Mario Kart Arcade GP

Mario Kart Arcade GP is a newly released arcade game featuring Mario characters and Pac-Man characters in the same game. It has received numorous amounts of criticism. The most widely used point of critism it has received is the special story mode cards and its high price for seemingly every place it can be played.

A sequel has been announced for Mario Kart Arcade GP, called (fittingly) Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.

Gameplay
Controls All controls are used to select in-game menu options.
 * Streering Wheel, smaller than the average car wheel.
 * Accelerate and Brake pedals.
 * Item Button, at the center of the steering wheel.
 * VS Cancel Button - Used to cancel opponent searching

Items
As the game states: "There are more than 100 items!". Here are some of them.
 * Green Shell: A normal shell, it can be thrown in a straight line to knock over other karts.
 * Black Shell: A shell that explodes on impact.
 * Boo: Causes whoever is hit by it to slow down for a brief period.
 * Square Tires: Makes whoever hits it slow down and lose control.
 * Thunder Stick: A rod used for close combat, it does not shrink other drivers like in other Mario Kart games.
 * Time Bomb: a time bomb, It goes off in a 15 seconds. Hit other drivers to transfer the bomb to them.
 * Driver Virus: A virus that causes whoever is hit to slow down. The virus can be transferred to other drivers. Looks like the blue virus from the NES game Dr. Mario.
 * Pie Tin: A normal pie tin; it locks on to another racer and bashes them in the head.
 * Cream Pie: A pie, tossed backwards. The screen of the target is covered in whipped cream, obscuring vision. Similar to the Blooper in Mario Kart DS.
 * Banana Peel: Mario Kart's classic item, it is left on the track for other racers to slip on.
 * Rain Cloud: This cloud locks onto another racer, raining on the track and making it harder for the driver to steer. It looks somewhat like Mallow from Super Mario RPG.
 * Snow Cloud: This cloud freezes the unfortunate racer.
 * Thunder Cloud: Stronger than the rain cloud, it causes a massive thunder storm.
 * Mushroom: Gives the player's kart a small boost
 * Absorb Mushroom: A special item that lets the player get items from rivals.
 * Tacks: A basic item, lets other rivals slow down when they run on the item; like a Banana Peel.
 * Super Mushroom: Makes the player grow into enormous size.
 * Shield: Makes the player be protected from the rivals attacks.

Grand Prix
Players race in 24 courses in 6 stages with each stage having 4 courses; the first two are foward, last two are reverse (not to be confused with Mirror Mode) to win items and use them in other races. After the 4 courses are completed, a "Challenge Game" comes up, and are just like Missions from Mario Kart DS which they must complete to earn an item and finish the stage. Note: The Rainbow Stage can only be unlocked if the player finishes the first 5 cups (Like the Special Cup in Mario Kart Super Circuit).

Time Trial
The name says it all. The player races on one of the 24 courses and see if he's one of the top 10.

Note: The Rainbow Stage is automatically available in Time Trial, regardless of the players Grand Prix stats.

VS
When the player inserts credits, the game starts an opponent search for a limited time (something like Bark Mode in Nintendogs) which, when other players start opponent searching, links the 2 people together for a VS Match. Up to 4 people can link together.

Mario Stage

 * Mario Highway
 * Mario Beach

DK Stage

 * Donkey Kong Jungle
 * Banana Ruins

Wario Stage

 * Diamond City
 * Snow Panic

Bowser Stage

 * Bowser's Castle
 * Castle Wall

Pac-Man Stage

 * Pac-Mountain
 * Pac-Labrynth

Rainbow Stage
The Rainbow Stage is only unlocked if the player completes the first 5 stages.
 * Rainbow Coaster
 * Rainbow Downhill