Mario Kart
Mario Kart [lower-alpha 1] is a series of go-kart-style racing video games developed and published by Nintendo as spin-offs from its trademark Super Mario series. The games feature characters from the Mario franchise and other game series, including The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing, competing in races while using various items to gain advantage.
Mario Kart | |
---|---|
![]() Logo used since Mario Kart DS | |
Genre(s) | Racing |
Developer(s) | Nintendo EAD (1992-2014) Nintendo EPD (2017-present) Intelligent Systems (Super Circuit) Retro Studios (Mario Kart 7) Namco/Bandai Namco (Mario Kart Arcade GP Velan Studios (Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit) |
Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
Creator(s) | Shigeru Miyamoto |
Platform(s) | |
First release | Super Mario Kart August 27, 1992 |
Latest release | Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit October 16, 2020 |
The first in the series, Super Mario Kart, was launched in 1992 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System to critical and commercial success.[1]
With six Mario Kart games released on home consoles, three on portable handheld consoles, four arcade games co-developed with Namco and one for mobile phones, the Mario Kart series includes a total of fourteen entries. The latest game in the main series, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, was released on Nintendo Switch in October 2020. The series has sold over 150 million copies worldwide to date.
History
![](../I/Mario_kart_first_logo.png.webp)
The first title in the Mario Kart series, Super Mario Kart, was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. The development of the first game was overseen by Shigeru Miyamoto, the Japanese video game designer who created the original Super Mario Bros. as well as many other successful games for Nintendo. Darran Jones of NowGamer suggests that the original success of Super Mario Kart was the result of including characters previously seen in Mario Bros. games, while also being a new type of racing game.[2]
Gameplay
![](../I/MK8_Mario_Circuit.jpg.webp)
In the Mario Kart series, players compete in go-kart races, controlling one of a selection of characters, typically from the Mario franchise. Up to twelve characters can compete in each race; the exact number varies between games.
One of the features of the series is the use of various power-up items obtained by driving into item boxes laid out on the course. These power-ups include mushrooms to give players a speed boost, Koopa Shells to be thrown at opponents, banana peels and fake item boxes that can be laid on the course as hazards. The type of weapon received from an item box is influenced by the player's current position in the race. For example, players lagging far behind may receive more powerful items, such as Bullet Bills which give the player a bigger speed boost depending on the place of the player, while the leader may only receive small defensive items, such as shells or bananas. Called rubber banding, this gameplay mechanism allows other players or computers a realistic chance to catch up to the leading player. They can also perform driving techniques during the race such as rocket starts, slipstreaming, and mini-turbos.
As the series has progressed, each new installment has introduced new gameplay elements, such as new circuits, items, modes, and playable characters. These changes include:
- Mario Kart 64 introduces 4-player racing, slipstreaming[3] and 3D graphics. This game also introduced Wario and Donkey Kong as playable characters, as well as seven new items: the Fake Item Box, Triple Red Shell, Triple Green Shell, Triple Mushroom, Banana Bunch, Golden Mushroom, and the infamous blue shell. In addition to the three Grand Prix engine classes, Mirror mode is introduced (tracks are flipped laterally) in 100cc.
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit introduces the ability to unlock all of the Super Mario Kart tracks, as both games use the same mode 7 principle.
- Mario Kart: Double Dash features co-operative LAN play and two-player karts. It also introduces eleven new playable characters (Princess Daisy, Birdo, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Paratroopa, Diddy Kong, Bowser Jr., Waluigi, Toadette, Petey Piranha, and King Boo). The game also features special items that are specific to each character, a feature that was previously accessible only to computer-controlled drivers in the original game and re-introduced in Mario Kart Tour. Finally, this game introduced unlockable characters and karts to the series. Mirror mode is bumped up to 150cc.
- Mario Kart DS features dual-screen play and introduces online multiplayer (via Wi-Fi) & retro battle arenas. Shy Guy (exclusive to DS Download Play), Dry Bones, and R.O.B. are introduced as playable characters. DS was also the first Mario Kart game to feature retro tracks from all previous titles of the series, as well as the first entry in the series to feature mission mode. It also introduces two new items: the Blooper, which temporarily obscures the screens of players in higher places with ink and Bullet Bill, which is given to players in lower places and grants a larger speed boost depending on the position from first place.
