ShadowDragon's Guide to

ShadowDragon's Guide to
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| |\/| |/ _` | '__| |/ _ \ | ' // _` | '__| __|
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version 1.1 | '_ \| || |_
released 4.07.2001 | (_) |__ _|
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______________________________________________
/ \
/ \
| Welcome to my guide to Mario Kart 64. This |
| is my first guide published on GAMEFAQs. Out |
| of all the racing games I've ever played, |
| the Mario Kart series truly stands in a |
| class of its own. I'll try to keep this |
| guide as informative as possible without a |
| lot of rambling. If you see anything I've |
| forgotten to include, e-mail me and I'll fix |
| it right away. |
| |
| Happy Driving, |
| ShadowDragon |
| [email protected] |
\ /
\______________________________________________/

=====================
i. Version Info
=====================

Version 1.1 - Changed my e-mail address.
- Added a tidbit to Next Mario Kart and slightly changed
its formatting.
- Slightly modified the rules for a tiebreaker to make it
more exciting.
- Changed some information in Contact Me and added a
paragraph for if you've e-mailed me and haven't gotten
through.
- Added a site authorized to use this guide.

Version 1.0 – Updated Next Mario Kart with Mario Kart Advance info.
- Updated Legal Info with more sites allowed to use guide.
- Added Difficulty ratings to every track.
- Added a little bit of info to the drivers section.
- Added section about items with descriptions of each.
- Added tidbits about Luigi Raceway and Choco Mountain.
- Added tidbits about Extra Mode and Techniques.
- Added a tip to Double Deck.
- Made many small one-word changes.
- Yes, this section does look different.
- Released 1.06.2001

Version 1.0b (beta) - Test-piloting the guide.
- Made many small revisions.
- Added Special Thanks Section.
- Added signature to end.
- Simplified Score Sheet.
- Released 12.31.2000

Version 1.0a (alpha) - Unreleased first draft.
- Checking for major errors
- Completed 12.29.2000

=====================
ii. Table of Contents
=====================

1. Drivers
a. Lightweights
b. Mediumweights
c. Heavyweights
2. Techniques
3. Race Modes
a. Grand Prix
b. Vs. Mode
c. Time Trials
d. Battle Mode
4. Items
4. Mushroom Cup
a. Luigi Raceway
b. Moo Moo Farm
c. Koopa Troopa Beach
d. Kalimari Desert
5. Flower Cup
a. Toad's Turnpike
b. Frappe Snowland
c. Choco Mountain
d. Mario Raceway
6. Star Cup
a. Wario Stadium
b. Sherbet Land
c. Royal Raceway
d. Bowser's Castle
7. Special Cup
a. D.K.'s Jungle Parkway
b. Yoshi Valley
c. Banshee Boardwalk
d. Rainbow Road
8. Battle Mode Tips
9. Battle Mode Arenas
a. Big Donut
b. Block Fort
c. Double Deck
d. Skyscraper
10. Multiplayer Ideas
11. Secrets
12. Pre-release Changes
13. Next Mario Kart
14. Score Sheet
15. Contact Me
16. Special Thanks
17. Legal Info

=====================
1. Drivers
=====================

Lightweights: Toad, Peach, Yoshi

The lightweights have great acceleration and maximum speed, but they
lose a lot of speed in corners if they don't power-slide and they can
take a beating from big bruisers like DK and Bowser. They are ideal for
setting records in Time Trials. Toad is the lightest of the
lightweights.

Mediumweights: Mario, Luigi

Mario and Luigi have poor acceleration but are well-balanced in
cornering, maximum speed, and bashing other players around. They suffer
in battle mode and time trials, but they can do well in GP mode. They
are great for beginners to use when learning to play the game.

Heavyweights: Wario, Donkey Kong, Bowser

The heavyweights are great at bashing other players into obstacles.
While they lose a lot of speed if they go off the track, they can
maintain their speed in corners and have so-so acceleration. The
heavyweights are best of the best in battle mode and Vs. mode. Wario is
the lightest of the heavyweights, and out of the three, he's the best
in GP mode.

