"Racing Kart" redirects here. For the overall karts, see Kart.
Pipe Frame
Pipe Frame from Mario Kart Tour
The Pipe Frame in Mario Kart Tour
Strong stats Acceleration, Off-Road (MK7)
Acceleration, Handling (MK8)
Acceleration, Handling, Traction (MK8D)
Slipstreams (MKT)
Weak stats Speed, Weight (MK7)
Weight, Traction (MK8)
Speed, Weight (MK8D)
Appears in Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Super Smash Bros. Melee (trophy cameo) Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Kart Tour

The Pipe Frame (also formerly known simply as the Go-Kart until Mario Kart 7, also called Racing Kart in Super Smash Bros. Melee) is the original form of Kart that appears in the first three installments of the Mario Kart series and is the predecessor to the Standard Kart. Throughout the games it appears in, the kart has different colors depending on the driver. In its original appearances, the Pipe Frame acts as the one and only vehicle available. The abilities of the kart depend on the driver so the kart itself has no strong or weak points.

After a 10-year absence, the Pipe Frame returns in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as an unlockable kart body. It generally gives a boost in acceleration and handling while decreasing the weight and traction. The Pipe Frame also appears in Mario Kart Tour as the starting kart.

The Pipe Frame kart has a passing resemblance to an early '80s World Championship kart raced by Ayrton Senna, an icon in Japan due to his connections with Honda, and to modern micro karts known for their combination of small frames and powerful engines.

History

Mario Kart series

Super Mario Kart

The kart makes its first appearance in Super Mario Kart, designed as simple, small go-karts with different colors (red for Mario, blue for Luigi, pink for Peach, red-orange for Yoshi, green for Bowser, olive for Donkey Kong Jr., yellow for Koopa Troopa, and azure for Toad) and various performance traits for each character, along with an ability to boost by drifting.

Each character's kart has different engines; some use four-stroke and few others use two-stroke.

Mario Kart 64

The go-kart is redesigned in Mario Kart 64, featuring realistic-looking wheels, new colors for every character (red for Mario, green for Luigi, rose for Peach, blue for Toad, light green for Yoshi, yellow for Donkey Kong, violet for Wario, and red-orange for Bowser) and a cubical engine with dual exhaust pipes. It also has a different handling stat compared to its predecessor.

This time, all karts use two-stroke engines, with the exception of Toad's kart which uses a softer sounding four-stroke engine instead.

Toad and Donkey Kong are the only characters to have their own unique engine sound from any other character.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

The kart's design and colors for this game remain unchanged from Mario Kart 64 aside from its handling, which reverted to that of Super Mario Kart to fit the game's two-dimensional environment.

Unlike in Mario Kart 64, all the karts now use four-stroke engines.

Mario Kart 7

After being absent in subsequent games after Mario Kart: Super Circuit, the Pipe Frame returns in Mario Kart 7 as an unlockable kart body, using its same design from Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit. The character's emblem is shown underneath the engine. It is one of the three kart parts to have a different color for each character. The eight characters from Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit retain the same color schemes, except for Peach, who has a slightly lighter pink color as in Mario Kart DS, and Daisy also retains the same color scheme from said game. Like in Super Circuit, it has a four-stroke engine with powerful-sounding exhausts. Its engine is similar to the Blue Seven and the Sprinter from Mario Kart Wii and sounds like a DOHC V6 and flat-six engine.

In terms of stats, the Pipe Frame slightly boosts acceleration, off-road, and drift, but slightly hinders top speed and weight, which makes it the polar opposite of the Gold Standard in a way. In terms of its hidden stats, however, it gives a strong boost in sea and air speeds, and a good boost in mini-turbo, while not hindering any other stat.

White Miis are the only color to receive a unique color, as no other character in the game uses a white Pipe Frame.