- Mario Kart Wii introduces motion controls, performing tricks, 12-player racing, and motorbikes.[4] Six new playable characters were introduced: Baby Peach, Baby Daisy, Rosalina, Funky Kong, Dry Bowser, and two outfits for Mii characters. It also introduced three new items: the Mega Mushroom, Thunder Cloud, and POW Block, the last two of which are only seen in this game. This game also marks the final appearance for the Fake Item Box.
- Mario Kart 7 features stereoscopic 3D graphics, introduces hang gliding and submersible karts, as well as an alternate first-person perspective and kart customization. Introduces Metal Mario, Lakitu, Wiggler, and Honey Queen as new playable characters. It is also the first Mario Kart game after Mario Kart: Double Dash not to feature Waluigi as a playable character. This title also re-introduces collectible Coins to give players a small speed boost after a ten-year absence.
- Mario Kart 8 introduces 200cc mode, anti-gravity racing, ATVs, uploading highlights to YouTube via Mario Kart TV (exclusive to the Wii U version), up to four local players in Grand Prix races, downloadable content, and is the first in the series to boast HD graphics. Mario Kart 8 introduces the Koopalings, Baby Rosalina, Pink Gold Peach, Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, Villager and Isabelle from Animal Crossing, and Link from The Legend of Zelda as new playable characters.[5] The Nintendo Switch version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, also adds the Inkling Girl and Inkling Boy from Splatoon as playable characters for the first time in the series, as well as a new battle mode, "Renegade Roundup", which plays similarly to a game of cops and robbers.
- Mario Kart Tour introduces Peachette, Pauline, Hammer Bro (as well as their boomerang, fire and ice versions), Monty Mole, Dixie Kong, Nabbit and King Bob-omb to the series. Alternate outfits for certain characters are also available as rare items. This is the first Mario Kart game to be released for a non-Nintendo device and introduces gacha and loot box mechanics, as well as continuously-renewing character outfits and karts. Character-specific items and increased item probabilities have been re-added. The Mega Mushroom also makes its return after an eleven-year absence. The game also added Frenzy Mode, which happens when the character receives three of the same item during the race. The game utilizes a point-based system, which players earn points for doing actions like mini-turbos, hitting opponents and other special cases.
- Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit uses a combination of augmented reality (AR), remote-controlled carts, and cameras, to create using markers in the real world, and then to have the carts go through that course, while facing off against opponents only seen on the Switch's display or a Television.
Characters
Mario Kart mainly features characters from the Mario franchise. The Mario Kart Arcade GP series features Bandai Namco characters from the Pac-Man and Tamagotchi series.[6] The DLC for Mario Kart 8 added Link from The Legend of Zelda, and Villager and Isabelle from Animal Crossing.[7] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features 42 characters, including the Inklings from Splatoon.[8]
Courses
Many course themes recur throughout the series. Most are based on existing areas in the Mario franchise (Bowser's Castle being among the most prominent), but there are a number of courses that have not appeared elsewhere, yet still belong in the Mushroom Kingdom, such as Rainbow Road, which usually takes place above a city or in space. Each game in the series (following the original game) includes at least 16 original courses and up to 6 original battle arenas. Each game's tracks are divided into four "cups", or groups in which the player has to have the highest overall ranking to win and they are the Mushroom Cup, the Flower Cup, the Star Cup, and the Special Cup. Most courses can be done in three laps, except in the original game where all circuits required five laps to finish, seven in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! when racing on Baby Park, and two in Double Dash!! when racing on Wario Colosseum as well as in Mario Kart Tour. The first game to feature courses from previous games was Mario Kart: Super Circuit, which contained all of the tracks from the original Super NES game. Starting with Mario Kart DS, each entry in the series has featured sixteen "nitro" (brand new courses introduced for said game) and 16 "retro" tracks (reappearing courses from previous Mario Kart games), spread across four cups each with four races. The four Retro Grand Prix cups are the Shell Cup, the Banana Cup, the Leaf Cup, and the Lightning Cup. In Mario Kart 8, sixteen additional tracks are available across two downloadable packages, eight for each package downloaded, including seven retro courses, four original courses, and five courses based on other Nintendo franchises, including Excitebike, F-Zero, The Legend of Zelda, and Animal Crossing divided into four additional cups; the Egg Cup, the Triforce Cup, the Crossing Cup, and the Bell Cup.[5] Mario Kart Tour introduced courses from around the world including New York City, Tokyo, Paris, London, Los Angeles and Vancouver; as well as variants of courses where drivers race in reverse (R), with additional ramps and elevation (T), and a combination of the two (R/T).
