Super Mario Kart

Super Mario Kart
	; North American box art; For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Nintendo EAD
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Virtual Console (Wii, Wii U, New 3DS), Super NES Classic Edition, Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online
Release date	SNES:; August 27, 1992[?]; September 1, 1992; January 21, 1993[?]; Player's Choice:; May 20, 1996[?]; Virtual Console (Wii):; June 9, 2009[?]; November 23, 2009[?]; April 2, 2010[?]; April 2, 2010[?]; Virtual Console (Wii U):; June 19, 2013[?]; March 27, 2014[?]; March 28, 2014[?]; August 6, 2014[?]; Virtual Console (New 3DS):; March 17, 2016[?]; March 18, 2016[?]; March 24, 2016[?]; May 9, 2016[?]; Super NES Classic Edition:; September 29, 2017[?]; September 29, 2017[?]; September 30, 2017[?]; October 5, 2017[?]; Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online:; September 5, 2019; September 6, 2019; September 6, 2019; September 6, 2019; September 6, 2019[?]; September 6, 2019[?]; Fully souped up!:; May 26, 2021[?]; May 26, 2021[?]; May 26, 2021[?]; May 26, 2021[?];
Language(s)	English (United States); Japanese;
Genre	Racing
ESRB:	- Kids to Adults
GRAC:	- All ages
ESRB:	- Everyone
PEGI:	- Three years and older
CERO:	- All ages
ACB:	- General
USK:	- All ages
ClassInd:	- General audience
Mode(s)	1–2 players
Format	Super NES: Game Pak Wii: Digital download Wii U: Digital download Nintendo Switch: Digital download Nintendo 3DS: Digital download Super NES Classic Edition: Built-in
Input	Super NES: Super NES Controller Wii: Classic Controller Nintendo GameCube Controller Wii U: Wii U GamePad Classic Controller Wii U Pro Controller Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Joy-Con (horizontal) Nintendo Switch Pro Controller NES Controller Super NES Controller Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad Super NES Classic Edition: Super NES Classic Controller; Classic Controller
Serial code(s)	SHVC-MK;

This article is about the game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. For the microgame from WarioWare Gold of the same name, see Super Mario Kart (microgame). For the musical composition from the game's title screen, see Super Mario Kart (theme).

Not to be confused with Super Mario Kart Tour.

"SMK" redirects here. For the manga, see Super Mario-kun.

Super Mario Kart is a racing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was first released in 1992 and rereleased in 1996 as a Player's Choice title, being the first title in the lineup. Unlike the other racing games at the time, which focused on single-player racing with more complicated tracks, Super Mario Kart was focused on two players and was designed to be an easy and intuitive "pick up and play" experience that heavily involves the use of acquiring weapons on an obstacle course-like track to impede another player's progress. The development of a one-on-one Battle Mode was invented as another way to enjoy the competitive aspects of the game. Another notable aspect of the game is its Mode 7 graphics, where the game simulates a 3D plane by rotating and scaling a background graphic on a scanline-by-scanline basis, allowing players to simulate driving in a 3D environment. Much of this game is heavily based on Super Mario World, with both graphics and general themes being taken from that game; this includes sprites reusing Super Mario World's assets and music cues rearranging its melodies.

The game's success spawned the hugely influential Mario Kart series, while also helping to pioneer the kart-racing genre. The game's success has also influenced the greater Super Mario franchise, with elements from it appearing throughout it. Examples of these kinds of elements include a level designed after Super Mario Kart's courses appearing in Super Mario 3D World, item-based battles in multiple Mario sports games, Rainbow Road making an appearance in Paper Mario: Color Splash, and an entire scene dedicated to Mario Kart in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Super Mario Kart's use of a wider cast of characters such as Bowser and Peach was the first of many multiplayer-oriented Super Mario spin-off titles that included a diverse, playable cast of Super Mario characters such as those from the Mario Tennis series and Mario Party series. Additionally, the game has been ranked as one of the greatest games of all time by various organizations due to its aforementioned legacy and its ground-breaking gameplay.

Super Mario Kart was rereleased on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2009–2010, on the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2013–2014, and on the New Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2016. It is one of the 21 titles included on the Super NES Classic Edition and is one of the 20 launch titles for Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online, which also released a special version titled Super Mario Kart: Fully souped up! with 150cc and the Special Cup unlocked on May 26, 2021.

