Mario Kart 64 was one of the finest games released for the Nintendo 64 platform so it's no surprise that the brilliant racing game would make it onto Nintendo's powerful new handheld Game Boy Advance. And rest assured the game clearly takes full advantage of the graphic power and speed of the GBA. But this version owes more to the seminal
Super Mario Kart on the SNES in that it doesn't use the 3D environments of the N64 version.
Still, Nintendo's expertise at sucking players into the game world is strongly evident, and Mario Kart Advance offers enough challenges to keep players, both young and old, entertained. Placing a familiar Nintendo personality, such as Mario, Luigi and even the mushroom man behind the wheel of a sputtering go-kart powered by a 50, 100, or 150-cc engine, the game lets players race computerised opponents or up to four other players (via a cable) on a variety of well-designed tracks. Multiplayer is the key to Mario Kart, and though you'll need four cartridges for the full multiplayer experience there are some limited options for four-way play from a single cartridge.
Because karts lack the power and speed of games (and let's face it you aren't in it for the Gran Turismo 3 adrenalin-pumped experience), drivers must focus on collecting power-ups and non-lethal weapons, such as the snowball and minimiser, rather than negotiating hairpin turns on two wheels. Grabbing and using on-track items is the heart of the game's fun: a strategically placed banana peel sends the unlucky victim into a spin, nailing an opponent with a turtle shell launches their vehicle skyward, and a rocket provides a quick boost to near-breakneck speeds.--Kristen Bowditch