=====================
2. Techniques
=====================

Power-sliding:

This is by far the most important technique to learn. A power-slide and
it's mini-turbo will temporarily increase your speed and prevent turns
from slowing you down. There's a great explanation on page 19 of the
instruction booklet. Try practicing power-sliding on Luigi Raceway
until you feel comfortable power-sliding.

Holding an item behind you:

If you get a green shell, red shell, spiny shell, banana, or fake item
box, and you are in first place, a good technique is to hold the item
behind you by pressing and holding the Z-trigger and trying to ram an
opponent. Occasionally, this technique backfires when the opponent is
doing the same and when they spin out, their item touches you, but
that's extremely rare.

Rocket boost:

At the start of a race, press and hold A as the second light is fading
out. You'll get an early lead if you succeed. If you are not in first
or second and there are people in front of you, if you don't hop before
you hit them you may spin out. If you are a heavyweight, don't hop and
you'll spin the others out. Once you get the hang of this, it should be
second nature to get it in every race.

Back up:

If you find yourself stuck against a wall, you might want to try
backing up by holding B and down. When you're far enough from the wall,
just accelerate to where you need to go. It's a lot better to back up
than it is to keep ramming the wall and possibly spinning out. This is
most useful on levels like DK's Jungle Parkway where you can miss the
bridge and hit the wall right next to it.

Banana recovery:

If you hit a banana, quickly hit the brakes. You should see a musical
note above your head and you won't spin out. While you will lose some
speed, you'll lose a lot more if you spin out. This can be a life-saver
if you run into a banana right near an obstacle like a long jump or a
place to fall off the track. Keep in mind that this technique won't
work if you hit a banana while turning, so if you see a banana right
ahead of you and it's too late to avoid it, just run straight into it
and use this technique.

Slip-streaming:

If you follow another driver very closely for a few seconds, smoke will
appear and you'll get a temporary speed boost. This is fairly rare, but
it is great when you're trying to take the lead and you can't quite
pass the first place driver.

Crazy spin:

While stopped, if you hold A and B and hold the control stick left or
right, you'll do what I like to call the "crazy spin." You'll turn
around while the camera stays in the same position, and when you let go
it'll line up behind you. While it doesn't have many practical uses,
it's very fun. Woohoo! :)

=====================
3. Race Modes
=====================

Grand Prix: 1-2 players

GP is the main mode of Mario Kart 64. You race against 7 (or 6)
computer opponents and get a certain amount of points for finishing in
first through fourth. You can win a trophy at the end which will be
saved into the game's memory. There are three normal speeds, 50cc,
100cc, and 150cc, which are increasingly difficult, and one secret
mode, Extra, which you can unlock by getting gold on all the cups in
150cc.

Vs. Mode: 2-4 players

In this mode, you can race against 1-3 human opponents on a single
course. In this mode, there are bombs scattered around. In this mode,
it's even more fun to get opponents with items. This mode is good for
practicing shortcuts.

Time Trials: 1 player

In Time Trials, you're the only one. You start out with Triple
Mushrooms, but there are no other items on the course. You try to set
records. In this mode, using all the shortcuts and doing everything
flawlessly become extremely important.

Battle Mode: 2-4 players

My personal favorite, in this mode you duke it out with other human
opponents in one of four special arenas. Each player starts with three
balloons and loses one whenever he or she gets hit by an item. This is
the most competetive of all the modes. The more players you're playing
against, the more fun it is.

=====================
4. Items
=====================

NOTE ABOUT ITEMS:

Your chances of getting any specific item depend on what place you are
in. Drivers in the front are more likely to get Bananas, Banana
Bunches, Fake Item Boxes, Green Shells, Triple Green Shells, and
Ghosts. Drivers in the back are more likely to get items like Blue
Shells, Triple Red Shells, Lightning, and Stars. Drivers in the middle
tend to get Triple Mushrooms, Super Mushrooms, and Red Shells.

