Best Mario Kart alternatives?

Here's another good topic to populate the Retro forum, given Mario Kart 8's out. Seems like a pretty good list: http://retrorevisited.tumblr.com/post/86497215349/the-5-best-alternatives-to-the-mario-kart-series

I've always (perhaps foolishly) dismissed CTR, is it worth a go then? As someone who loved DKR and Konami Krazy Racers that is?

I'm just glad Sonic Transformed didn't take the number one, really. It's good, but it really lacks the timeless appeal of better games due to its balancing: handling's a bit too close to your bog standard arcade racer, but the way the game's balanced means it plays like one too, where good players in lower positions will struggle to catch up.

I've played exactly two MK alternatives: DKR, which was too hard for me at the time, and Wacky Racers on the GBC, which was mediocre by any metric.

That is all. (swirls cape, leaves thread)

fronkhead wrote:

I've always (perhaps foolishly) dismissed CTR, is it worth a go then? As someone who loved DKR and Konami Krazy Racers that is?

It absolutely is. It's not an original experience - in fact, I felt I'd seen it all before back when it came out fifteen years ago - but it does everything it sets out to very well. I've got no real criticisms of it whatsoever.

~

I've had it for ages and I completed it long ago, and I honestly don't get why Konami Krazy Racers is praised so much by the retro GBA community. I didn't find it to be anything special at all. I like the other games on that list though - I'll need to dig out Speed Freaks later.

Thanks Phillips, might pick it up off the PS Store then during the summer drought. The mechanic mentioned in the video of getting speed of terrain sounds pretty awesome.

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I'm tempted to agree about Konami Krazy Racers. The main problem that game has is one of difficulty and AI: it's just not much of a challenge, or a thrill to play because the AI never puts up a fight. That being said, the sheer about of variety and the fact the game got track designs and weapons mostly right had me enjoy it quite a bit. And even if the AI racing was a bit rubbish, time trials and licenses were a blast.

I do love a bit of CTR, Sonic Transformed is decent enough, Thought Modnation might of got mention along with Wacky Races which was decent on the Dreamcast which also got a looney tones & walt disney kart games.

But the best was missing, just look at that box art.

Brr, I remember watching footage of that game and it really looked dire.

Star Wars Episode 1: Racer was a good alternative too which I only just remembered. I was a bit rubbish at it back then, though, but I wonder how I'd be revisiting it.

Never played CTR but I always remember it looking like a near perfect clone of MK64 which I'm sure is a good sign, might just download it on PSN. Sonic Transformed would probably be my favourite, had some great fun with that and kinda wish I spent more time with the online multiplayer.

Did anyone ever play Lego Racers on the 64? That had the customisation thing way back then and wasn't too bad, would probably rate it higher than say Diddy Kong Racing looking back.

Mole Kart

They're on the run... from Nintendo's lawyers.

I don't think Podracer hasn't aged to well and not really a kart game, more in the realms of Wipeout, F-Zero etc.

There was LBP racers on the PS3. The question maybe should be I want a kart game on X console what is there, so if you said dreamcast you'd could look at any of these Looney Tunes: Space Race, South Park Rally, Stunt GP, Wacky Races, Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour there's also a few others of the not so serious variety such as Re-Volt.

I never liked Pod Racer much. Star Wars bores the tits off of me, but even setting that aside I didn't think there was much to shout about. Haven't played it in about a decade, and have no inkling to either. Super Bombad Racing on the PS2 was better (although I felt that was also hammered into the ground by better racers of the time, especially Rumble Racing).

Yeah, I have a feeling my memories are slightly rose-tinted, as it were, since whenever I try and remember the game's courses I only remember really boring bits. It's no F Zero.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is clearly the better game of the two in the series. It's just so much purer and tighter and purer as a result. And am I the only one who's always loathed Diddy Kong Racing (catchy theme tune aside)?

Zoo Race might just be the best worst racer ever, though. It's seriously, diabolically, cringeworthily poor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2av978FgLI

Treesmurf wrote:

Did anyone ever play Lego Racers on the 64? That had the customisation thing way back then and wasn't too bad, would probably rate it higher than say Diddy Kong Racing looking back.

I had that, and thought it was great. But then again I preferred Konami Krazy Racers to Super Circuit back then too so probably don't have the best judgement.

I enjoyed Super Circuit back in the day, but I don't know what I'd make of it today. Never been the biggest fan of the original-style Mario Kart, though I am currently giving Super Mario Kart another shot.

MKSC is my least favourite Mario Kart (that I've played more than once).

Some Mario Kart alternatives I've played (I'm going to use item-based racers in general):

- Diddy Kong Racing: I absolutely love this game, both the N64 and DS versions. Well, except for the strange teenage version of Tiny King in the DS version.

- LEGO Racers: It was fun, but even as a kid something felt off about the handling.

- Extreme G 1&2: Very frantic and very fun.

- Extreme G 3: I absolutely hated it. It lacked the fun of the first two.

- Konami Krazy Racers: I think it was much better than MK:SC. The license mode was great, but also very difficult. The chicken mode was fun, too.

- Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing with Banjo Kazooie (deep breath): I liked it a lot more than Mario Kart Wii. And it had Banjo in it, bonus.

- Blur: I enjoyed the beta as it felt very tactical. Then they randomised the item locations and it just felt like it was missing something.

- Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed: Love this game. Best single-player in a racer of its type.

Dead Lemon wrote:

Treesmurf wrote:

Did anyone ever play Lego Racers on the 64? That had the customisation thing way back then and wasn't too bad, would probably rate it higher than say Diddy Kong Racing looking back.

I had that, and thought it was great. But then again I preferred Konami Krazy Racers to Super Circuit back then too so probably don't have the best judgement.

Konami Krazy Racers has quite the following doesn't it? Not one I've ever tried but always hear good things about it.

Balladeer wrote:

MKSC is my least favourite Mario Kart (that I've played more than once).  

I mainly remember it for the fab end credits music... and the track with the beanstalks. Sky Garden, or something?

Tuneage to the max: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgA981AVDcU

Oh don't get me wrong, the soundtrack was brilliant for the time. Sky Garden was ace, Rainbow Road did something completely different not revisited until SSB4, and I love Sunset Wilds, for all that Jay will call me a loony.

Treesmurf wrote:

Konami Krazy Racers has quite the following doesn't it? Not one I've ever tried but always hear good things about it.

I'm pretty sure that NGC Magazine rated it pretty highly, too.

Seconding Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - a brilliant game that is steeped in SEGA history. The only mistake it makes that I can remember is the cruddy weapons.

I thought the boat bits were a bit cruddy, personally; and the flying bits were rather flabby. Still a very competent attempt by SUMO, though. I'm a big fan of their racers. A Sonic Team outing, sadly, would almost certainly have been a disaster.

Picked up South Park Rally yesterday for the dreamcast, played two races it was fun but not amazing.

But was is PenPen which you don't use a Kart at all but your character slides on ice for instance and other things like swimming. Was really fun, weird and different also looks good still.