around 130 coins.
- Single Star: The player has collected all 36 points and have at least 100 coins.
- A: The player has collected all 36 points.
- B: The player has collected at least 30 points.
- C: The player has collected at least 25 points.
- D: The player has collected at least 20 points.
- E: The player has not fulfilled the above stated requirements.
Time Trial
One player can race against the best times on each course with no CPU opponents. After beating a best time, players can save ghost data onto each time trial course. Whenever the player races on that course again, the player's ghost mirrors movements of the saved data. Ghost data can also be downloaded from other players using the Game Boy Link Cable. Players are given 3 Mushrooms for use during Time Trials. Players also have the option to view their ghost data using the Records option. Players can either turn their ghost on or off during Time Trials using the Select Button before selecting the mode.
Quick Run
Quick Run is a one player mode, unique to Mario Kart: Super Circuit, that enables players to race on any tracks they unlocked with no restrictions or regulations. Players can choose what engine size they want to race on, with the difficulty level alongside with the speed. Players can alter the number of laps, appearance of coins, and item boxes by pressing Select before accessing this mode.
VS
VS mode is basically a Quick Run mode with two to four players. Note that this mode cannot be accessed by only one player. CPU players are turned off in this mode. The game counts how many times the player won or lost against other players. Players can play with multiple game cartridges or just a single cartridge via Game Boy Link Cable. When using a single cartridge however, players are limited to their choices. Players will use a different colored Yoshi. Player 1 will be Green, player 2 Pink, player 3 Light Blue, and player 4 Yellow. Aside from that, the only courses available are the four SNES courses; Mario Circuit 1, Donut Plains 1, Ghost Valley 1 and Bowser Castle 1.
Battle
Just like VS mode, battle mode cannot be played with only one player. The player participates with one to three more players in attempt to pop each other balloons using items. Also seen in VS mode, the game counts how many times the players won or lost. When a player loses all of their balloons, the player turns into a Bob-omb. The Bob-omb can make it more difficult for the other players by either picking up item boxes or blasting into their karts.
Characters
All playable characters from Mario Kart 64 return. Like in all previous games, they also race in the same go-karts, but with different sizes and colors that suit each playable character. Also like in all previous games, each racer is classified into three categories: lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight, each class with their own advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, in VS play with a single cartridge, all players use Yoshi, with each being a different color.
Many other characters appear in the game as nonplayable. Some can help out, such as Lakitu who can pull characters out of the water and Boo, who serves as an item. Other characters are mainly there to serve as obstacles to racers and many hinder the racers by making them spin out.
Playable
Lightweights
Lightweights are generally characterized by having good speed, but below average weight. They are knocked easier by karts of heavy weight and skid easier, but they have more top speed and acceleration. Peach and Toad share the same stats as having the most speed and the least weight in the game, and Yoshi offers a compromise between speed and weight.
- MKPC.PNG
Peach
Speed: *****
Weight: * - MKTD.PNG
Toad
Speed: *****
Weight: * - MKYS.PNG
Yoshi
Speed: ****
Weight: **
Middleweights
Middleweights are classified by their all-around stats. They do not excel at anything, nor do they have any significantly low stats. Mario and Luigi, the only middleweights, share the same stats.
Heavyweights
Heavyweights have a very high stat in weight, but suffer from a lack of speed and acceleration. They also skid less than karts of lighter weight. Bowser offers the most weight in the game, while Wario and Donkey Kong compromise some of their weight for speed.
- MKWR.PNG
Wario
Speed: **
Weight: **** - MKDK.PNG
Donkey Kong
Speed: **
Weight: **** - MKBW.PNG
Bowser
Speed: *
Weight: *****
Non-Playable
Items
| Item | Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
| File:BananaSC.PNG | Banana | A banana can be placed anywhere and are common items of high-ranking drivers. Bananas simply act as road obstacles for unwary drivers. Drivers that drive on it spins and stops for a brief moment. The effect can be nullified if a driver drives straight into the banana and immediately brakes. An indication of this is a Note coming out of the driver and the driver does not slip. Bananas can be destroyed by any shell and star effects. |
| File:GreenShellSC.PNG | Green Shell | Green Shells are common projectiles that a high-ranking driver usually gets. Green shells can be fired forward or backward in a straight line. Green shells bounce off walls multiple times before they break. Any driver who gets hit by a green shell spins out. Bananas, other shells, and star effects can destroy green shells. |
| File:RedShellSC.PNG | Red Shell | Red Shells are fairly uncommon items that appear in any place. When thrown forward, red shells home on the opponent of the higher place. When no opponents are higher place of the driver, the red shell flies straight forward. Unlike green shells, red shells cannot rebound off walls; they break upon impact. Red shells can also be placed backwards, but they behave in a different manner than green shells. Red shells stay on a fixed spot until a nearby driver passes it. It then homes the driver who passed it, regardless of place. Red shells can be destroyed by any shell, a banana, or a star effect. |
| File:MushroomSC.PNG | Mushroom | Mushrooms are items that appear in any place for the driver. When used, it grants the driver a great burst of speed. This can be used to take advantage of off-road cuts on the course and can be used to fly further after hit by a ramp. Mushrooms cannot spin another driver out, unless said driver has zero coins, but a driver felt from the effects of a mushroom can push other drivers further. |
