Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Mario Kart: Super Circuit is the third in the Mario Kart series for the Game Boy Advance. The game is known under the name Mario Kart Advance in Japan. It combines elements from the previous Mario Kart games and even brought back all the courses from Super Mario Kart.

Gameplay
The objective in this game is just to win 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 can be very helpful, but computer controlled characters can also use items. On the course, coins can be collected to increase a player's top speed. Fifty-five coins can be 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 Lighting Cup, the Star Cup and the Special Cup. If the player collects 100 coins in a certain cup, they will unlock the Extra Cup version. These cups contain all of the courses from Super Mario Kart. This game has 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 will change to a sunset.

Controls

 * D Pad left or right: Steer left or right
 * A Button: Accelerate
 * B Button: Break
 * L Button: Hop and Power Slide (when holding 2 seconds, the player get a miniturbo)
 * R Button: Use Items, stop Item Roulette
 * B Button + D Pad down: Drive backward
 * R Button + D Pad up or down: Shoot Item in special direction
 * A Button, B Button + D Pad left or right: Quick sharp turn left or right
 * Start: Pause game
 * Select: Horn

Game Modes

 * Grand Prix (1 or 2 players) In this mode, the player races against seven other CPU players in quest to finish first. Choose a cup and play 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 can restart a race three times. When playing with two players, if one racer finishes in the Top 4 and the other didn't, they both move on to the next race. At the end of the cup, the player with the most points wins.
 * Time Trial (1 player) In this game mode, the player tries to break the pre-set times for each course. The player gets three mushrooms he/she can use in the race.
 * Quick Run (1 player) This is the first and only Mario Kart game to feature this mode. It's basically a single-player VS. mode. It's possible to turn off items or coins and select the amount of laps (3 or 5).
 * VS (2 to 4 players) Just like Quick Run, but for more than one player. CPU players are turned off. The game also counts how many times the players won or lost.
 * Battle (2 to 4 players) Players try to pop each others balloons. CPU players are not available. The game also counts how many times the players won or lost. If a player loses when playing with 3 or 4 players, they turn into a Bob-Omb and can make it more difficult for other players by picking up items from boxes or blast into their karts.

Ranking
Depending on a players' performance in GP, they could achieve one of the following ranks:
 * Triple Star: The player must have collected all 36 points, beat the default best time in time trial on the courses and have at least 130 coins (150 on the Extra Cups).
 * Double Star: The player must have collected all 36 points and have at least 130 coins.
 * Single Star: The player must have collected all 36 points and have at least 100 coins.
 * A: The player must have collected all 36 points.
 * B: The player must have collected at least 30 points.
 * C: The player must have collected at least 25 points.
 * D: The player must have collected at least 20 points.
 * E: The Grand Prix has not been completed yet.

Items
Banana - Racers will spin out upon driving over a Banana. You can drop a Banana directly behind your kart by pressing the L Button, or you can choose to throw one up ahead by pressing Up on the + Control Pad as you press the L Button. Hold the L Button to use the Banana as a shield to cover the rear of your kart.

Green Shell - Green Shells can be fired straight ahead or behind you. They will ricochet off of solid objects such as the course boundary and guardrails. You can launch a Green Shell by pressing the L Button. Hold Down on the + Control Pad as you press the L Button to shoot the Green Shell behind you. Finally, you can set the Green Shell behind you as a shield by holding the L Button as you drive.

Triple Green Shells - Three Green Shells will rotate around your kart, serving to protect you from Bananas and other karts. Press the L Button to launch them forward one at a time. You cannot fire a Triple Shell backward.

Red Shell - Red Shells can be fired just like Green Shells, but they have the valuable ability to home in on the kart in front of you. You can launch Red Shells behind you, as well. The Red Shells can be placed on the track behind the racer. They will home in on the next kart that passes by.

Triple Red Shells - Triple Red Shells work just like the Triple Green Shells, yet have the homing ability that makes them so beneficial.

Spiny Shell - Spiny Shells pick up where Red Shells leave off. Not only do they home in on the leader of the race, but they will also crash their way through every kart between you and the hapless leader. Spiny Shells are seldom awarded to racers in the front of the pack.

Boo - Boo will let you steal an Item from one of the other racers. Although it will be at random, this is typically the only way you can acquire the more valuable Items when you're in the lead. The benefits of Boo don't stop there! When activated, Boo will make you and your kart invisible to Bananas, Shells, and many on-course obstacles, allowing you to pass through them undamaged. Finally, if you're in second place or lower, Boo will chase down the race leader and slow him or her down for you.

Lightning - When activated, the Lightning will briefly electrocute all of the other racers, causing them to shrink in size and speed. During the few seconds that the effect lasts, you can run into the miniature racers and cause them to spin out of control.

Mushroom - The Mushroom will give your kart a helpful turbo boost. Use the Mushroom to cut across the insides of turns, to speed down straight-aways, or to take advantage of shortcuts.

Star - Possibly the most precious of all Items, the Star gives you a temporary dose of invincibility. During this time, you'll also gain a healthy boost to your overall top speed. Use the Star to run into other racers, cut across off-road terrain, or to drive straight through trees and statues.

Courses
The game featured twenty new courses, and brought back the original twenty courses of Super Mario Kart (But due to the Grand Prix Format, they were organized in five Grand Prix instead of four).


 * * represents a course that reappeared in Mario Kart DS.
 * ** represents a course that reappeared in Mario Kart Wii.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit courses
New courses introduced in Mario Kart: Super Circuit.

Mushroom Cup

 * Peach Circuit*
 * Shy Guy Beach**
 * Riverside Park
 * Bowser Castle 1

Flower Cup

 * Mario Circuit
 * Boo Lake
 * Cheese Land
 * Bowser Castle 2*

Lightning Cup

 * Luigi Circuit*
 * Sky Garden*
 * Cheep-Cheep Island
 * Sunset Wilds

Star Cup

 * Snow Land
 * Ribbon Road
 * Yoshi Desert
 * Bowser Castle 3**

Special Cup

 * Lakeside Park
 * Broken Pier
 * Bowser Castle 4
 * Rainbow Road

Super Mario Kart courses
These courses were originally featured in Super Mario Kart, and were reused in Mario Kart: Super Circuit.

Extra Mushroom Cup

 * Mario Circuit 1*
 * Donut Plains 1*
 * Ghost Valley 1
 * Bowser Castle 1

Extra Flower Cup

 * Mario Circuit 2
 * Choco Island 1
 * Ghost Valley 2**
 * Donut Plains 2

Extra Lightning Cup

 * Bowser Castle 2
 * Mario Circuit 3**
 * Koopa Beach 1
 * Choco Island 2*

Extra Star Cup

 * Vanilla Lake 1
 * Bowser Castle 3
 * Mario Circuit 4
 * Donut Plains 3

Extra Special Cup

 * Koopa Beach 2*
 * Ghost Valley 3
 * Vanilla Lake 2
 * Rainbow Road