Gameplay

Title screen for Super Mario Kart

Players select a Super Mario character out of a cast of eight characters with which to race (or battle in Battle Mode) against opponents; each racer has their own stats which determine how they control, though these are not displayed in-game. Players then race or battle against their opponents, depending upon which game mode is chosen. Integral to the gameplay is the item system, where players can pick up items from Question Blocks clustered around parts of the track. The item obtained is dependent on the player's position in the race. For example, players farther behind obtain stronger items such as the invincible, speed-raising Star or the Lightning that can shrink all racers, while players farther ahead receive the basic Banana Peels and Green Shells items. Question Blocks get depleted whenever a player runs over them, and they do not respawn their items until all Question Blocks in the track have been depleted.

At the start of the race, players can rev their kart up for a boost, though if they rev up too much, they begin the race by accelerating much slower. Players can hop if they press either or . If they hold the button after hopping while holding either left or right, they can power slide, which enable them to drive through harder turns while losing less speed than steering normally through them. A slight drift is also possible by hopping and only holding either the left or right button. While karts in this game can brake with , they cannot go in reverse: players need to perform a U-turn or hop around to go backwards. Some tracks feature water that players can fall into: if players fall into these areas, they are able to move around for a little while before eventually being picked up by Lakitu. Players immediately get rescued by Lakitu if they fall into pits or into lava, however.

While driving the course, coins can be picked up, which increase the player's top speed as well as shield them from other racers. If a player runs into another racer while they have zero coins, they spin out; however, if a player runs into another racer while they have several coins, they simply lose one coin while still being able to continue driving. Having ten coins gives the player the maximum amount of speed they can possess, though they are still able to collect additional coins without gaining any additional speed. Players start each race with a number of coins depending on their rank: first and second start with two coins, third and fourth start with three coins, fifth and sixth start with four coins, and seventh and eighth start with five coins. Players lose four coins if they are hit with an item, they lose two coins if they are picked up by Lakitu by falling off the track, and they lose one coin if they bump into another racer. The number of coins found on each course varies from one course to another.

Three speeds are available: 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. 50cc is the slowest and therefore easiest difficulty while 150cc is the fastest and hardest engine class that must be unlocked by clearing all cups in the 100cc engine class which has a medium level of speed and difficulty. Vehicles in all modes outside of Mario Kart GP use 100cc engines.

The game is always split in two screens. The top screen is the main screen that players see the gameplay in while the bottom screen displays an overhead map, displaying progress of all characters. If players press or , they can switch the overhead map to a backwards view. When two players are playing, the bottom map is replaced by the second player's screen.

If players want to delete their save data, they need to press , , , and at the title screen. If players want to delete just Time Trial records, they can go to the course records they wish to delete and press the same button combination.

Controls

Action(s)
Action(s)	SNES	Wii (Classic Controller)	GameCube Controller	New Nintendo 3DS	Wii U	Nintendo Switch (Dual Joy-Con / Pro Controller)	Nintendo Switch (Single Joy-Con)
Change option during the Menus/Steer		/	/	/	/	/
Use items, stop Item Roulette
Accelerate
Switch view	/	/	/	/	/	/	/ +
Brake
Jump / Drift	/	/	/	/	/	/	/
Pause / Select							+

Game modes

Mario Kart GP

The first race of the Mario Kart GP is about to begin.

The Mario Kart GP is the main mode in Super Mario Kart. Here, up to two players can race against seven or six other CPU-controlled opponents in a five-course cup; they first start out in 8th place and must make their way to the top position; players keep their position for the next race if they end in that position. The top four players receive points based on their ranking: 1st place gives the player 9 points, 2nd place gives the player 6 points, 3rd place gives the player 3 points, and 4th place gives the player 1 point, while 5th place, 6th place, 7th place and 8th place give the player 0 points. Players who rank 5th or below lose one of 3 lives. If all players rank 5th or below, the race must be tried again. If the player ranks 5th or below without any lives left, the game is lost. A single extra life can be earned by placing in the same position three times. The maximum score in a GP cup is 45 points, obtained by winning five times. The three best drivers move on to the award ceremony where they receive their trophies. 3rd place gives the player a bronze trophy, 2nd place gives the player a silver throphy, and 1st place gives the player a gold throphy (the player can watch the ceremony only when they place first: however, a prototype version has animations for second and third). If the player ranks 4th or below by the end of the cup, their character is placed at the side of the podium and cries with their back facing the screen which displays text that says, "(character's name) came in (number) place. Try again." Each race is five laps long (with Lakitu appearing on the left side of the player holding the start signal and the lap count signs).

If players beat all of the cups in the 100cc engine class, the message "Excellent driving! You are now a Super Mario Kart expert." pops up, thus officially telling players that they have completed all four of the cups. If the player wants a harder challenge, they can now replay through the game in the 150cc engine class. If players beat all of the cups in the 150cc engine class, the same message as before pops up. If the player wants a more difficult challenge, they can hold and at the character selection screen. This makes the character permanently small as if under the effect of a Lightning or Poison Mushroom until the player presses the buttons again.