Red Shell:

The Red Shell will seek the kart one place ahead of you in GP or VS
mode or the closest enemy kart in battle mode. They travel in a fairly
straight path to their targets, so only fire one if you can see your
opponent or if you are sure that there are no walls or obstacles
between you and your target. When a red shell runs into a wall, it will
"die." Occasionally, if you are ahead of your target in battle mode,
the shell will go straight then turn around to hit your opponent, who
you are right in front of. You figure out what happens.

Green Shell:

A Green Shell, when fired, travels straight ahead of you and will
bounce off any walls until it hits someone, falls of the track, or
otherwise leaves the track. A green shell can also be fired behind you
by holding down when you fire the weapon.

Blue Shell:

The Blue Shell is a rare item. No matter what your ranking is, it will
target the person in first place. They will steer around all turns and
obstacles, but will hit any karts that get in its path. If you're
lucky, you can hit four or five opponents with one blue shell. For
obvious reasons, don't fire one of these when you're in first place.

Triple Shells:

Triple shells come in both the red and green varieties. When used the
first time, the shells will surround you and rotate closely around you.
You can fire them one at a time using the Z button and can ram anybody
near you. This is especially useful where you can fall off the track,
because they can be blown up and off the track fairly easily.

Mushroom:

A mushroom will give you a temporary speed boost, and while you have
this boost going off the track and rounding corners won't slow you
down. While you may be tempted to use the mushroom on a straightaway,
it's best used to cut a corner instead of staying on the track.

Triple Mushroom:

Triple Mushrooms are used one at a time just like normal mushrooms.
Instead of bursting them off all at once, wait until one is used up
before using the next one.

Golden Mushroom:

A Golden Mushroom can be used as many times as you want in a short
period of time. Don't worry about having to use one boost up before
using the next because you can use unlimited speed boosts with a Golden
Mushroom.

Banana:

A single banana, when run over, will spin an opponent out. A banana is
best placed on a narrow part of a course, especially on a bridge where
it's nearly unavoidable. Bananas can be either thrown far ahead of you
or placed behind you. To throw a banana, hold up while using it.

Banana Bunch:

A Banana Bunch will string out behind you. The individual bananas can
be used one-by-one like normal bananas. If you place them diagonally
across a track, they are very likely to spin out at least one or two
drivers. If someone behind you runs into a banana bunch, one of your
bananas will be used to spin the driver out and the rest will be
dropped in a cluster right near the person.

Star:

A Star will make you temporarily invincible, giving you the ability to
plow through shells, bananas, fake item boxes, snowmen, moles, trees,
and more without anything happening. If you run into an opponent while
invincible, they will crash just as if they had been hit by a shell.
You will get a small speed boost and will be able to go off the road
without slowing down.

Ghost:

A Ghost will make you temporarily invisible and undamagable from items
and obstacles. You'll also steal an item from another player's item
box. This is especially useful in Vs. and Battle Mode, where you can
steal great items like Triple Red Shells, a Star, or Lightning. Be very
careful in battle mode when an opponent has a ghost.

Fake Item Box:

A Fake Item Box looks just like a normal item box except the question
mark is upside-down. If a driver runs into one, he or she will go
flying into the air. Try placing these right in a group of real item
boxes and other drivers will think it's a real item box and will swerve
to "get it."

Lightning:

Most players think the lightning bolt is the best item in the game.
Using it will shrink every other enemy kart, except those that are
invincible or invisible. The small karts will go significantly slower,
and running into them will flatten them and put them behind. Small
drivers cannot get over large jumps and will fall in the middle.

