Topic: --Mario Kart--

[Windwaker]

I've been wondering. Mario kart for Nintendo 64 was on of the funnest multiplayer games every made. What do you think Nintendo is going to do to improve the Mario Kart for Gamecube? Do you think they'll include characters from other games besides Mario games? Online or not?

[EggyToast]

I don't really care about characters.  I do hope they have more than a paltry 4 battle levels, though, as battle mode is kart's strong point for multiplayer.

Online would be nice, sure.  Not holding my breath, though.  Just want more levels.

[Mario]

Miyamoto said in an interview once that he couldnt show a single screenshot of the game because it would reveal a new aspect in the game that we werent ready for. What could it be that is so significant in Mario Kart GCN that he couldnt show ANY screenshots?

[BlkPaladin]

They will more than likely upgraded Kart like they did with Smash Brothers at the very least. Online is still a possibility but I wouldn't be holding my breath. (Three Months one week....)

[Super Mekman]

This is a game I can't wait for.

Hopefully Nintendo will not be so shy as to avoid showing this game at this years E-3.

I'm still hoping for it to be just "Mario" Kart though,
It wouldn't be the same (IMO) with Kirby, Link or Sonic.

I'm just not ready for that.  

[MH-001]

I think they will have new characters from other games, plus new carts. Maybe an upgrade system. I'd like to see the new carts though. Donkey Kong riding rambi, Bowser in his hovering smiley face, Kirby on his Warp Star, Link on Epona, Mega man on Rush, Sonic on his feet.

[Marufy007]

maybe you'll have to do more out of this world stuff like have warp pipes scattered all over a track that can either help or hurt you int he race, or maybe they will have a section of a track underwater that you drive through. im not really sure what Miyamoto and co can do, but i guess i dont push myself to be creative like him. anyone that can think up imaginary blocks in the air and that shrooms make you bigger is a helluva lot more creative then i am!

[Uglydot]

Hopefully Mario Kart will at least be networkable.  If it isn't online, I won't really care, since my main mode of play is LAN.  Having Cubes going along-side the network games of CS at a future LAN party would be great.

Since he can't show any screen shots, something has probably been done to the grafical style.  While I do enjoy the style given to WW since it looks more like the SNES games to me, I couldn't picture MK in the cell shaded style.  

[Bill Aurion]

1) it WILL be online...Nintendo is going online someday and this is the game to promote it

2) there should NOT be many extra characters...ive heard people saying "oh boy put in daisy, and waluigi, and mega man!"...i think not.  If anything there should be maybe 2 new characters, Koopa(the long awaited ) and some other differentiated Nintendo character.

3) we need lots of battle arenas.  4 i think was very minimal in the past two.  I would like at least 8 new ones plus...BLOCK FORT!

[Sleepyfoo]

I really hope they put shy guy in it.  I love shy guy, hes all...prodding buttox

[Sean]

Yeah, I agree on the "not many extra characters" thing.  I mean, there is such a thing as just too freaking many.

One of the charms of the old games was that you could find a character you really loved playing with, and you weren't overwhelmed with so many choices.  Anyone else thing it's getting a little insane with certain fighting games?  I mean, I can see, in a few years, Capcom releasing a new Street Fighter/SNK/Marvel/DC fighting game or something and "OVER 176 CHARACTERS!!!!" typed flashily on the cover.  You can't even learn all the moves much less get Ryu/Ken comfortable with any of them...haha.  You know?

So, hopefully, a few more characters will be added (which even that isn't necessary, I would say), but it will still be a very tight set of core characters with even more nuance, perhaps, in their control.

Another thing is that though I LOVED N64's Mario Kart, I still prefer the SNES version ever so slightly.  To me, and this is probably going to be met with great argument, the old one was a bit more about RACING instead of what I consider to be an over-reliance on the item boxes and their so-called randomizing.  I'm sorry, but when it becomes a good strategy to stay in 5th or 6th place until the final lap when you can get all the good items and overtake everyone at the last second, well, thrilling though it is, it gets old.  I think.

I think it would insanely cool if the game became even a bit more like the ultimate Mario Kart rip-off, Crash Team Racing, which I thought was incredibly fun as a racer, although I never played it much multiplayer-wise.  It had some great additions that really shot adrenaline through the stale genre.  Of course, I won't be so naive as to think I could give Nintendo advice (much less Miyamoto) on this...haha.  I'm sure it'll be everything we want and more, although I'm guessing there's no guarantee for the online thing, so if that's a deal-breaker, I feel sorry for you...haha.

[Icons by Size]

hey i just thought of something.  it would be great fun if you could get out of the kart if you wanted.....and get back in of course.  i dont know for what...maybe to fight or get an item or do whatever, beats me, but i think that would be fun and it could allow for a story mode in single player and you could go into shops and supe up your kart heheh

[Nintendo Gamecube]

I agree with almost everything you guys have said.

What I don't understand is why you guys would not like more characters. Adding more charatcers broadens a choice, and it more enjoyable. Leave all the classic chars, and add more. It is that simple. If you prefer the olides, then choose your oldie. But if you are like and like to confuse your friends with your choice, I'd prefer a more diversified group.

