Mario Kart 64 is the update of the Super Nintendo classic, Super Mario Kart, which gained instant popularity with people of all ages because it added a new twist to the ever popular Super Mario Bros. series. This game is a racing game, cartoony as ever. It captures the same greatness of every Miyamoto title. It's only natural that this happens because Mario has been in more games than anyone can count. Graphics in this game are beautiful... nothing groundbreaking, but they have the same cartoony look that Mario 64 has. It's in true 3D and maintains good graphics in the multi-player games.

In the game, the player can choose from eight different characters, all on their own go karts: Mario, Luigi, Princess, Toad, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and newcomer Wario. They all have their own unique talents, strengths, and weaknesses.

For example, the big guys get to push the little ones around. Most people would agree that Wario is the best in the game (not only that, but he's got a real attitude, and you'll love his laugh if you're a Mario fan). Yoshi is just as good with the slight exception that he's smaller and gets pushed around more. Each with their unique features, the powerups are cool. Some old favorites return; some new ones are available. These items add to the game because they can turn the tide without notice. It's possible to go from last to first with the right power up (lightning's the best).

Whatever you do, don't fall off the track in areas like the Banshee Boardwalk. Last place is easy to get on some courses if you fall off more than once, which is very easy to do.

In the Time Trial Mode, the object is to get the best possible time. It's kind of like practice mode for the main event: just the player against the clock with three mushrooms allotted. If you get a good enough time, the ghost racer with the best time races you so you can see if the record's in site or not.

One of the great features is the number of difficulty levels. There are three: 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. The faster you go, the harder it is, and you get awarded cups similar to the Olympics. The object is to get a gold in every class, and this gets more challenging when you consider the fact that the game consists of 16 tracks in all. All of the classic Mario levels have their own courses: the Ghost House, Bowser's Castle, etc. The best part is that you get a mirror mode if you are successful in being awarded gold cups in all the classes. This is the toughest mode to beat. Imagine having to drive into oncoming traffic. It's a nightmare if you want to win, but it's fun.

One of the most fun things is something that the N64 is becoming famous for, the awesome 4-player mode. This lets 4 people join together and go at each other for the honor of being the king of the neighborhood.

My favorite mode is the battle mode, where your job is to be the other guy's worst nightmare. Each player starts out with three balloons, and you must eliminate each other's balloons with the various items. The first one to do this is the winner. It's a lot of fun and makes the game more than what it would be with just a 1-player mode.

Getting gold on all the difficulty levels is tough, but getting them in the mirror mode adds a whole new dimension to the game, not to mention the time trials.

Overall, the game is great. There are few flaws besides the AI, but I'm willing to overlook that. It's fun, will keep you coming back, looks good, and has a good deal of challenge. This is one of the top games out there, but it unfortunately does not live up to its predecessor. Some people may be disappointed with this, but you have to remember that the original game was a true masterpiece (and so is this).

Overall: 9.1