Modes of play
Each installment features a variety of different modes. The following five modes recur most often in the series:
- Grand Prix – Players compete in various "cups," of four courses each (five in Super Mario Kart) with difficulty levels based on the size of the engine, larger engines meaning faster speeds. Before Mario Kart 8 there were four difficulties: 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and 150cc Mirror (courses that see their circuits flipped horizontally; originally 100cc Mirror in Mario Kart 64). Mario Kart 8 added a fifth difficulty level: 200cc. Players earn points according to their finishing position in each race and the placement order gets carried over to the next race as the starting grid. At the end of the cup, the top three players with the most points overall will receive a trophy in bronze, silver, and gold.
- Time Trials – The player races alone in order to finish any course in the fastest time possible. The best time is then saved as a ghost, which the player can race against in later trials. Since Mario Kart: Double Dash, a new function called Staff Ghosts is introduced. Staff Ghosts are members of the Nintendo development team that set staff times for players to try and beat. Upon success, players will unlock Expert Staff Ghosts, which only appeared in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7, which unlock characters, vehicles, or stamps once beaten, in addition to viewing ghost data.
- VS Race – Multiple human players race against each other on any course with customized rules such as team racing and item frequency. The mode also includes single-player VS races and CPU controlled players to compete in VS races as well since Mario Kart DS (except for Mario Kart 7). Super Circuit, however, features a Quick Run mode, which shares similarities with VS mode.
- Battle – Multiple human players use in-game offensive items (shells, etc.) to battle each other in a closed arena. Each player starts with three balloons and loses a balloon with every hit sustained; the last player possessing at least one balloon wins. Different battle types were added as the series progressed, as well as single-player battles with CPU controlled players. Starting with Mario Kart Wii, there is a time limit for each battle. For Mario Kart 8, the battles take place on race courses. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe reintroduces dedicated arenas.
- Online Multiplayer – Players are able to compete in races and battles through online services, such as Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, Nintendo Network, and Nintendo Switch Online. Players can also share Time Trial ghosts, and participate in tournaments. In races and battles, players are matched by VR (VS Rating) and BR (Battle Rating) respectively, which is a number between 0 and 99,999 (only 9,999 in Mario Kart Wii). Players gain or lose points based on their performance in a race or battle. The game attempts to match players with a similar rating.
List of Mario Kart games
1992 | Super Mario Kart |
---|---|
1993 | |
1994 | |
1995 | VB Mario Kart (Cancelled) |
1996 | Mario Kart 64 |
1997 | |
1998 | |
1999 | |
2000 | |
2001 | Mario Kart: Super Circuit |
2002 | |
2003 | Mario Kart: Double Dash |
2004 | |
2005 | Mario Kart Arcade GP |
Mario Kart DS | |
2006 | |
2007 | Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 |
2008 | Mario Kart Wii |
2009 | |
2010 | |
2011 | Mario Kart 7 |
2012 | |
2013 | Mario Kart Arcade GP DX |
2014 | Mario Kart 8 |
2015 | |
2016 | |
2017 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe |
Mario Kart Arcade GP VR | |
2018 | |
2019 | Mario Kart Tour |
2020 | Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit |
Console games
Year | Game | Platform | Virtual Console/ Nintendo Switch Online re-release | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wii | Wii U | 3DS | New 3DS | Switch | |||
1992 | Super Mario Kart | SNES | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
1996 | Mario Kart 64 | N64 | ![]() | ![]() | |||
2001 | Mario Kart: Super Circuit | GBA | ![]() | [nb 1] | [nb 1] | ||
2003 | Mario Kart: Double Dash | GCN | ![]() | ||||
2005 | Mario Kart DS | DS | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
2008 | Mario Kart Wii | Wii | ![]() | ![]() | |||
2011 | Mario Kart 7 | 3DS | ![]() | ![]() | |||
2014 | Mario Kart 8 | Wii U | ![]() | ||||
2017 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Switch | ![]() | ||||
2020 | Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit | ![]() |
![](../I/Green_check.svg.png.webp)
![](../I/Dagger-14-plain.png.webp)
![](../I/Double-dagger-14-plain.png.webp)
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit can be played on Nintendo 3DS systems that feature the Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors program.
