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Kotaku: Let's Rank The Mario Kart Games, Worst To Best

What is the best Mario Kart?

  • Super Mario Kart / Mario Kart: Super Circuit

    Votes: 80 6.8%

  • Mario Kart 64

    Votes: 123 10.5%

  • Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

    Votes: 214 18.2%

  • Mario Kart DS

    Votes: 151 12.8%

  • Mario Kart Wii

    Votes: 48 4.1%

  • Mario Kart 7

    Votes: 19 1.6%

  • Mario Kart 8

    Votes: 810 68.9%
  • Total voters
    1,176
ZeoVGM

ZeoVGM

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Oct 25, 2017
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thebests.kotaku.com

Let's Rank The Mario Kart Games, Worst To Best

Before Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch, Nintendo released other plumber-based racers
thebests.kotaku.com thebests.kotaku.com

For almost thirty years we've been driving like maniacs, questioning the meaning of fairness and ending friendships in Nintendo's Mario Kart series. So why not end a few more by trying to rank these games from worst to best.

As is often the case with Pecking Orders, the idea here isn't really to rank these games from worst to best, because even the ones down the bottom of the list are still loads of fun. It's to pit these classic against one another, to see not just which one comes out on top, but why.
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9. Mario Kart Tour
8. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
7. Mario Kart Wii
6. Super Mario Kart
5. Mario Kart 64
4. Mario Kart DS
3. Mario Kart 7
2. Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
1. Mario Kart 8

I'm glad the staff didn't put original too high. The series is largely one that gets better over time, once you put aside nostalgia.

Edit: Added a poll. I had to make a decision to combine two games as only 7 options are allowed and decided to put SMK and Super Circuit together.

Edit 2: Given the fact that Mario Kart 8 is already crushing everything else, I changed it so you can pick two games. It's probably more interesting to see what game OTHER than Mario Kart 8 is everyone's favorite. If you already voted, you can change your vote to pick two.
 
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Zalman

Zalman

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Oct 25, 2017
5,896
That's a very good list, actually. I'd still rather play Wii over Super Mario Kart though.
 
Le Dude

Le Dude

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May 16, 2018
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As much as I love Double Dash, going back and replaying old games I feel that DS, Wii, and 7 control a lot better. The tracks in Double Dash and the specials and double character mechanics are awesome though.
 
Vibed

Vibed

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
1,504
I've had Super Circuit since I was little and it's the only Mario Kart I can never get into. Something about it, maybe the handling or the art style, never vibes with me.
 
sosainas

sosainas

Member
Sep 13, 2018
896
Double Dash is the best. The only one that brings real character differentiation via special powers. All characters are unique.
 
Josh5890

Josh5890

I'm Your Favorite Poster's Favorite Poster
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
23,178
I could flip DS and 7 but otherwise no real arguments with this list
 
mrmickfran

mrmickfran

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
26,724
Gongaga
Double Dash and 8 are top two

No objections from me

Actually, one objection. Wii is too low, I would definitely put it above Super and 64 for sure
 
Vivian-Pogo

Vivian-Pogo

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Jan 9, 2018
2,033
Wii was my favorite. 7 was my least favorite (excluding Tour, obviously). 7 always felt slow as heck to me (and the roster was terrible).
 
OP
OP
ZeoVGM

ZeoVGM

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Oct 25, 2017
76,103
Providence, RI
stealthyfrog said:
Mario Kart Tour in the trash where it belongs. Nice going, Kotaku.
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To be fair, they do state that even the bottom games are "loads of fun."

Tour is frustrating. I actually enjoy the mechanics and gameplay loop. They've improved controls since launch and I never feel pressured to spend money.

But they've been repeating the same tracks for months, which are largely taken from only a couple of games in the series. Little to no effort is being put into expanding the track selection further.

Online multiplayer is kind of boring as well.
 
ze_

ze_

Member
Oct 28, 2017
5,933
A solid ranking, probably similar to mine if I cared enough to rank the series (many of the titles blur together, honestly, but the best two are clearly the best). 7 is, maybe, too high, but it's solid. edit: Actually, I'd swap Wii and 7. Wii wheel hive.

The tracks in 8 are really just wonderful. It was the first Mario Kart game to be truly wow me.
 
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Lowblood

Lowblood

Member
Oct 30, 2017
5,179
I honestly enjoy "classic" Mario Kart, so I'd put the original and Super Circuit higher. I also have issues with 7. Otherwise I like a lot of this list, including 8 and Double Dash being high and Wii being low.
 
Gustaf

Gustaf

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
14,926
what is the need to put "worst, to best"? really?

is a ranking, it is obvious the last one is "the worst"
 
TheSpaceBetween

TheSpaceBetween

Member
Jan 11, 2018
9,653
Not a terrible list overall. However, the correct list:

1. Double Dash
2. 8
3. 64
4. Super
5. 7
6. Wii
7. DS
8. Super Circuit
9. Tour

DS is easily the most overrated in the series. Track design was mostly boring outside of Airship Fortress.
 

Deleted member 59109

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Josh5890 said:
Wii had some great tracks but the gameplay was bad, and the characters were unbalanced.
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I think gameplay/controls only improved with every game. 8 had better controls than Wii but its tracks were too linear without a lot of shortcuts. And to put MK 64 or especially Super Mario Kart ahead of Wii is just laughable imo
 
the magical kitsune

the magical kitsune

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Oct 27, 2017
4,499
Bruh in what universe is Mario Kart 7 better than DS. 7 was a big blur of blandness on top of weird design choices. No Waluigi, no VS mode. No real great tracks to speak of outside Shy Guy Bazaar and Rainbow Road. At least MKW was more interesting with all of its unbalanced chaos.

I flip flop on MK64. Went from liking it to realizing it's a very mediocre game at best, back to liking it cause it feels like "classic" MK.
 
Kinsei

Kinsei

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Oct 25, 2017
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Super Mario Kart, 64, and 7 over Wii? Nah.

At least Double Dash is really high.
 

Deleted member 61326

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This list more or less matches my preference. I probably have had more fun with Double Dash than MK 8, but MK 8 is a really great game that deserves a top spot anywhere. Glad to see Super Nintendo version so low, I didn't even like it back when it came out.
 
Wanderer5

Wanderer5

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Oct 25, 2017
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Meh, not mentioned in the article, but 7 is such a step down for me compare to DS due to it's lackluster SP. No single VS or missions (which I thought was a really cool addition in DS), along with a battle mode that had a bit less stuff IIRC.
 
Bgamer90

Bgamer90

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Oct 27, 2017
750
Mario Kart Super Circuit deserves more love. I agree that it hasn't aged well but having a portable Mario Kart that was playable and fun was amazing in 2001. It was also cool how you could play multiplayer with only one cartridge (though limited in modes/tracks).

Good list though. Mario Kart Wii definitely deserves to be the worst console version on the list. That game was an unbalanced mess.
 

Raccoon

Member
May 31, 2019
15,896
ZeoVGM said:
That isn't a strange opinion. Despite the sometimes divisive reaction in the bubble of video game forums, Mario Kart Wii was an insanely popular game that many people love.
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huh, weird

I'm dumb and basically a kid and played 7 first, so going back to Wii at an after school event was torturous
 
Gartooth

Gartooth

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Oct 25, 2017
8,440
DS is too low, should be above 7 at least. Also swap MK Wii and SMK. Don't really know why the original would be above it unless you really hate Wii's item balancing.
 
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