Time Trial

This one-player mode have the player to race through five laps of the selected track the fastest they can without items or coins in the 100cc engine class. The five lap times are recorded which are then combined to make the total time, as well as the fastest lap time and the characters used, for each track. By pressing on the second controller, a computer-controlled opponent can be chosen to race against.

If the player enters the cheat code , , , , , , , , on the cup selection menu in Time Trial, the Special Cup is unlocked. In the Japanese version, a Boo sound is heard upon successfully inputting the code.^[6]

Match Race

This mode is two-player only: the players can race each other like in GP, except CPU racers do not appear and players can freely choose the track to race in. Players start with three coins each. Bullet Bills slide around the courses as well, and coming in contact with one results in the kart spinning out and the object disappearing as if it were a Green Shell. The game keeps track of wins and losses of each player.

Battle Mode

Donkey Kong Jr. and Mario in Battle Mode

Main article: Battle Mode

A two-player exclusive mode where players combat each other with items in an arena. The goal is to eliminate the opposing player's balloons, which are represented by colored spheres rotating around the character (player 1 is blue, and player 2 is red). Each player has three balloons that cannot be recovered. The first to pop all the opponent's balloons wins.

Characters

Character selection screen.

The game features eight playable characters from the Super Mario franchise, such as Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Bowser. However, some other characters from the series act as obstacles in the game's tracks, like Thwomps, Gophers, Piranha Plants, Bullet Bills, and Flopping Cheep Cheeps. Ghosts do not act as enemies, but both as item and as part of the Ghost Valley tracks' background. Yoshi, Bowser, and Donkey Kong Jr. are the only drivers in this game to have their own taunts when surpassing other racers regardless if they are being used by the player or CPU. The others do not have their own taunts and instead the standard beep is heard when surpassing other racers, but can only be heard when used by the player.

As stated in the game's manual, Lakitu oversees the race track. He appears on the track to start the race, to warn the player if they are going the wrong way on the course, and when they fall off the edge of the track or go out of bounds. If the latter happens, Lakitu transports the racer back onto the course at the price of two coins. A Cheep Cheep balloon distributes the trophy to the GP winner.

Drivers

Super Mario Kart has eight available drivers, divided into statistically identical pairs of two. While subsequent Mario Kart games would classify characters based on weight class, in this game other criteria are used. The stats presented here are derived and inferred from the manual. The Bros are average drivers with a high top speed, The Dragon and The Lady have the highest acceleration with low handling, The Showdown have the lowest acceleration with the highest top speed and weight, while The Small Guys have high acceleration and handling, which makes them recommended for beginners. Each pair of characters has different engine sounds for their karts, which reflect their appearances and characteristics. All drivers also have a unique theme music whenever they finish a race with a good position.

This is one of only two Mario Kart games to feature Donkey Kong Jr. as a playable character, the other being Mario Kart Tour, where he uses his two-dimensional sprite from this game.

The Bros. Standard Performance
"The Mario Brothers have pretty much the same abilities in cart driving. Mario and Luigi have had a friendly rivalry that goes back to their childhood. You can expect a heated contest between them. When Mario and Luigi are computer controlled, they try to block your path."
Mario	Luigi

Acceleration:	Top Speed:

Weight:	Handling:

CPU item:
Star
Victory theme:

The Dragon and The Lady Fast Acceleration
"At first, you might think that The Princess and Yoshi would have nothing in common (except their fondness for Mario). As it turns out, they have the same driving ability. Both of these racers have very fast acceleration. As enemies, the Princess will toss poison mushrooms in your path, and Yoshi will use eggs to hinder your progress."
Princess	Yoshi

Acceleration:	Top Speed:

Weight:	Handling:

CPU item:
Poison Mushroom	Egg
Victory theme:

The Showdown High Top Speed
"These two drivers have long been Mario's arch enemies. They are both rather hefty, so they have slow acceleration, but their top speed is great! As enemies, look out for Bowser's fireballs and Donkey Kong Jr.'s banana peels. These two really throw their weight around. Stay clear of them!"
Bowser	Donkey Kong Jr.