Arcade games
- Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005, Arcade) (Developed by Namco)
- Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (2007, Arcade) (Developed by Namco Bandai Games)
- Mario Kart Arcade GP DX (2013, Arcade) (Developed by Namco Bandai Games)[9]
- Mario Kart Arcade GP VR (2017, Arcade) (Developed by Bandai Namco Studios)[10][11]
Mobile games
- Mario Kart Tour (2019)
Canceled games
- VB Mario Kart was scheduled for the Virtual Boy in 1995. The game was cancelled early in development prior to its announcement due to the Virtual Boy's commercial failure, but was revealed in a 2000 issue of German gaming magazine The Big N.[12][13]
Other appearances
Several Mario Kart-related items appear in the Super Smash Bros. series, with Super Smash Bros. Brawl in particular featuring a Mario Circuit stage based on Figure-8 Circuit from Mario Kart DS,[14] Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS featuring a Rainbow Road stage based on its appearance in Mario Kart 7, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U featuring a Mario Circuit stage based on its appearance in Mario Kart 8, along with the returning Mario Circuit stage from Brawl, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate featuring Spirits and songs based on the series along with the returning stages.
Certain courses from the series have also appeared in F-Zero X, Fortune Street, the Mario & Sonic series, Paper Mario: Color Splash, Paper Mario: The Origami King and the WarioWare series. Various items from the series can also be seen in games such as Nintendogs and Animal Crossing.
Merchandise
The Mario Kart series has had a range of merchandise released.
Among them are a slot car racer series based on Mario Kart DS, which comes with Mario and Donkey Kong figures, while Wario and Luigi are available separately. A line of radio-controlled karts have also been marketed, with are controlled by Game Boy Advance-shaped controllers, and feature Mario, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi. There are additional, larger karts that depict the same trio and are radio-controlled by a GameCube-shape controller.
Japanese figurines of Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Wario, Donkey Kong, and Bowser are also available for purchase as well as for Mario Kart 64, figures of Mario, Luigi, Wario, Bowser, Donkey Kong, and Yoshi were made by Toybiz. There are also Sound Drops inspired by Mario Kart Wii with eight sounds taken from the game including the Spiny shell and the Item Box. A land-line telephone featuring Mario holding a lightning bolt while seated in his kart, has also been marketed.
K'Nex released Mario Kart Wii sets, with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Bowser in karts and bikes, as well as tracks from the game.[15] Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8 K'Nex sets have also been released.
LINE has released an animated sticker set with 24 stickers based on Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.[16]
Nintendo's own customer rewards program Club Nintendo released merchandise from the series as well. These included a Mario Kart 8 soundtrack, a Mario Kart Wii-themed stopwatch, and three gold trophies modeled after those in Mario Kart 7. Before Club Nintendo, a Mario Kart 64 soundtrack was offered by mail.
In 2014, McDonald's released Mario Kart 8 toys with Happy Meals. They featured eight of the characters in karts that were customizable with stickers.
In 2018, Monopoly Gamer features a Mario Kart themed board game with courses from Mario Kart 8 serving as properties, ten playable characters as tokens, (Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Donkey Kong, Shy Guy, Metal Mario, Rosalina, Bowser, and Yoshi) and a special die with power-ups taken from the series.
In 2019, Hot Wheels teamed up with Mario Kart to release cars and track sets based on the series.
