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Name of Game: Super Mario Kart
Game Author: Shigeru Miyamoto
Game Studio: Nintendo
Original Platform & Control Mechanism: The Original Platform was the SNES / Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the control mechanism is the SNES's Controller
Control Mechanism you used: Keyboard. Yes the experience would have been very different and have felt much better. the game felt very clunky using a keyboard to drift around and use items all of the buttons were very close and it felt like I was fighting my fingers to press some buttons. I have played this on a SNES and I know its a much better experience with a controller.
Gameplay Mechanics:
In the most simple terms you are racing go-karts around a track as mario characters. However there is so much more to it then just that surface level explanation. The karts feel nice to drive and the drift button is something that almost sets the standard for arcade style racing games. It's nice and sharp and helps you get around corners much faster if you are able to use it to your advantage. The last main addition to the gameplay mechanics is the various items that can be acquired while playing. The powerups add the last layer of strategy past just racing from the game and I feel they serve almost the same roll as the items from smash brother games in the fact that they turn what could be a uber competitive game and turns it into a game that while is less competitive is more fun for the average player with the powerful power ups being more common if your behind the pact and if your at the front you get less powerful power ups.
Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design:
The pixel art style I think is both a strength and a weakness of the game. I love how the characters look and think that go-karts is one of the more recognizable versions of Mario besides his mainline looks. I think they did a lot with what they were given. The biggest problem I have with the art style is when you are moving, at least for me it can be a little disorienting with the world feeling like it's growing as you get near it not you are moving to it. However that is really the only problem I have with the art style and I like the simplicity of some of the levels which gives it almost a bit of charm. I really liked the Ghost Valley Map. It's a dark map that is on a dock floating above darkness. I really liked the assetic of the map and the creepy vibes it has with the boos floating around outside/skybox.
What made it fun?:
I would say the fun of the game is its competitive nature that anyone could win at. While other games like shooters are competitive, someone with 1000 hours is likely gonna beat someone 100% of the time against someone who plays only on the weekends. Mario Kart however with items creates that level playing field where people behind get advantages mid match to help them catch up with players doing better. That with the two player mode I feel makes it a timeless classic. Everyone has a competitive nature and I feel the game perfectly captures it with a game anyone can play. Besides that the game has very nice feeling controls that make it feel fun to play. The items give the most fun factor out of everything though. The Dopamine from hitting a green shell alone is enough to convince someone that they're having a good time but the other items are fun to play with. You could place a banana peel that hits someone in a future lap or use a mushroom to take a shortcut in the track or make a big comeback using the star to fly past people at crazy speed while knocking them on the way. all of the items when used with a few exceptions are super satisfying to use and to especially hit.
Now that you've played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?:
This game laid the groundwork for a fun arcade style racing game with items. There are more games that follow its style then you could count at this point. The many systems it has like the drifting, items, and the non realistic movement are all staples of the arcade racing game genre. While it did not create the idea of racing car combat it perfected the ideas of a game that uses these systems and still to this day is a big contender in the arcade racing game genre with other games not being able to compete with the almost simplistic nature of the games as well as the characters. It was also one of the first mario spin off games that led to him being in all kinds of places with his friends and is one of the few that is still popular. I think in terms of the evolution of games it wasn't super influential in terms of the things it did more influential in its specific genre. Overall super mario kart while being a super popular game I don't believe influenced games like final fantasy. However it was one of the best selling games on the SNES and helped reinforce the family fun nature of Nintendo with it almost being a console game everyone needed.
I would Rate it 4 stars out of 5. Fun game that still holds up today.
Game Author: Shigeru Miyamoto
Game Studio: Nintendo
Original Platform & Control Mechanism: The Original Platform was the SNES / Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the control mechanism is the SNES's Controller
Control Mechanism you used: Keyboard. Yes the experience would have been very different and have felt much better. the game felt very clunky using a keyboard to drift around and use items all of the buttons were very close and it felt like I was fighting my fingers to press some buttons. I have played this on a SNES and I know its a much better experience with a controller.
Gameplay Mechanics:
In the most simple terms you are racing go-karts around a track as mario characters. However there is so much more to it then just that surface level explanation. The karts feel nice to drive and the drift button is something that almost sets the standard for arcade style racing games. It's nice and sharp and helps you get around corners much faster if you are able to use it to your advantage. The last main addition to the gameplay mechanics is the various items that can be acquired while playing. The powerups add the last layer of strategy past just racing from the game and I feel they serve almost the same roll as the items from smash brother games in the fact that they turn what could be a uber competitive game and turns it into a game that while is less competitive is more fun for the average player with the powerful power ups being more common if your behind the pact and if your at the front you get less powerful power ups.
Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design:
The pixel art style I think is both a strength and a weakness of the game. I love how the characters look and think that go-karts is one of the more recognizable versions of Mario besides his mainline looks. I think they did a lot with what they were given. The biggest problem I have with the art style is when you are moving, at least for me it can be a little disorienting with the world feeling like it's growing as you get near it not you are moving to it. However that is really the only problem I have with the art style and I like the simplicity of some of the levels which gives it almost a bit of charm. I really liked the Ghost Valley Map. It's a dark map that is on a dock floating above darkness. I really liked the assetic of the map and the creepy vibes it has with the boos floating around outside/skybox.
What made it fun?:
I would say the fun of the game is its competitive nature that anyone could win at. While other games like shooters are competitive, someone with 1000 hours is likely gonna beat someone 100% of the time against someone who plays only on the weekends. Mario Kart however with items creates that level playing field where people behind get advantages mid match to help them catch up with players doing better. That with the two player mode I feel makes it a timeless classic. Everyone has a competitive nature and I feel the game perfectly captures it with a game anyone can play. Besides that the game has very nice feeling controls that make it feel fun to play. The items give the most fun factor out of everything though. The Dopamine from hitting a green shell alone is enough to convince someone that they're having a good time but the other items are fun to play with. You could place a banana peel that hits someone in a future lap or use a mushroom to take a shortcut in the track or make a big comeback using the star to fly past people at crazy speed while knocking them on the way. all of the items when used with a few exceptions are super satisfying to use and to especially hit.
Now that you've played it, Why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?:
This game laid the groundwork for a fun arcade style racing game with items. There are more games that follow its style then you could count at this point. The many systems it has like the drifting, items, and the non realistic movement are all staples of the arcade racing game genre. While it did not create the idea of racing car combat it perfected the ideas of a game that uses these systems and still to this day is a big contender in the arcade racing game genre with other games not being able to compete with the almost simplistic nature of the games as well as the characters. It was also one of the first mario spin off games that led to him being in all kinds of places with his friends and is one of the few that is still popular. I think in terms of the evolution of games it wasn't super influential in terms of the things it did more influential in its specific genre. Overall super mario kart while being a super popular game I don't believe influenced games like final fantasy. However it was one of the best selling games on the SNES and helped reinforce the family fun nature of Nintendo with it almost being a console game everyone needed.
I would Rate it 4 stars out of 5. Fun game that still holds up today.