=====================
5. Mushroom Cup
=====================

Luigi Raceway:

This course is definitely the easiest and simplest in the game. You can
get a lot of power-slides in on the turns here. If you get a mushroom,
use it to cut off part of a turn. Starting on the second lap, a Luigi
balloon will appear on the course with an item box hanging from it that
always gets you a blue shell. It's pretty useless because you have to
be there at just the right moment to get it. You can do four power
slides on the first turn, two at the tunnel, and three on the next
turn. DIFFICULTY: 1/5

Moo Moo Farm:

Moo Moo Farm is a lot wider than Luigi Raceway, but there are lots of
Moles here out to get you. If you stray into their patches, you stand a
good chance at being sent into a low orbit. Cut through a mole field if
you have invincibility or a ghost. The only (semi) shortcut here is to
go on the very right side of the bridge right before the finish line.
It's the best place to use a mushroom here. Try laying bananas and fake
item boxes under that bridge. DIFFICULTY: 2/5

Koopa Troopa Beach:

One of my favorite courses, Koopa Troopa Beach has three shortcuts. The
best and most obvious one is the tunnel right after a ramp. In 50cc,
it's almost impossible to make it in without a mushroom or star. In
100cc and 150cc it's fairly easy to make it in without a mushroom or
star if you hop at the very end of the ramp, especially if you're a
lightweight. If you don't think you can make it, instead of going along
the bay, go to the right of the arch -- there's a sand bridge to the
other side. Also, near the finish line, go straight to the finish line
instead of staying out of the water. Watch for crabs, though. There's a
huge ramp ahead of a mossy rock with an item on top. The item here is a
blue shell. Go for it if you desperately need it and can make the jump.
Otherwise, weave through the trees. DIFFICULTY: 2/5

Kalimari Desert:

There are a few shortcuts here, but they only work if you draw the
right items. If you get a star on your first or second lap, turn left
at the second train crossing and activate the star before you enter the
tunnel. You'll get credit for a lap about half-way through the tunnel.
Remember, this only works on the first and second laps with a star. The
other shortcuts are all cutting corners using mushrooms or stars. You
can go through the train if you have a ghost or a star. Remember, if
you get a good start on your first lap, you CAN beat the train.
DIFFICULTY: 2/5

=====================
6. Flower Cup
=====================

Toad's Turnpike:

This course is great. It's fun ramming opponents into cars while trying
to dodge them yourself. This level's pretty straightforward. The best
place to lay things, especially fake item boxes, is right in a row with
the real ones. Most racers will be going too fast to notice the fake.
This course gives a whole new meaning to skillful power-sliding. You
need to be extremely careful if you want to get the mini-turbo. Stars
and ghosts let you go right through the traffic. DIFFICULTY: 4/5

Frappe Snowland:

The surface here is simply horrible. In addition, there are snowmen
here which are located in logical places for power-slides. In the field
with the giant snowman, the best path seems to be slightly to its left.
You'll still have to be careful, but that path is a bit easier to
navigate. The snowmen, if you run into them, will send your kart sky-
high just like a fake item box. Watch out for the bridge at the end.
It's an excellent place to lay items, but it's also easy to fall off.
There are a few places you can use a mushroom to cut across the snow.
DIFFICULTY: 3/5

Choco Mountain:

Choco Mountain is a fairly bland course. The only noteworthy aspect of
the course is the curve, where you can fall off in 100cc and 150cc
or be smooshed by falling rocks. It's best to take the whole turn in
one or two wide power slides far from the edge. If you fall off, you
could be placed back by lakitu or you could fall to an earlier part of
the track and have to repeat a significant portion of the track over
again. Of course, it's a very good place to lay traps on that section.
If you're not careful at the very end, you could end up flying into the
wall and losing your painstakingly-earned place. DIFFICULTY: 4/5

Mario Raceway:

This course is a return to the great paved surface of Luigi Raceway,
but it is much more difficult than its sister course. There are many
opportunities to use mushrooms to cut corners here, most notably across
the sand before the pipe. There is a "legendary" shortcut on this track
that is extremely difficult to perform. When you're about to reach the
highest point on the first hill, turn right so that you're at a right
angle to the wall, activate a mushroom, and hop right before you fly
off the track. The only hazards here are the piranhas off the track,
but in general they're easy to avoid. DIFFICULTY: 3/5

=====================
7. Star Cup
=====================

Wario Stadium:

One of the longest courses in the game, Wario Stadium boasts excellent
shortcuts. Right near the start, you can drive straight towards the
left wall on one of the four small hills and hop at the last moment. If
you succeed, you'll cut off a good third of the course. If you can
immediately turn left and hop into the red and white wall to the right
of the finish line, you can finish a lap in about 7 seconds. Use
lightning when opponents are in the middle of or about to use a jump,
but make sure the same thing doesn't happen to you. If you can't make
the second shortcut, wait until right before the hairpin turn at the
end and hop over the red and white section of wall there. DIFFICULTY:
2/5

Sherbet Land:

If you haven't guessed already, the surface of this course is extremely
slippery. The penguins here present a major hazard, especially if they
dive in front of you. It takes a little bit of practice to get used to
their patterns, but it's definitely worth it. You can hop over small
gaps if you're careful, but it's not a good idea to do it in the last
lap because it's so hard to catch up with less than a lap to go. The
last cave is particularly hard to navigate without practice. In
general, you should go to the right of the second column and to the
left of the third and fourth columns. DIFFICULTY: 4/5

Royal Raceway:

The pavement on this course makes for nice turning. To stay on the
track during the hairpin turn at the beginning without losing a lot of
speed, hop madly during the turn. You can also power-slide through it,
but that's a lot more difficult. During the huge jump, you can try for
a shortcut by heading left and hoping to crash into the side near the
road. This only works with 150cc karts, it's very hard to do, and it
doesn't save much time, so I recommend going straight. To make for a
better landing, press and hold R as soon as you see your shadow appear.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go to Princess Peach's castle. It will not
save you any time at all. The only reason it's here is for the award
ceremony. Make sure not to fall in the water or to go off the track at
the very end. DIFFICULTY: 3/5

Bowser's Castle:

Bowser's Castle has an assortment of L-turns, narrow bridges, thwomps,
stairs, treacherous jumps, and other hazards. The first room with
thwomps is relatively easy. In the second thwomp room, stay to the left
of the red carpet so as not to run into the thwomps here. In the third
thwomp room, drive extremely carefully and use your brakes if you need
to. Line yourself perfectly on the bridge. The bridge is an excellent
place to lay traps. Slow down when you get to the stairs to ensure that
you get an item, and hop around the ensuing turn. Take the spiral
quickly, but hop so you don't run into walls. It helps to hop right
before the jump. Now make sure to go off the next jump on the left
side. That's extremely important. You've just finished one lap of the
most treacherous level in the game. DIFFICULTY: 5/5

=====================
8. Special Cup
=====================

D.K.'s Jungle Parkway:

There's a bug here that can give you a lap at a time. If you go back at
the start to the cave and hop just to the left of the corner of the
wall, you can go into it. If Lakitu places you behind the finish line,
go past it and you'll be credited with a lap. When you go off the jump,
aim slightly to the left. You can use mushrooms to cut corners, but
coconuts will come flying at you. Lay items on the narrow bridge near
the end. You can hop up the hill at the end instead of going around.
Just don't try to cut too much off or you'll end up behind. DIFFICULTY:
3/5

Yoshi Valley:

Yoshi Valley is full of differing, winding paths varying from short and
treacherous to long and safe. The two best paths are left, right, left
and right, left, right. The first path is a little shorter, but there
are more spinys there. If you're careful, you can hop across a chasm
before the egg. Be cautious not to get smooshed by the egg. After the
egg is another opportunity for item-laying on the bridge. After the
bridge is the only good opportunity to use a mushroom here. DIFFICULTY:
4/5

Banshee Boardwalk:

It's extremely tough to power-slide here. If you make the slightest
mistake, you could go flying into the water below. The most hazardous
area is the S-curve before the haunted house. If you don't steer
carefully, it's easy to go flying off the side. In the haunted house,
follow the arrow to the right of the first wall and go to the left of
the beam and hop over the hole where it's narrow. That should make the
next turn a little easier. DIFFICULTY: 5/5

Rainbow Road:

Rainbow Road is the longest course in the game. It's gentle turns and
guardrails make it a lot calmer than its Super Mario Kart counterpart.
At the start, if you hop, you'll go flying down the track, getting a
head start. If you aim perfectly to the left before you hop, you can go
flying onto another section of the course, getting a huge lead. In
general, if you go toward where the chomps are when you first see them,
they'll have moved out of the way by the time you get to them. The wide
turns are excellent opportunities to power-slide. DIFFICULTY: 2/5

=====================
9. Battle Mode Tips
=====================

- Be a heavyweight. You can ram other drivers off edges or ram them
hard so that they lose a balloon.