In 2020, Cold Stone Creamery teamed up with Nintendo for the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary celebration and released a Rainbow Road themed ice cream cake, along with other Mario themed desserts which ran from September 30 – December 15.[17]
Reception
Game | Year | Units sold (in millions) |
GameRankings | Metacritic |
---|---|---|---|---|
Super Mario Kart | 1992 | 8.76[18] | 94% | 94/100 |
Mario Kart 64 | 1996 | 9.87[18] | 87% | 83/100 |
Mario Kart: Super Circuit | 2001 | 5.90[18] | 92% | 93/100 |
Mario Kart: Double Dash | 2003 | 9.69[18] | 87% | 87/100 |
Mario Kart DS | 2005 | 23.60[19] | 91% | 91/100 |
Mario Kart Wii | 2008 | 37.38[20] | 82% | 82/100 |
Mario Kart 7 | 2011 | 18.92[21] | 85% | 85/100 |
Mario Kart 8 | 2014 | 8.45[22] | 88% | 88/100 |
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 2017 | 28.99[23] | 92% | 92/100 |
The Mario Kart series has received acclaim from critics. Nintendo Power listed the series as being one of the greatest multiplayer experiences, citing the diversity in game modes as well as the entertainment value found.[24]
Guinness World Records listed six records set by the Mario Kart series, including "First Console Kart Racing Game", "Best Selling Racing Game" and "Longest Running Kart Racing Franchise". Guinness World Records ranked the original Super Mario Kart number 1 on the list of top 50 console games of all time based on initial impact and lasting legacy.[25] Super Mario Kart has been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2019.[26]
Sales
Like the Super Mario series, the Mario Kart series has achieved successful sales with over 150 million copies sold in total.[27] It is currently the most successful racing game franchise of all time.Super Mario Kart has sold 8.76 million copies and is the fourth best-selling game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System console.[18] Mario Kart 64 is the second best-selling game for the Nintendo 64 (behind Super Mario 64), selling a total of 9.87 million copies.[18] Mario Kart: Double Dash has sold 6.96 million copies.[18] It is the second best-selling game on the GameCube (next to Super Smash Bros. Melee). Mario Kart Wii has achieved highly successful numbers, selling a total of 37.38 million copies.[20] It is the best-selling installment in the series and is the second best-selling game for the Wii (next to Wii Sports).[20] Mario Kart 8, released for the Wii U, has shipped 1.2 million copies in North America and Europe combined on its first few days since launch, which was the console's fastest-selling game until the record was beaten by Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.[28][29] It sold a total of 8.45 million copies and is the Wii U's best-selling game.[22] In contrast, the enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch system, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, has sold 459,000 units in the United States in one day of its launch, making it the fastest-selling game in the series to date.[30] Deluxe sold a total of 28.99 million copies worldwide, outperforming the original Wii U version, and is the best-selling Nintendo Switch game of all time.[31] Both versions sold a combined total of 33.22 million copies, making it the second best-selling game in the series.
In the portable entries, the series also performed outstanding sales. Mario Kart: Super Circuit, has sold a total of 5.9 million copies, making it the fourth best-selling game on the Game Boy Advance.[18] The second portable game, Mario Kart DS, has sold a total of 23.60 million copies.[19] The third best-selling game for the Nintendo DS, it is also the best-selling (dedicated) portable game in the series.[19] Mario Kart 7, released for the Nintendo 3DS, has sold 18.92 million copies, and is the best-selling 3DS game as of September 2020.[21] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was released in April of 2017 on the Nintendo Switch to commercial and critical acclaim. Like its predecessors, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the console's best selling title at 28.99 million copies sold as of September 30, 2020.[23]
Rental go-kart dispute
![](../I/Mario_Kart_in_Japan_(27228418683).jpg.webp)
In September 2016, Nintendo filed an objection against the Japanese company MariCar, which rents go-karts modified for use on public roads in Tokyo along with costumes resembling Nintendo characters.[32] MariCar's English website warned customers not to throw "banana peels" or "red turtle shells".[33] The service is popular with tourists.[32]
Nintendo argued that the MariCar name was "intended to be mistaken for or confused with" Mario Kart, citing games commonly known by abbreviations in Japan, such as Pokémon (for Pocket Monsters) and Sumabura (Super Smash Bros.). In January 2017, the Japan Patent Office dismissed the objection, ruling that MariCar was not widely recognized as an abbreviation of Mario Kart.[32]
In February 2017, Nintendo sued MariCar over copyright infringement for renting unauthorized costumes of Nintendo characters and using their pictures to promote its business.[32] In September 2018, MariCar was ordered to stop using the characters and pay Nintendo ¥10 million in damages.[33]
Theme park attraction
Universal Parks & Resorts and Nintendo have plans on a Mario Kart themed ride at Universal Studios Japan at their most recent announcement of the Super Nintendo World theme park. They also have plans to build this ride in Singapore, Orlando and California.[34] It was confirmed by Nintendo and Universal that their new theme park in Florida, Universal's Epic Universe, will be the home of Super Nintendo world in Florida and will feature a Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge ride.[35]