Color schemes
Character Color Icons
Mario
Mii (Red)
Red  
Luigi
Mii (Green)
Green  
Peach
Mii (Pink)
Pink  
Yoshi
Mii (Light-green)
Chartreuse  
Bowser
Mii (Orange)
Orange  
Donkey Kong
Mii (Yellow)
Yellow  
Toad
Mii (Blue)
Blue  
Koopa Troopa Neon Yellow  
Daisy Yellow-orange  
Wario
Mii (Purple)
Purple  
Rosalina Turquoise  
Metal Mario Steel Gray  
Shy Guy
Mii (Black)
Black  
Honey Queen Burgundy  
Wiggler
Mii (Brown)
Brown  
Lakitu
Mii (Light-blue)
Cyan  
Mii (White) White  

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The Pipe Frame reappears in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe again as an unlockable kart body. This time, it now resembles the kart's original design from Super Mario Kart, featuring only one exhaust pipe instead of two as seen in Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Mario Kart 7. Additionally, the character emblem is now located in the front. Unlike its predecessor, it is now has a two-stroke engine and its sound is shared with the Standard Kart, Teddy Buggy, Wild Wiggler, and the Sneeker, only having a softer exhaust noise.

Unlike past installments, the colors of the Pipe Frame are now shared with multiple characters, featuring 23 unique colors used among the 36 (41 in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe) characters (and of those, twelve of the colors are exclusive to one character, counting alternate colors for Yoshi and Shy Guy, but excluding Miis aside from the brown color). The eight characters from Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit once again retain the same color as they were in the original games, while Koopa Troopa now retains the yellow color from his Super Mario Kart artwork, while Daisy and Waluigi retain their respective colors from Mario Kart DS. All the Koopalings (except Morton) have unique colored steering wheels for their karts, as opposed to the standard black. Also, all the Koopalings have unique colored engines, as opposed to the standard goldenrod, and their wheel hinges are uniquely colored, instead of the usual gray. The Inkling Girl's orange variation uses the yellow Pipe Frame, though the icon on the kart selection screen shows the yellow-orange Pipe Frame instead.

Like the Standard Kart, Standard Bike, and Standard ATV, the Pipe Frame body is occasionally used by all the CPU-controlled characters. Most CPU racers will always pair the Pipe Frame with the Standard tires, but Donkey Kong and Koopa Troopa in Mario Kart 8, as well as Dry Bones and Ludwig in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, occasionally also use the Monster tires instead. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, CPU Toad is occasionally seen using this body equipped with the Slim tires; Toad, as well as the babies and Shy Guy, also equip it with the Parafoil. The 150cc staff ghosts for Donut Plains 3 and Cheese Land use Lakitu and Orange Yoshi on the Pipe Frame with the Monster tires. The 200cc staff ghost for Bone-Dry Dunes in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe uses Dry Bones on the Pipe Frame with the Wood tires.

In Mario Kart 8, the Pipe Frame gives a good boost in handling and a slight one in acceleration, but it hinders traction and slightly hinders weight. In terms of its hidden stats, it offers a good boost in sea and air handling, and slight boosts in sea and air speeds, anti-gravity handling and mini-turbo, while only slightly hindering anti-gravity speed. It shares its stats with the Wild Wiggler, Standard Bike, Flame Rider, Varmint, W 25 Silver Arrow, and City Tripper. Overall, the Pipe Frame has the second highest stat total of any kart body, and the third highest among all vehicles.

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Pipe Frame's stats have been altered so that it now hinders speed, but gives a higher boost in acceleration and now slightly boosts traction. In terms of its hidden stats, it no longer increases water speed and now hinders air speed and air handling, while hindering anti-gravity speed further, with no compensation. It now only shares its stats with the Varmint and City Tripper.

An early version of the Pipe Frame's body featured the same design it had from Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit, with the only exception being that the character's emblem was located at the front, like in the body's final version.

The Mario Kart 8 version of the Pipe Frame was used in a LINE set of stickers based on the game, although lacked the emblem on the front and equipped with the tires from Super Mario Kart. It was also used in a Google Maps Easter egg for Mar10 Day 2018, which ran for a week ending March 17, 2018. The Pipe Frame's appearance in Google Maps later reappears in Mario Kart Tour.

Similarly to Mario Kart 7, but unlike white, brown Miis are the only Miis to receive a unique color since no other non-Mii character in either version of the game uses a brown Pipe Frame.