| File:TripleGreenSC.PNG | Triple Green Shell | Triple Green Shell is an uncommon item that usually appears in the higher ranked drivers. Triple green shells are essentially what the name implies: triple green shells. Unlike single green shells, triple green shells revolve the driver, thus shielding the driver from most attacks. Triple green shells act like normal green shells: they zoom in straight lines and rebound off walls, however, they cannot be thrown backward. |
| File:TripleRedSC.PNG | Triple Red Shell | Triple Red Shells are uncommon items that drivers in lower places can get. Triple red shells have the exact function as single red shells: they home on the opponent of higher place. The main difference between these and single red shells is that triple red shells circle the player, which helps the player avoid obstacles such as bananas and shells. Triple red shells cannot be thrown backward, and as a result, cannot be set backward to home on opponents behind the driver. |
| File:TripleMushroomSC.PNG | Triple Mushroom | Triple Mushroom is an item exclusive to Time Trial mode. Triple mushrooms serve as the only item drivers can obtain during a Time Trial. Triple mushrooms are essentially three mushrooms, with all effects a mushroom might have, but tripled. Once a mushroom has been used in a Time Trial, it cannot be replenished until the driver restarts the Time Trial. |
| File:BooSC.PNG | Boo | Boo is a fairly uncommon item that drivers in all places can get. Boos steal items from other drivers, if items are available, while the driver turns invisible. While invisible, the driver is immune to all obstacles and items and can pass through drivers without any shoving, however, it does not prevent the player from losing speed off road. It also attacks the driver in first place. who circles the driver and the driver loses coins, also dropping speed. |
| File:StarSC.PNG | Star | Stars are rare items that are only accessed by low-ranking drivers. Stars grant invincibility to drivers and increase their top speed, acceleration, and handling. When a driver gets hit by a driver with a star in effect, the driver who gets hit spins out. Stars also enable drivers to cross off-road without the loss of any speed and they can destroy stage obstacles, such as trees, snowmen, and cacti. |
| File:SpinyShellSC.PNG | Spiny Shell | Spiny Shells are very rare shells that only low-ranking drivers can access. How rare it is usually depends on engine class. Spiny Shells, when tossed, follow the track and home on the first place driver. Any driver caught in the path of a spiny shell spins out, including the first player. Spiny shells cannot get destroyed by shells or bananas; however, they can get destroyed when they collide with a wall, collide into a ramp, fall into a pit, fall into water, or collide with a driver with a star in effect. Spiny shells can get tossed backwards and they stay in a fixed position, just like a red shell. Unlike a red shell, the spiny shell only homes when the driver in first place passes by. |
| File:LightningboltSC.PNG | Thunderbolt | Thunderbolts are rare items only obtained by lower-ranking drivers. Thunderbolts, when activated, shrink everyone else on track that are not using a star or a Boo. A shrunk driver loses speed and the ability to use mushrooms. When the driver who activated this item crashes into a shrunk driver, the shrunk driver spins out. After a set amount of time, or if the shrunk drivers go into a pit, the shrunk drivers revert to normal size and regain their top speed and weight. |
Courses
The game features twenty new courses, and brings back the original twenty courses of Super Mario Kart (but, due to the Grand Prix Format, they are organized in five cups instead of four). However, most courses brought back have the hazards removed found in them such as the Monty Moles in the Donut Plains and oil slicks in the Mario Circuits. The only hazards that have stayed are the breakable blocks in Ghost Valley and Vanilla Lake.
Super Circuit Tracks
There are also new courses introduced in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. The player races three laps on these tracks in Grand Prix mode.
Extra Tracks
These courses were originally featured in Super Mario Kart, and are reused in Mario Kart: Super Circuit. The player races five laps on these tracks in Grand Prix mode.
Battle Courses
In addition with race courses, four new battle courses are added. However, no Super Mario Kart battle courses returns despite that all race courses from that game returns.
| Battle Course 1 |
| Battle Course 2 |
| Battle Course 3 |
| Battle Course 4 |
Beta Elements
- Main article: Mario Kart: Super Circuit/Beta elements
Staff
- Main article: Mario Kart: Super Circuit/Staff
References to Other Games
- Super Mario Kart: All previous race courses return with the hazards removed. Coins as a gameplay mechanic has been used in Mario Kart: Super Circuit as well.
- Mario Kart 64: Many sprites in this game are based off the Mario Kart 64 ones, such as the karts, characters, and the character selection screen portraits. Losing characters in Mario Kart: Super Circuit in battle mode also turns into Bob-ombs, something that is first seen in this game.
References in Later Games
- Mario Kart DS: This game has borrowed the ranking system of this game. Also, many tracks have returned to this game. The Quick Run concept has been reused and renamed as Vs. Mode. The idea of returning older courses originates from Mario Kart: Super Circuit.
- Mario Kart Wii: Tracks from this game are remade and updated in this game.
- Mario Kart 7: Bowser's Castle 1 and Battle Course 1 return in this game.
Gallery
- Main article: Gallery:Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Names in Other Languages
Trivia
- Luigi, Peach, Wario, and Toad's voices are the same from the Japanese version of Mario Kart 64.
- This is the only Mario Kart game where the North American and Japanese titles differ. Mario Kart: Super Circuit is the North American title, while Mario Kart Advance is the Japanese title.
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit has the most race tracks in the Mario Kart series; in total, it has forty race tracks.
- On the character selection screen if the player presses the L button the character the player is on will fire a green shell.
