However, AI-controlled racers do not use any kind of shell.

One can earn a small turbo boost by drifting, which one can perform by hopping and tilting the control stick back and forth three times. The items' uses include acting as projectiles to impede the opponent, speed up the user, or stop opponents through other means. Items can be acquired by hitting an item box, a rainbow-colored box with a spinning question mark. On a track, various actions can be performed to change the flow of a race. Three and four-player races have no computer-controlled racers. Up to four of them can be human characters, while the rest are computer-controlled. Eight characters participate in each race. Each track has a unique shape and can contain various obstacles, hazards, and short cuts. These characters race in a variety of tracks based upon different locations in the Mario world. Players choose from a roster of eight characters that vary in weight, speed, and acceleration. Unlike Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64 has more unique track designs instead of having repeats of the same track, as well as introducing tropes that would later become staples of the Mario Kart series, an example being Luigi Circuit as the first track.įor the first time in this game, Wario and Donkey Kong are playable characters and items, such as the Spiny Shell and the Triple Green Shell, were also introduced. Despite this change, the characters, items, and some course obstacles remain as pre-rendered 2D sprites. Mario Kart 64 also has expanded game play, such as Mini-Turbos, which players can get from drifting, and the ability to play with up to four players.ĭue to the game's evolution from Mode 7 to full 3D, Mario Kart 64 is the first game in the series that allows elevation, advanced collision physics, more camera control, walls that obscure views, and increased fidelity. It is the sequel of Super Mario Kart, featuring a similar base where players can select a character from the Super Mario franchise to drive in a kart, using items to help themselves or hinder the other drivers. Mario Kart 64 (styled as MARIOKART 64 abbreviated to MK64) is a racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 (N64) video game console and the second installment in the Mario Kart series.