Mario Kart

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About

Mario Kart is a multiplayer go-kart racing video game series developed and published by Nintendo as a spin-off of the Super Mario series.

History

The first Mario Kart title, Super Mario Kart^[1], was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992. As of May 2014, there have been seven^[2] additional console titles released: Mario Kart 64 (1996), Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2001), Mario Kart: Double Dash‼(2003) Mario Kart DS (2005), Mario Kart Wii (2008), Mario Kart 7 (2011) and Mario Kart 8 (2014). In addition, the series has released three arcade games, all of which are developed by Namco/Namco Bandai: Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005), Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 (2007) and Mario Kart Arcade GP DX (2013).

Mobile Release

On January 31st, 2018, Nintendo announced via Twitter that a mobile version of Mario Kart called Mario Kart Tour was in development for iOS and Android devices.^[11] The game is set to be released by the end of the fiscal year, which ends in March of 2019, putting the release date anytime between April 2018 and then.

Online, fans reacted with tempered enthusiasm. Twitter user @botherer reacted with hope that the game would evoke the feeling of earlier handheld Mario Karts for the DS (shown below, left). Twitter user @scully1888 noted that other mobile Nintendo games like Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp were significantly reduced experiences than their console and 3DS counterparts (shown below, right). Reactions to the mobile release were compiled by Twitter Moments.^[12]

Reception

The Mario Kart series has been acclaimed as one of the greatest multi-player experiences for its diversity in game modes and variety of weaponry and items. In 2009, The Guinness Book of World Records rated Mario Kart as the number one^[6] console game. The series holds six Guinness World Records, including "First Console Kart Racing Game", "Best Selling Racing Game" and "Longest Running Kart Racing Franchise."

Fandom

On February 22nd, 2006, a page for the Mario Kart series was launched on the Mario Wiki.^[7] On January 12th, 2011, the /r/mariokart^[8] subreddit was created for discussions about the series, garnering upwards of 10,000 subscribers over the next six years.

On YouTube

On November 10th, 2008, YouTuber Sam Hart^[5] uploaded a video featuring a song titled "Mario Kart Love Song," which incorporates the Mario Kart characters into its lyrics (shown below, left). On December 3rd, YouTuber Remi Gaillard posted a video in which he rides a GoKart dressed as Mario (shown below, right). Over the next nine years, the videos gained over 8.6 million views and 70 million views respectively.

On August 23rd, 2009, YouTuber drcoolsex uploaded a parody trailer for a Mario Kart-themed film, accumulating more than 36 million views and 8,900 comments in eight years (shown below, left). On February 17th, 2011, the RocketJump YouTube channel posted a video titled "Real Life Mario Kart" (shown below, right). Over the next six years, the video garnered upwards of 27 million views and 13,400 comments.

On March 8th, 2014, Smosh Games posted an Honest Trailers episode about Mario Kart, which received more than 9.4 million views and 7,600 comments in three years. On August 5th, 2014, YouTuber Flashgitz uploaded a video titled "Racist Mario," in which Mario viciously murders other Mario Kart characters (shown below, left). Over the next three years, the video gained over 121 million views and 58,000 comments.

Fan Art

As of February 2017, there are over 29,000 art submissions for the keywords "mario kart" on DeviantArt.^[4]

Image Macros

Spiny Shell

The Spiny Shell, also known as the Blue Shell, is a type of projectile weapon that can be used in Mario Kart to attack and impede the racer leading in the first place. Due to its high success rate and game-changing ability, the item has gained much notoriety as a major source of frustration and rage among many fans of the game.

Rainbow Road YTPs

Rainbow Road is a Youtube Poop song based on music from the recurring Mario Kart course, Rainbow Road, that quickly became popular and spawned many remixes and parodies.

Real Life Mario Kart

Real Life Mario Kart videos are live-action parodies mimicing Mario Kart in the real world. The idea was pioneered by French humorist and prankster Rémi Gaillard in his 2007 video Remi Cart and spread virally throughout video-sharing hubsites like YouTube.

Luigi's Death Stare

Luigi's Death Stare refers to the odd facial expressions worn by the character of Luigi during gameplay in Mario Kart 8. Upon the release of the game on May 30, 2014, Luigi's sinister-looking facial expression quickly became the butt of many jokes and parodies.

Mario Kart Track Puns

Mario Kart Track Puns refer to a series of photoshops in which a person uses a still image of a course from popular racing game Mario Kart as a punchline to a joke. On May 21st, 2017, Reddit user Luigimario280 submitted the first of these jokes to /r/dankmemes,^[9] gaining over 2,800 points (shown below).

Later that day, the image was reposted to /r/MemeEconomy,^[10] where it gained over 13,700 points. This sparked the creation of several other jokes in the template on the subreddit and on /r/dankmemes.