There haven’t been many games with the universal appeal of those in the Mario Kart series. From casual to hardcore gamers, these titles are beloved the world over. And while there are other great games in the karting genre, none have the fame or popularity of Nintendo’s premium racer.
Along with playing the games, fans have spent significant time making jokes about the series, often in the form of memes. Some poke fun at some of the games’ inconsistencies, whereas others laugh at the behavior of those playing - normally in a self-deprecating manner. They’ve made many comical ones over the years, and here are some of the best.
10 Sad Go-Karts
For a lot of experienced players, simply playing Mario Kart is not enough, you need to win. Although it’s hard to be victorious every time you step out onto the track.
So, there are times where you know you’re going to lose (or have already lost), and you have to finish the race dejected. At least it can give you time to admire some of the more underappreciated tracks in the series.
9 Baby Racers
While some Mario characters are still waiting to debut in the karting series, the baby characters always make it in these days. These riders are simply infant versions of other characters. Which begs the question, what are they even allowed to race?
Mario Kart is no place for babies. Each track is filled with dangerous items and obstacles. They need to be kept away.
8 Banana Karma
Bananas are some of the least impressive items in the game. In the right hands and right situation they can be effective, but most people just chuck them away to make space for something else.
However, these bananas stick around. Throw one away, and you may run into it during your next lap. Spinning out of control because of your own item is embarrassing.
7 Hovercar Logic
Some of the more recent Mario Karts have included a feature that turns your vehicle into a hovercar. Every time you hit water or a particularly steep wall, your car will transform and keep going. It’s a mechanic that’s used on some of the series best tracks.
For some reason, though, these fancy cars are far less impressive on the grass. On that particular terrain, they work like a normal vehicle, which means badly.
6 First Place Items
The series has a simple yet clever way to keep races interesting. They only give the best items to those who need them. It’s great because it gives those lagging behind a better chance of catching up.
Yet, it’s not so good for the person in first place. They get stuck will the least advantageous items, namely bananas. So if you’re very good at the games, you’re probably sick of seeing the yellow fruit.
5 Second Place’s Savior
While a singular banana isn’t too helpful, groups of them can be vital. Someone in the front can put the bananas around them to form a fruit-based barrier. A barrier that ordinary shells can’t penetrate, but the blue shell isn’t ordinary.
No shield can stop the powerful item from blowing up the racer in first place. And as the people directly behind the leader don’t tend to get these sort of items, they can be thankful for those in the back.
4 A Target
Generally, Mario Kart titles are among the easiest games on the market - at least on the lower difficulties. That being said, you can never feel entirely safe even when you’re far in the lead.
All it takes is a flurry of powerful items to stop you in your tracks and let the others catch up. And if this occurs in the final lap, it can be the difference between winning and losing. The game seems to know this as well, as it often gives out some impressive weaponry during that last lap.
3 Substance Over Style
Kart customization is a nice way for you to personalize your vehicle and improve your chances of winning. But that’s where the problems start as not all customization parts fit well together, meaning you have to choose between looking good or racing well.
Those who opt for the latter often have some visually outrageous vehicles. Although, if it gets them the win, then who cares?
2 Difficulty
Players who hunger for a real challenge like to play the game on 200cc, which makes your opponents significantly quicker.
After a while, you get used to your adversaries’ increased speed. At first, though, you may be hoping that the item boxes gift you with some bullet bills. These power-ups help you fly past your fellow racers with ease. As transformations go, it rivals Mario’s best.
1 Friendships Ruined
While Mario Kart titles are often considered some of Nintendo’s greatest multiplayer games, they don’t breed unity. In fact, one ill-timed blue shell is all it takes to damage a life-long friendship.
That might be a little dramatic, but losing a race only because someone hit you with one of those blue explosives is incredibly frustrating. And they’re never apologetic about it either, as they usually respond to your misfortune with laughter.
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