Color schemes
Character(s) Body color Image
     Red  
      Green  
          Pink  
       Yellow-orange  
         Sky Blue  
     Yellow-green  
     ¹   Yellow  
       Blue  
       Black  
    White  
    Metallic Gray  
  Metallic Pink  
    Purple  
  Dark Indigo  
   Orange  
  Dark Brown  
  Dark Cyan²  
  Yellow²  
  Hot Pink²  
  Dark Blue²  
  Bright Green²  
  Dark Pink²  
  Dark Gray²  
¹ - Pipe Frame displayed as yellow-orange in menu
² - These Pipe Frame colors are specially made for each of the Koopalings, and unlike any other Pipe Frame in the game, feature differently-colored wheel hinges/pedals, steering wheel and engine/exhaust (which are normally gray, black, and goldenrod, respectively):
  • Lemmy's Pipe Frame's wheel hinges, pedals and steering wheel are orange, and its engine and exhaust are medium orange.
  • Larry's Pipe Frame's wheel hinges, pedals and steering wheel are azure, and its engine and exhaust are dark cerulean.
  • Wendy's Pipe Frame's wheel hinges, pedals and steering wheel are fuchsia, and its engine and exhaust are teal.
  • Ludwig's Pipe Frame's wheel hinges, pedals and steering wheel are azure-blue, and its engine and exhaust are forest green.
  • Iggy's Pipe Frame's wheel hinges, pedals and steering wheel are light-indigo, and its engine and exhaust are purple.
  • Roy's Pipe Frame's wheel hinges, pedals and steering wheel are rose-pink, and its engine and exhaust are purple-violet.
  • Morton's Pipe Frame's wheel hinges and pedals are forest green, and its engine and exhaust are dark slate gray. Its steering wheel remains black.

Mario Kart Tour

The Pipe Frame returns in Mario Kart Tour, retaining its Mario Kart 8 design and serving as the starter kart. It is classified as a Normal kart. It uses the same tires that it used in Google Maps. The Pipe Frame increases the duration of Slipstream boosts and the amount of points earned for performing Slipstreams. Like the Landship and Koopa Clown, the Koopalings do not retain their unique color schemes from Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, instead sharing the same color schemes as other drivers. It is the only available kart in several bonus challenges.

This game introduces two pixelated counterparts named the 8-Bit Pipe Frame and Yellow 8-Bit Pipe Frame and another variant that has the gold color scheme, including the tires, named the Gold Pipe Frame. Both are classified as High-End karts. The Pipe Buggy also belongs to the Pipe Frame family, but it has a different appearance.

In the screenshot used for New York Minute's Coin Rush mode, Gold Mario uses the Pipe Frame, but it is equipped with the Gold Tires instead of its regular tires, making it resemble the Gold Pipe Frame; however, Gold Mario uses the Gold Standard in-game. In an official screenshot showing the Bob-omb Cannon item, King Boo (Luigi's Mansion) drives a black Pipe Frame instead of a purple one. Similarly, in an official screenshot used for the token event in the Super Mario Kart Tour, Pauline is shown driving a white Pipe Frame instead of a magenta one. Some of the Pipe Frames do not match the colors of the used driver, such as Gold Koopa (Freerunning), who uses the black Pipe Frame, despite being gold.

Color schemes
Character(s) Color Image
                   Red  
           Green  
                     Pink  
       Lime Green  
                Yellow  
        Orange  
                  Blue  
      Aqua-teal  
           Cyan  
            Purple  
        Indigo  
        Magenta  
    Gray  
              White  
        Black  
        Brown  
    Metallic Gray  
         Gold  
  Pink Gold  

Club Nintendo

"Die Jagd nach dem Nintendo 64: Krawall im All"

 
Mario and Luigi driving karts in the Club Nintendo comic "Die Jagd nach dem Nintendo 64: Krawall im All".

