Mario Kart 64 took the all fun kart racing genre from 2D up to 3D, and in a sense not really all too 3D. It was the first of the genre to really move up in terms of graphics away from the flat style of Super Mario Kart. Released in 1997, and even packed in with a controller, it was one of the first great 4 player games, and was a lot of fun if you had 3 other friends to play with.
Mario Kart 64 has pretty much the same modes and features that Super Mario Kart had, such as Grand Prix in 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and a battle mode, now able to be played by 4 players. This game is significantly more easy than Super Mario Kart was, mainly because the tracks within the game are kind of bland, not really any interesting twists or turns, but some cool details and effects here and there. The levels still look very 2Dish and really blurry textures, and the racers themselves are polygonal figures though. The animation on the characters is alright, as when the get hit they don`t just sit still. Items also come back, and with a few more new items to add to the fun.
Mario Kart 64 is not a bad game and did lay down the ground work for many Kart racers to come, and elements from this game are still being used today, but the gameplay is nothing spectacular or flashy. But most levels do tend to be fun, and single player isn`t all that fulfilling. The game has eight characters like the previous, with new ones, and some taken out. Mario Kart 64 is a pretty fun game, and anyone should give this game a play through, but definitely not the best in the genre.
The characters do have limited voice acting which becomes very irritating and flat very quickly. Background music for all the levels is a very nice score, and really fits with the level it was matched for, making that side of the game enjoyable. The controls for the game do feel a bit slippery anot all to definitive, using the N64 analog can be a little bit of a hassle.
But, in the end it is a good solid kart racing game, with fun multiplayer, but dull single player, and compared to other Mario Kart games, it`s definitely not the best,. I do recommend you to at least play the game once, and make sure if you do, gather 3 friends and it will make the experience a whole lot more fun.
