List of Mario Kart 64 pre-release and unused content

This is a list of pre-release and unused content for the game Mario Kart 64.



Early builds
The working title of this game was Super Mario Kart R (the "R" stands for "Rendered"), also reported as Mario Kart 64 R. Kamek was originally intended to be one of the playable characters, but ended up being replaced by Donkey Kong. The Character Select screen was also different, the characters faced the player, and Kamek can be seen in Donkey Kong's space. Boos from Banshee Boardwalk had also a different look, the HUD was different from the final version, and item boxes were also completely black with colored question marks on them. The Cape Feather, which was in Super Mario Kart, was also intended to be included, as seen in a certain screenshot of Super Mario Kart R. This particular screenshot can been seen on the back of the packaging of the Nintendo 64 system. Additionally, Royal Raceway was originally named "Toadstool Turnpike".

The track order of Mario Kart 64 was also arranged differently, with noticeable differences being Banshee Boardwalk being the first race in the Flower Cup, Bowser's Castle being the first race of the Star Cup, and Toad's Turnpike being the final race of the Special Cup.

Unused Data

 * Chubby has a full body. In normal gameplay, though, only the top half is seen. Coincidentally, Mario Kart DS's remake of Moo Moo Farm would replace Chubby with jumping Monty Moles.
 * Early promotional screenshots show the Cape Feather being a possible item. It presumably would have worked the same way it did in Super Mario Kart. Two different jumping animations for it still linger in the ROM. The Cape Feather would not legitimately be seen again until Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and then only in Battle Mode.
 * At one point, it appears that it was possible to obtain Lightning in Battle Mode. However, using it would have caused all the other racers to lose one balloon, making it a very broken, overpowered item, so it was taken out. Lightning would not legitimately be obtainable in Battle Mode until Mario Kart DS.
 * Code exists that allows CPU racers to drift, but it's never used. CPU racers would not be able to drift until Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
 * There is a debug menu that remains in the game's coding. It has a few more options than the regular gameplay, and some are unused. It can be enabled with the Gameshark code  and accessed by pressing the GS button at the title screen. On its content there is a bizarre vertical splitscreen that appears to be unfinished. If the users play in battle mode, on the vertical splitscreen the lap counter can be seen. Also when drifting in vertical splitscreen, there is no smoke shaped like V and Es.