In the Club Nintendo comic "Die Jagd nach dem Nintendo 64: Krawall im All", Mario and Luigi are seen driving karts in their mission to find a spaceship shaped like the Nintendo 64. They compete against Wario and Bowser and make another reference to the Mario Kart games by dropping Banana Peels and making them crash. The karts seen in this comic resemble those seen in Mario Kart 64. Unlike their video game equivalents, though, they can also be turned into jet skis by pushing a button on their steering-wheels.

Mario Kirby Meisaku Video

A go-kart makes an appearance resembling the one in Super Mario Kart in the Mario segment of the Mario Kirby Meisaku Video where Mario drives it during his pursuit of the mysterious thief W. Eventually, after being attacked by some monsters, he spins out near a vegetable garden.

Super Mario-Kun

Go-karts are seen in the Mario Kart adaptions of Super Mario-Kun. The first time they appear, Mario races against other characters including Donkey Kong Jr. and Bowser.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

A go-kart appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a trophy under the name "Racing Kart." The trophy can be obtained at random in the Lottery or in the game's single-player modes.

Profiles and statistics

Super Smash Bros. Melee trophy

Name Image Game Description
Racing Kart   Super Mario Kart
9/92
The famous racing karts from the ever-popular Mario Kart racing series come loaded for speed with three different engine sizes: 50, 100, and 150 cc. The karts' handling differs with the characters driving them, but all of them utilize Mario Kart standards like drift, jump, and turbo. They're extremely durable and impossible to total.

Mario Kart series

Stat values are out of 6.

Mario Kart 7

  • Speed: -0.25
  • Sea Speed: +1
  • Air Speed: +0.5
  • Acceleration: +0.25
  • Weight: -0.25
  • Handling: 0
  • Sea Handling: 0
  • Air Handling: 0
  • Off-Road: +0.25
  • Mini-Turbo: +0.5
  • Stability: 0
  • Drift: +0.25

Mario Kart 8

  • Ground Speed: 0
  • Water Speed: +0.25
  • Air Speed: +0.25
  • Anti-Gravity Speed: -0.25
  • Acceleration: +0.25
  • Weight: -0.25
  • Ground Handling: +0.5
  • Water Handling: +0.5
  • Air Handling: +0.5
  • Anti-Gravity Handling: +0.25
  • Traction: -0.5
  • Mini-Turbo: +0.25

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

  • Ground Speed: -0.5
  • Water Speed: 0
  • Air Speed: -0.5
  • Anti-Gravity Speed: -0.5
  • Acceleration: +0.5
  • Weight: -0.25
  • Ground Handling: +0.5
  • Water Handling: +0.5
  • Air Handling: -0.25
  • Anti-Gravity Handling: +0.25
  • Traction: +0.25
  • Mini-Turbo: +0.5

Mario Kart Tour

Statistics
Special skill   Slipstream Plus
Favorite courses
(Bonus points ×2)
 
SNES Mario Circuit 1R
Favored courses
(Bonus points ×1.5)
 
SNES Mario Circuit 1
 
GCN Dino Dino Jungle
 
DS Luigi's Mansion R/T**
 
London Loop R
 
3DS Toad Circuit T
 
N64 Koopa Troopa Beach
 
N64 Koopa Troopa Beach R
 
SNES Mario Circuit 2
 
RMX Mario Circuit 1R/T
 
SNES Choco Island 1
 
Wii Maple Treeway

* indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 3. ** indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 6.
*** indicates a favored course upgraded to a favorite course after reaching level 8.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Pipe Frame.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese スケルトン[?]
Sukeruton
Skeleton
Chinese (simplified) 管架车[?]
Guǎnjià Chē
Pipe Frame Kart
Chinese (traditional) 管架車[?]
Guǎnjià Chē
Pipe Frame Kart
Dutch Skelter[?] Go-kart
German Go-Kart[?] Go-kart
Italian Tuboturbo[?] Pipe Turbo
Korean 스켈레톤[?]
Seukelleton
Skeleton
Portuguese (NOA) Tuboturbo[?] Pipe Turbo
Portuguese (NOE) Tubomóvel[?] Pipemobile
Russian Труботурбо[?]
Truboturbo
Pipe Turbo
Spanish Tubiturbo[?] Turbo Pipe