

Super Mario Kart on SNES is where it all started—the tight controls, the chaotic items, that one friend who always picks Rainbow Road just to watch everyone suffer. You pick your racer (Toad’s acceleration is sneaky good, but good luck convincing anyone not to pick Bowser for raw speed), then it’s straight into those bright, bouncy tracks full of shortcuts you’ll miss the first five times.
The items are simple but brutal: a well-placed green shell can ruin a lead in the final lap, and nothing stings like getting hit by lightning right before the finish line. The AI’s rubber-banding is merciless, especially in 150cc, but nailing a perfect drift around a corner feels just as satisfying now as it did in the ‘90s. It’s got that weird magic where losing is almost as fun as winning.
Still the blueprint for every kart racer after it, for better or worse.
Must-play games
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Super Metroid (snes) (snes)
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Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (snes) (snes)
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The Legend Of Zelda (snes) (snes)
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Star Fox (snes) (snes)
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Chrono Trigger (snes) (snes)
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Secret Of Mana (snes) (snes)
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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - The Fighting Edition (snes)
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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (europe) (snes)
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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Fighting Edition (snes)
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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - The Movie (snes)
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Spider-man And The X-men In Arcade's Revenge (4 Man Version) (snes)
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Death And Return Of Superman, The (europe) (snes)