Acceleration:	Top Speed:

Weight:	Handling:

CPU item:
Fireball	Banana
Victory theme:

The Small Guys Good Control
"Neither of these racers have qualities that make them stand out. They are, however, good all around racers with better than average control in corners- they do not skid as easy. These racers are good for beginners who are just learning to race. In the GP race as enemies, Koopa Troopa will drop shells and Toad will place poison mushrooms on the track."
Koopa Troopa	Toad

Acceleration:	Top Speed:

Weight:	Handling:

CPU item:
Green Shell	Poison Mushroom
Victory theme:

Maximum speed

The Japanese Official Nintendo Guidebook of the game lists the maximum speed in the 100cc engine class in various conditions.^[7] This maximum speed is increased by 1 km/h per each coin collected, until 10 coins are collected.^[8]

Maximum speed in the 100cc engine class
Driver	Maximum speed (km/h)
Driver	Normal road	Circuits' sand	Choco Island's rocks	Choco Island's mud	Donut Plain's grass	Koopa Beach's water	Vanilla Lake's snow
Mario Luigi	130	84	40	90	82	82	76
Princess Yoshi	125	88	44	94	86	86	70
Bowser Donkey Kong Jr.	135	86	42	92	80	88	74
Koopa Troopa Toad	120	90	46	96	84	84	72

Acceleration

A graph showing the speed as a function of time when accelerating from a standstill with various characters. The horizontal axis shows the time in seconds. The red line refers to Mario and Luigi, the green line refers to The Princess and Yoshi, the light blue line refers to Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr., the yellow line refers to Koopa Troopa and Toad.

Performance chart

The official instruction manual illustrates a chart that details how well characters perform on tracks and their stats. It notes that Toad and Koopa Troopa have the best steering while The Princess and Yoshi steer worse. Another point it mentions is that Toad and Koopa Troopa can get knocked aside by Bowser and Donkey Kong Jr.

Non-playable

Characters and elements
Character/element	Location	Description
Big Cheep Cheep	Winner's circle	A giant blimp-like fish that appears at the winner's circle, depositing the player's trophy before deflating away.
Bullet Bill	N/A	Appears in Match Races where they bounce back and forth between two walls and causes racers who drive into them to spin out.
Flopping Cheep Cheep	Koopa Beach	Bouncing fish that spin players out if they come in contact with them.
Ghost	Ghost Valley	Background elements in the Ghost Valley courses.
Gopher	Donut Plains	Gophers attach themselves onto racers if ran into, which cause them to lose speed and coins. Players must hop repeatedly to get them off.
Lakitu	N/A	A helpful track manager who oversees the race. He starts the race up, pulls racers out of lava, water, and pits, tells players that they are going the wrong way, and waves a checkered flag for a racer who has finished.
Piranha Plant	Choco Island	A carnivorous plant that acts like a stationary obstacle. Players who run into them spin out.
Thwomp	Bowser Castle	A hovering rock that stays stationary in the first lap of a course. In subsequent laps, they slam onto the floor in a pattern, and any racer caught in them get flattened. Flashing variants of Thwomps called Super Thwomps appear in Rainbow Road and act identically to Thwomps, though touching them causes racers to spin out, unlike regular Thwomps.
Super Thwomp	Rainbow Road	Flashing Thwomps that cause racers to spin out on contact.

Courses

The game has 20 race courses and 4 battle courses, the former being divided in four cups. Super Mario Kart is the only game in the Mario Kart series to have five courses per cup, as opposed to four in later games.

Race courses

Aside from Rainbow Road, all of the courses are numbered. In the credits, each character is assigned a course.

Some common hazards include the following:

Water: Racers who fall in have a few seconds to drive out, before Lakitu picks them up. Koopa Beach contains shallow water that is safe to drive through.
Lava: Racers who fall in immediately get picked up by Lakitu.
Abyss: Racers who fall immediately get picked up by Lakitu.
Destructible blocks: Walls that get destroyed when struck in Ghost Valley and Vanilla Lake.
Dirt: Decreases traction when driven on in Donut Plains.
Chocolate Mud: Decreases traction and slows speed when driven on in Choco Island.

Course	Terrain	Slipperiness	Obstacles	Character	Description
Mario Circuit	Pavement/Sand	1	Oil slick, Pipes	Luigi	"A paved track with good traction. Look out for the pipes!"
Donut Plains	Grassy	2	Gophers, Water, Pipes	Princess	"A tranquil setting with a beautiful pond. Pipes or Gophers may get in your way."
Ghost Valley	Wooden	1	Falling walls	Yoshi	"A track made of wood built a long time ago. There are no special obstacles, but be sure to keep your eyes peeled for holes."
Bowser Castle	Stone	1	Thwomp, Lava	Bowser	"A course made of stones set on a bed of lava. Be careful, or you'll get Thwomped."
Choco Island	Chocolate	3	Piranha Plants, Chocolate Mud	Donkey Kong Jr.	"A dirt course in the desert. The infamous Piranha Plant hangs out here."
Koopa Beach	Sand/water	3	Flopping Cheep Cheeps, deep water	Koopa Troopa	"A race on the beach around a small island. The Flopping Cheep Cheep makes its home here."
Vanilla Lake	Ice/Snow	4	Icy water, destructible blocks, Pipes	Toad	"A frozen lake that is very slick. Pipes and holes in the ice should be avoided at all costs."
Rainbow Road	Rainbow tiles	1	Super Thwomps	Mario

