Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Mario Kart: Super Circuit was the third game in the Mario Kart series for the Game Boy Advance. The game was known under the name Mario Kart Advance in Japan. This game combined the elements from the previous Mario Kart games and contained all of 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 was also the first handheld Mario Kart game.

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 contains 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, he/she spins out if he/she comes 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. 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. If the player manages to obtain a triple star ranking for all cups, the title screen's background changes to a night time setting.

Menu Controls

 * D Pad: Select
 * A Button: Confirm
 * B Button: Cancel
 * Select Button: Access options for certain modes

Game Controls

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

Game Modes
Mario Kart: Super Circuit has 4 different game modes. All are accessed by the single player except battle mode. Up to four players can participate using the Game Boy 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, 1 or 2 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 will regularly use 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, he/she 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.

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 Gameboy 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 that enables players to race on any tracks they unlocked with no restrictions or regulations. This is the first and only Mario Kart game to feature this mode. 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 Gameboy Link Cable.

Battle
Just like VS mode, battle mode cannot be played with only one player. The player participates with 1 to 3 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 his/her balloons, the player will turn 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.

Playable

 * Additionally, in VS play with a single cartridge, all players use Yoshi, with each being a different color.

Non-Playable

 * Boo
 * Cheep-Cheep
 * Crab
 * Lakitu
 * Piranha Plant
 * Shy Guy

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 has the hazards removed found in them such as the Monty Moles in the Donut Plains and oil slicks in the Mario Circuits.

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, 4 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