- Try to get red shells, triple shells, or a ghost. Most of the other
items aren't as useful.

- If you get a fake item box or banana, drop it in a group of item
boxes.

- If you are being pursued by someone with a red shell, hold an item
behind you. This works especially well against less experienced
players.

- Keep an eye on your opponents' screens. You'll be able to learn their
location at a glance.

- Round corners or stay close to walls to dodge red shells.

- If the other drivers are battling, stay at a distance and fire red or
green shells.

=====================
10. Battle Mode Arenas
=====================

---- Big Donut ----

This is the simplest arena. It is, of course, shaped like a big donut
with four walls to dodge shells behind. Of all the battle arenas,
power-slides are the most useful here.

* If an opponent has a red shell, hide behind one of the four sections
of wall.

* Outrun other drivers with power-slides.

* Drop fake item boxes and bananas in one group of items and remember
which group it is.

---- Block Fort ----

Block Fort, a party favorite, has four sections and three levels, with
bridges connecting each section on each level. Here, it's really easy
to tell where the opponents are because of the color-coding of the
zones.

* Fire red shells so that they will hit opponents on lower levels. They
won't know what hit them.

* Fill the lower level with green shells and stay on the forts.

* Put bananas on the bridges or on the yellow zone near the bridges and
put fake item boxes on the bridges.

* Notice the patterns the item boxes are arranged in so you won't run
into any fake item boxes.

---- Double Deck ----

Double Deck is the biggest arena of all, but the action here's as
intense as it is in the smaller arenas. The four levels here and the
plentiful straightaways make for exciting pursuit.

* In the beginning, if you're a heavyweight, go straight into your
opponent.

* Go to the top and fire red shells through the hole.

* Lay bananas and fake item boxes around blind corners, but remember
where they are.

* Again, note the neat groups the item boxes are arranged in so you
won't run into any fake item boxes.

* Stay on the beginning platform and let your opponents duke it out.
Opponents will only be able to hit you from the very top.

---- Skyscraper ----

Skyscraper has many holes to fall down, so watch out. It's very small,
so you can very easily find any opponent. Generally, it's best to stay
on the outside.

* Jump over the holes on the sides if red shells are coming after you.

* Go to the middle if you need to find other drivers.

* Lay traps in the canopies so other drivers won't see them until it's
too late.

* Get triple shells and force your opponents to choose between ramming
into you or falling off the edge.

* Only use red shells when the opponents are in your line of sight.

* Note where Lakitu brings drivers when they fall off and ambush them
there.

=====================
11. Multiplayer Ideas
=====================

These are fun ideas to use when playing with friends, especially when
they get tired of playing Mario Kart 64 the normal way.

- Play one-handed. It's a heckuva lot harder to steer and use items
this way.

- Play versus, extra, Toad's Turnpike. Now the traffic is coming at
you. Combine this with another idea to make it even more challenging.

- Work in teams of two. The driver is blindfolded and his partner has
to tell him what to do. Good when you have more than four players. Fun
on Skyscraper.

- In battle in the Block Fort, give each player 5 minutes to lay traps
on the top level. Now all come to one spot (preferably by going down
one level first, then coming up) and race around the top level. The
person who gets farthest without losing all their balloons or falling
off wins.

- Team up for battle mode. Self-explanatory.

- Outlaw use of red shells in battle mode. Now battle games take a lot
longer.

- Have each player draw out of a hat the name of the driver they must
use. Alternatively, have each player draw out of a hat the name of an
item they cannot use.