Cup races

Mushroom Cup	Mario Circuit 1	Donut Plains 1	Ghost Valley 1	Bowser Castle 1	Mario Circuit 2
Flower Cup	Choco Island 1	Ghost Valley 2	Donut Plains 2	Bowser Castle 2	Mario Circuit 3
Star Cup	Koopa Beach 1	Choco Island 2	Vanilla Lake 1	Bowser Castle 3	Mario Circuit 4
Special Cup	Donut Plains 3	Koopa Beach 2	Ghost Valley 3	Vanilla Lake 2'	Rainbow Road

Battle courses

Course features and obstacles

Feature	Description
Coin	These are scattered throughout the course and increase the player's speed as well as give them durability against opponents. They do not respawn once taken.
Jump	Players hop if they drive over this. Driving over it at high speeds causes racers to jump higher and farther.
Oil Slick	Located in the Mario Circuits, players spin out if they drive over them.
Pipe	Stationary obstacles found in Mario Circuit, Vanilla Lake, and Donut Plains that act as walls and slow players down when struck.
Question Block	These panels gives players an item if driven over. Once they are driven over, they are depleted until all Question Blocks in the course get depleted, in which they all respawn.
Zipper	Zippers give a burst of speed for players who drive over it.

Items

Items are obtained through Question Blocks scattered around the tracks. When the player passes over one, it deactivates until all other Question Blocks are used. Once a racer passes over one, with a few exceptions, they receive an item in their box from the following:

Item	Description	Notes
Banana Peel	When a kart hits a Banana Peel, it spins out.	Can be thrown backward and forward. Also used by Donkey Kong Jr. if he is CPU-controlled.
Green Shell	The Green Shell sends an enemy into a spin if they are hit. Green Shells can bounce off barriers. Throwing it backwards causes it to remain stationary.	Can be thrown backward and forward. Used by Koopa Troopa if CPU-controlled, but they behave similar to Banana Peels even when thrown forward, and remain stationary.
Red Shell	The Red Shell acts similarly to a Green Shell, but homes in on the target instead. It does not bounce off walls, however.	Can be thrown only forward.
Feather	A Feather allows the user to perform a high jump, high enough to take normally impossible shortcuts and to sail over obstacles and other racers.	Can be used by every CPU. Cannot appear on a Mario Circuit or a Donut Plains course.
Mushroom	The Mushroom is a more common item than a Feather or a Star, and grants the user a slight boost. It can either be used to slam an opponent or drive over hazards such as sand and grass without losing speed. When using a Mushroom in front of a jump pad, the jump is higher and farther.
Star	The Star provides two benefits, allowing the user to receive a small speed boost and to become invulnerable to everything. Contact with other racers causes them to spin out.	Used also by Mario and Luigi if they are CPU-controlled. They do not receive a speed boost, however, and the effect does not last as long.
Ghost	The Ghost turns the user transparent for a few seconds and steals an opponent's item.	Exclusive to Battle Mode and Match Race.
Coin	The Coin adds two coins to the total coin count, increasing the user's overall top speed.	Does not appear in Battle Mode and Time Trial. Maximum benefit is achieved with 10 coins.
Lightning	The Lightning Bolt shrinks all the racers except for the user, making them slower and vulnerable to being squashed by normal sized racers. The effect wears off after a brief period of time.	Does not appear in Battle Mode.
Egg	Works similar to a Banana Peel, the only difference being that it does little hops.	Usable only by Yoshi if he is CPU-controlled.
Fireball	Similar to a Banana Peel, but moves in a circular motion, making them harder to pass safely.	Usable only by Bowser if he is CPU-controlled.
Poison Mushroom	A stationary item. If one is run into, the victim shrinks, as if hit by a Lightning Bolt. Shrunken racers who run into it revert to normal size.	Usable only by Princess and Toad if they are CPU-controlled.

Probabilities

The following tables are derived from the Japanese Nintendo Official Guidebook of the game and report the probability of obtaining each item in the various modes with letter codes ranging from A (most likely) to F (unlikely).^[9] In the races, the probability of obtaining an item depends on the track theme, on the current lap and on the rank of the driver, while in Battle Mode the probability is not affected by any factor.