One more thing I'd also like is each characters own special move. For example, Toad would move faster then Bowser, but Bowser would be able to knock Toad out easier, Mario and Luigi could use warp pipes throughout levels to help them, etc. That would add another feature to the enormous list.

[Sean]

I completely understand what you are saying when you wonder what's wrong with having more chars.  I guess there's nothing inherently wrong with it, but there's an underlying fear, perhaps, that they will spend more time on new characters when all that time could be spent on better level design, more battle features, and god knows what else (or that all the characters, with a couple new ones, could be enhanced in cool new ways--I think it's sloppy creatively to add many more characters and think that should suffice).  The old adage, "Keep it simple, stupid" is such a handy one, especially in game design.  If the foundation is rooted in near-perfect gameplay, the rest is an added bonus.

Hmmm...looked at that way, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a lot more characters...after all, it is Nintendo, and they certainly keep the foundation pretty darn perfect...haha.  So, disregard all I've ever said as of right now.  Well, almost everything.  Okay, don't disregard anything, just consider this a confusing post that's best ignored.  ;-)

In short: whatever they do, we'll be happy as long as it's good, unless we're picky schmucks.  Haha....  

[Mingesium]

Since you can't be the same character, Nintendo should add more characters.

I think that Nintendo should drop Mario Kart, and create Nintendo Kart. They shouldn't limit themselves to the Mario Universe.  

[BlkPaladin]

Accually they could add the other characters and still call it Mario Kart. Also there are still a lot of other Mario Characters they could add that they haven't yet.

[Uglydot]

"For example, Toad would move faster then Bowser, but Bowser would be able to knock Toad out easier, Mario and Luigi could use warp pipes throughout levels to help them, etc."

The Toad and Bowser part of that is already done, but taking it further like you said would be neat.  I would prefer that they work on many more levels rather than add a bunch of charecters.  I never minded the dependancy on item boxes, but them again, we never tried to hang back that way.   I always prefered the battle facets of the game myself anyways.

[Biohazard]

Is "funnest" a word...anyhow Mario Kart is alittle too Kiddy...hopefully the can make a graphic impressive one with Onlne capabilities.

[Perfect Cell]

Id want Sonic in MK. Other than that theres not a whole lot of stuff. Maybe more batle arenas.

[Hybrid Hunter]

I'd want a graphical update and more multiplayer levels.
Online capabilities would be good too.
Plus some sort of GBA-GCN connection!

[Jollus]

I don't think that a GBA link up would be worth anything for a Mario Kart game.  At least not in gameplay.  I could see it unlocking things like in Metroid prime, but who wants to have to look down from the screen while racing?  Plus if I have to use the GBA while playing it means I am stuck on a cord.  My Wavebirds don't like that idea one bit.  Personally I don't see myself using any game that requires the GBA link during gameplay because of this.  I could hope and pray that someone would make a wire-less GBA link, but I am not going to hold my breath on that one.

What I see happening is some sort of SMASH Kart type game.  Trophies.  Trophies.  Trophies.  Every trophie from SSBM plus a boat load more.  I am not sure if every character getting their own type of ride would be good though.  I mean there is no way Epona could outrun an FZero racer.  I could see more personalized karts, but not to many characters with their own form of transport.  

The not showing screenshots of the game because it would reveal a new aspect has got me thinking.  Just what could make a kart racing game so different.  

Maybe it is going to be Mario vs Sonic Kart.  With a team of drivers from each side.  That would be kinda cool.

[Biohazard]

Erm Duh...how about using the GBA as a rear view or front mirror, or what even about just downloading a custom track maker kit...have some imagination man...

[Edisim]

here's some... um.. nonsense..

maybe instead of just being behind the kart (in terms of camera view) you can now choose different views, like through the driver's eyes. this could open up some new abilities as far as weapons. obviously it would be easier to aim shells, banana peels, etc., but you could also choose which racer to target with the homing shells (I realize they could implement a way to do that even without going through the driver's eyes). And maybe the game is more 3 dimensional now. Flying vehicles, underwater vehicles, etc.. behind the vehicle view would probably be best for these types of races, though. also, I keep thinking of those dogfights/deathmatch mode in starfox64. remember the tank? and running on foot with a cannon on your shoulders? I sure hope there's no running on foot in mario kart..

[Icons by Size]

aw you dont like being able to get out of the kart whenever you want? cmon you can always get back in.  of course this would only be useful in a battle mode.  having underwater vehicles and stuff sounds like diddy kong racing.....which wasnt as good as mario kart, but submarine wars does sound really fun.

[Kulock]

Quote
Originally posted by: Mario
Miyamoto said in an interview once that he couldnt show a single screenshot of the game because it would reveal a new aspect in the game that we werent ready for. What could it be that is so significant in Mario Kart GCN that he couldnt show ANY screenshots?

I've never read that interview... but don't forget that this is the man who felt that Mario Sunshine's water gun and hover functionality shouldn't be shown off in the first preview video, lest the idea be stolen... Technically polygonal racers would be new to us for a Mario Kart title.