- Set up handicaps for the best players. It's a lot more exciting when
you don't have one player stealing the show.

=====================
12. Secrets
=====================

Extra Mode:

In 150cc GP mode, get the gold in all the cups to unlock the Extra
Mode. All tracks will be mirrored, meaning that a left turn will now be
a right turn and vice-versa. Very funny on Toad's Turnpike! Remember
that this is the same speed as 150cc. The karts don't go any faster.

Alternate Title Screen:

When you unlock Extra Mode, the title screen will change. Anybody who
hasn't seen it will think you have a different version of Mario Kart.

Course Ghosts:

In Time Trials, on Luigi Raceway, Mario Raceway, or Royal Raceway,
finish under a given time and you can race against the course ghost,
who is extremely fast. If you can beat it, you are among the best.
Luigi Raceway 1'52"
Mario Raceway 1'30"
Royal Raceway 2'40"

Time on Mario Raceway:

On the title screen, press R and your top speed for Mario Raceway will
appear.

=====================
13. Pre-Release Changes
=====================

* The game was going to be called "Super Mario Kart R".
* Toad was going to be called "Kinopio".
* D.K. was going to be called "D.Kong".
* Bowser was going to be called "Koopa".
* Magikoopa was going to be a character instead of Wario.
* The feather was going to be included but was taken out after it was
realized that it caused too many glitches and huge shortcuts.
* Toad's Turnpike was going to be called "Kinopio Highway".
* Frappe Snowland was going to be called "Frappe Snow Land".
* Mario Raceway was going to be called "Motor Speedway".
* Royal Raceway was going to be called "Toadstool Turnpike".
* Bowser's Castle was going to be called "Koopa Castle".
* Special Cup was going to be accessible only after you have beaten all
the other circuits.
* Instead of facing right, the characters in the 1 player rankings on
the left were going to be facing straight and to the left.
* There was going to be a strange icon in vs. next to the amount of
laps. Anyone know what this was going to be for?
* There were going to be "spin" and "drift" techniques.
* Above the "time", there was going to be a "total time".
* There was going to be part of Bowser's Castle in which there were
four thwomps lined up.
* Instead of Lakitu appearing with lights, the word "GO" was going to
appear on-screen.
* The game was going to use the D-pad and the analog control stick.
* Before you got an item, a question mark was going to be displayed in
the item box.

=====================
14. Next Mario Kart
=====================

Nintendo recently announced Mario Kart Advance for the Game Boy
Advance. It appears to be slightly downgraded but very similar
graphically to Mario Kart 64. It's pretty exciting to have a portable
version of Mario Kart in (almost) all its N64 glory. Note that this
game is NOT just a port of the N64 version, though, just with
downgraded graphics. There are completely new levels. The new Mario
Kart uses Mode 7, but the GBA's Mode 7 is much better than the Super
NES's Mode 7.

I expect that Nintendo will also release a Mario Kart for the GameCube,
and they may be already working on it. However, they haven't said
anything about this possibility. Here are some of the things I'd like
to see in a GameCube version of Mario Kart:

- More characters; Koopa Troopa's return would be nice, and I'd like to
see Magikoopa in the game.
- More battle mode arenas; while the current four are very good, a few
more would be nice.
- More challenging modes; the game's G.P. mode is way too easy.
- Polygonal characters; sprites just don't cut it.
- Multiplayer combat over a network.
- Options in battle mode: the ability to set handicaps like amount of
balloons, set which items appear, set teams, etc.
- The ability to skip past the awards ceremony. It may be nice the
first 10 times, but after that it gets annoying.
- More tracks as exciting as Yoshi Valley and Toad's Turnpike.
- More items; the Blue Shell and triple shells were brilliant
additions, but Mario Kart could use more.
- Bots in battle mode.
- Include changing time of day, season, and weather or include it as an
option.

