Mario Kart 64

Mario Kart 64
Developer	Nintendo EAD
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Nintendo 64, Virtual Console (Wii, Wii U)
Release Date	Nintendo 64 JP December 14, 1996 US February 10, 1997 EU June 24, 1997 Wii Virtual Console EU January 25, 2007 US January 29, 2007 JP January 30, 2007 Wii U Virtual Console JP January 6, 2016 PAL January 21, 2016 US December 29, 2016
Genre	Racing
Gallery	GH Gallery
Rating	ESRB: K-A

Mario Kart 64 is a racing game that acts as a 3-D sequel to the original Super Mario Kart. It featuredsan expanded four-player multiplayer mode along with new items and characters.

Gameplay

Mario Kart 64 plays similarly to the previous game, but with polygonal graphics. The characters of Donkey Kong Jr. and the Koopa Troopa have been replaced with Donkey Kong and Wario. As before, items could be used to sabotage other racers. This installment introduces the infamous Spiny Shell, which homes in on the player in first place and blows them up. In addition to the standard racing mode, there are extras which include mirrored tracks and the option to race against "ghosts" of previous plays of stages. The ghosts in Time Trial mode could only be saved to the Nintendo 64 Controller Pak.

This installment was known for its multiplayer, which underwent a natural expansion due to the transition from Super NES to Nintendo 64. Up to four players could compete in races or Battle Mode.

Playable Characters

The game featured the following eight racers:

• Mario
• Luigi
• Princess Peach
• Toad
• Yoshi
• Wario
• Bowser
• Donkey Kong

Tracks

Mushroom Cup	Flower Cup	Star Cup	Special Cup
Luigi Raceway	Toad's Turnpike	Wario Stadium	DK's Jungle Parkway
Moo Moo Farm	Frappe Snowland	Sherbet Land	Yoshi Valley
Koopa Troopa Beach	Choco Mountain	Royal Raceway	Banshee Boardwalk
Kalimari Desert	Mario Raceway	Bowser's Castle	Rainbow Road

• Mario Kart Tracks

Legacy

Mario Kart 64 was a very popular game and established the Mario Kart series in a 3-D environment. It acted as an influential game for Mario Kart games moving forward. It also was the first racing game and Mario spin-off game in general to incorporate Wario and the modern incarnation of Donkey Kong into the playable roster. The roster of eight characters featured in this game would go in to appear in nearly every following Mario Kart game and most of the other Mario spin-off games moving onwards.

Various courses from this game would reappear in later Mario Kart games (starting with Mario Kart DS) as Retro courses.

Ports and Remakes

• Mario Kart 64 was released for download over the Wii's Virtual Console in early 2007 and the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2016.
• In October 2021, it was among the initial wave of games in the Nintendo Switch's library of Nintendo 64 games that were made available with the purchase of the Expansion Pack for Nintendo Switch Online. This supported the multiplayer of Mario Kart 64 and allowed it to be played online.

Sequels

The next Mario Kart game was Mario Kart: Super Circuit for the Game Boy Advance, which blended elements from Super Mario Kart with Mario Kart 64. The next console Mario Kart was Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.