References
- Crecente, Brian (February 26, 2009). "Super Mario Kart: Most Influential Video Game in History". Kotaku. Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
- Jones, Darran (November 28, 2011). "Super Mario Kart: The Complete History of Nintendo's Kart Racer". NowGamer. Imagine Publishing Ltd. Archived from the original on June 25, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
- "Slipstreaming". Super Mario Wiki. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- Sato, Yoshi (February 6, 2008). "Mario Kart Wii Detailed". 1up.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
- Farokhmanesh, Megan (August 26, 2014). "Link, F-Zero and Animal Crossing are coming to Mario Kart 8 as DLC". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 27, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
- "Mario Kart Arcade GP". Nintendo Life. December 2011. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- Matulef, Jeffrey (August 27, 2014). "Mario Kart 8 getting Zelda and Animal Crossing DLC". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- Bashore, Nicholas (April 28, 2017). "Here's Every New Character in 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'". Inverse. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- "Namco Formally Announces Mario Kart Arcade Grand Prix DX - Arcade Heroes". February 5, 2013. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
- "MARIO KART ARCADE GP VR - VR ZONE SHINJUKU". Archived from the original on June 25, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- "Mario Kart Arcade GP VR announced for Bandai Namco's virtual reality arcade, played with HTC Vive - Nintendo Everything". June 13, 2017. Archived from the original on June 15, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- "VB Mario Kart". Big N. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
- Jurkovich, Tristan (May 22, 2020). "10 Canceled Mario Games You Never Knew Existed". TheGamer. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- "Smash Bros. DOJO!!". Smashbros.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- "K'NEX Mario Kart Wii Building Sets". Knex.com. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
- "Mario Kart Stickers". LINE. 2017. Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
- Jordan Gerblick (October 1, 2020). "Mario gets an official Rainbow Road cake for his 35th birthday". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- O'Malley, James (September 11, 2015). "30 Best-Selling Super Mario Games of All Time on the Plumber's 30th Birthday". Gizmodo. Univision Communications. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- "IR Information: Sales Data – Top Selling Software Sales Units – Nintendo DS Software". Nintendo. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- "IR Information: Financial Data Wii". Nintendo. Nintendo, Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on December 19, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- "Top Selling Title Sales Units (Nintendo 3DS)". Nintendo. Nintendo, Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on October 31, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- "IR Information: Financial Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units - Wii U Software". Nintendo. Nintendo, Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on October 31, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- "2nd Quarter Results for Fiscal Year Ending March 2021: Financial Results Explanatory Material" (PDF). 任天堂ホームページ. Nintendo. November 5, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021. p. 17:
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Global 2,899 ten thousands
- Nintendo Power 250th issue!. South San Francisco, California: Future US. 2010. p. 47.
- Ivan, Tom (February 28, 2009). "Guinness ranks top 50 games of all time". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on August 24, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
- Good, Owen (May 3, 2019). "Wait a minute, the Video Game Hall of Fame inducted ... Solitaire? Yes, and also Mortal Kombat and Super Mario Kart". Polygon. Archived from the original on May 4, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- Futter, Mike (June 2, 2014). "Mario Kart 8 Speeds To Over 1.2 Million Sales In Opening Weekend". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on June 4, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
- "Mario Kart 8 ships 1.2 million, fastest selling Wii U title to date". Nintendo Today. Nintendo Today. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- Minotti, Mike (November 25, 2014). "Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the system's fastest-selling game". VentureBeat. VentureBeat. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- Cowley, Ric (May 2, 2017). "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe becomes fastest-selling game of the franchise with 459,000 units sold in the US". Pocket Gamer.biz. Steel Media Ltd. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
- "IR Information: Sales Data - Top Selling Title Sales Unit (Switch)". Nintendo. Nintendo, Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- Otake, Tomoko (March 9, 2017). "Patent authority rules against Nintendo, lets go-kart firm keep MariCar trademark". The Japan Times Online. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- "Nintendo wins lawsuit against Tokyo's 'Mario Kart' tour company". Polygon. Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
- Frank, Allegra (June 8, 2017). "Super Nintendo World looks like a dream come true in first teaser". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- "Super Nintendo World – overview and history". Orlando Informer. Retrieved January 16, 2021.