=====================
15. Score Sheet
=====================

If you want to keep track of how you and your friends do in battle mode
and who does the best, print out this score sheet. The points are 9
points for placing first, 3 points for placing second, 1 point for
placing third, and 0 points for placing fourth. The margin is the
amount of balloons the winner had when the game was over. The game
total is Points x Margin for the winner and Points x ( 3 - margin ) for
everyone else. The Match Total is just the sum of all the totals. One
game should be played in each arena. A tie is broken by a battle
between the two winners. The choice to who gets to choose the arena
(between the people sitting out) is decided by the flip of a coin.

P | P | P | P |
___ ___. __ ___ L | L | L | L |
| \/ | | |/ / A | A | A | A |
| \ / | | ' / Y | Y | Y | Y |
| |\/| | | < E | E | E | E |
| | | | | . \ R | R | R | R |
|__| |__| |__|\__\ | | | |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | | |
Game 1 Points | | | |
Game 1 Margin | | | |
Game 1 Total | | | |
----------------------------+-------+-------+-------|
Game 2 Points | | | |
Game 2 Margin | | | |
Game 2 Total | | | |
----------------------------+-------+-------+-------|
Game 3 Points | | | |
Game 3 Margin | | | |
Game 3 Total | | | |
----------------------------+-------+-------+-------|
Game 4 Points | | | |
Game 4 Margin | | | |
Game 4 Total | | | |
----------------------------+-------+-------+-------|
Match Total | | | |
----------------------------------------------------/

=====================
16. Contact Me
=====================

I have been unable to check my e-mail for at least two months and as
such, haven't been able to respond. If you have sent me anything and
haven't gotten a response, please e-mail me at [email protected] .

My e-mail address is [email protected] . Feel free to send me
anything and everything, including but not limited to:

- Telling me there's missing or wrong info
- Requesting further explanation of something
- Constructive Criticism
- Flames, hate mail, and other non-constructive criticism
- Just talking
- Pointing out typos
- Requests to use this Guide on your website
- Requests to be listed in the Special Thanks

However, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES send me a chain letter, either
asking for money or not, unless it is a parody or it is otherwise
funny, or else I will automatically filter all of my messages from you
to the trash. If it is for money, I'll forward it to the FTC and the
USPS because no matter what it claims, it's in violation of federal
law.

=====================
17. Special Thanks
=====================

Nintendo, for making this great game and the hardware to play it on.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the man behind the games.

Me, for taking the time to write this Guide and not procrastinating
(too much).

My friends, for being excellent and sportsmanlike (well, except Goody)
competitors.

Nintendo Power magazine, for giving out pre-release information.

GameFAQs , for providing a great service to video game players and FAQ-
writers alike.

ASCII Generator at http://www.network-science.de/ascii/

Car Talk's credits website for some of the thanks below.

Appointment Secretary Stu Earley
Copyright Attorney Pat Pending
Director of Computer Services Dot Matrix
Director of Intensive Care Picabu Street (Picabu ICU)
Director of Purchasing Lois Bidder
Divorce Attorney Carmine Nottyors
Fact Checker Ella Fynoe
Grammar Checker I.M. Shirley Wright
Legal Consulting Dewey, Cheetham, and Howe
Nutrition Consultants Eaton Wright and Liven Good
Overseer of Florida Voting Practives Emmanuel Recount
Sexual Harrassment Investigator Hank E. Panky
Tax Consultant Lou Pole
Telephone Solicitation Response Specialist Theresa Noboddihuom

=====================
18. Legal Info
=====================

This document is copyright (c) 2000-2001 ShadowDragon. All Rights
Reserved. This document may not be used in part or in its entirety
without my express written or e-mail consent. You may e-mail me with
your website's URL and I may grant you permission to use this guide. If
you see any site using this guide that's not listed below, please e-
mail me at [email protected]

Sites authorized to use this guide:

GameFAQs www.gamefaqs.com
GameAdvice www.gameadvice.com
About.com VGs vgstrategies.about.com
GameWinners www.gamewinners.com
NeoSeeker www.neoseeker.com
Tim's Vault www.timsvault.com

=====================
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