A kart racing game, also known as cart racing game or go-kart racing game, is a subgenre of racing video games. Kart racing games have simplified driving mechanics while including unusual racetrack designs, obstacles, and vehicular combat. Though the genre has its roots in the 1980s, ''

Super Mario Kart ''Super Mario Kart'' is a kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The first game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, it was released in Japan and North America in 1992, and in Europe th ...

'' (1992) popularized the genre, with the ''Mario Kart'' series still being considered the foremost kart racing franchise.

Mechanics and traits

Kart racing games are known to have simplified driving mechanics while adding obstacles, unusual racetrack designs and various action elements. Kart racers are also known to cast fictional characters, particularly from

media franchises A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or ...

, as the drivers of vehicles with unusual designs, often reflecting the distinct trait or personality of the character driving it. Kart racing games are a more arcade-like experience than other racing games and usually offer over-the-top gameplay in which player characters can shoot projectiles against one another, collect

power-up In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chose ...

s to gain advantage, or perform special techniques to gain a speed boost. Typically, in such games, vehicles move more like go-karts and scooters, lacking anything along the lines of a gear stick and

clutch pedal Car controls are the components in automobiles and other powered road vehicles, such as trucks and buses, used for driving and parking. While controls like steering wheels and pedals have existed since the invention of cars, other controls have ...

. Kart racing games are distinct from and not to be confused with kart simulators, which is a subgenre of racing simulator games that simulates actual kart racing without over-the-top gameplay elements.

History

'' Power Drift'' featured go-kart racing in 1988, but ''

'' (1992) is cited to have popularized the kart racing genre, being the first kart racing game to implement combat elements within races. The game was also slower than other racing games of the time due to hardware limitations, prompting its developers to use a go-kart theme. Since then, many kart racing games have been released, featuring characters ranging from Nicktoons to '' South Park''. The '' Crash Bandicoot'' franchise has a spin-off series of five kart racing video games. The ''Mario Kart'' series is often considered as the pioneer of kart racing series, and is the most successful in the genre, topping other popular games such as '' Diddy Kong Racing''. Though the genre seems to have been the most popular among developers during the 1990s, '' Mario Kart DS'' (2005), and '' Mario Kart Wii'' (2008) became two of the best-selling kart racing games. In the late 2010s, ''

Mario Kart 8 is a 2014 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It features the ''Mario Kart'' series' game mechanics, in which players drive go-karts using ''Mario'' franchise characters in various race formats. Items placed a ...

'' became the best-selling racing video game of all time. The kart racing mobile game ''GKART''/''QQ Speed'' (2010), which was heavily inspired by ''Mario Kart'', became one of the highest-grossing mobile games.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kart racing game Video game genres Video game terminology https://www.inputmag.com/gaming/mario-kart-8-is-the-best-selling-racing-game-ever