Boxing Games Roundup: Round 1

With a large amount of boxing games to take a look at over the next two reviews, I've decided to split them up, with this first review concentrating on the larger than life, cartoon-ish boxing games in the Punchout and Ready 2 Rumble Series, and the second review looking at games which attempted to be more of a sports simulation.

Game: Punch-Out!!
Console: Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 1990

Punch-Out!! is an NES classic which challenges players to rise through the ranks from minor circuit boxing to the big time, against a variety of racial stereotypes and humourous characters and finally face Mike Tyson himself in a wall-punchingly difficult final fight to beat the game and claim Little Mac's place in boxing history. For every win, the player progresses up the ranks towards a title fight, but for every loss, the last opponent must be faced again to prove your skill.

The controls are simple, with the d-pad used for left and right movement as well as directing punches towards the head or body. The A and B buttons are used for right and left hand punches respectively, and it's through these simple controls that the game justifies its fairly high level of difficulty in the later levels. Each opponent has a different set of moves which must be learned and avoided with the correct timing, in order to counter attack, as this is the only effective way of landing strikes. Once an opponent has been knocked down 3 times in a round, or for 10 seconds at a time, the player wins.

Graphically the game uses basic sprites for its boxers as well as Mario who guest stars as referee. The animations are good and give a clear indication of when to avoid the opponent's strikes in order to land a clean hit. The cardio system works well as Little Mac loses hearts for hits taken and his shots being blocked, and so focuses players on the counter attack. Musically there's a few enjoyable themes included and repeated throughout the game, and that's about all you can ask for in an NES cartridge.

Overall Punch-Out is almost the perfect arcade boxing game for the time; there's strategy in avoiding opponents and waiting for the right moment to connect with a punch, there's a good variety of opponents to beat on the way up through the ranks, a terrifying final boss in Mike Tyson and a guest appearance from Mario. While technology has advanced since the release of the game, the core gameplay and characters appearing the game remain entertaining and fun.

Rating: 84/100
Grade: B

Game: Super Punch-Out!!
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 1994

As a follow up to Punch-Out!! on the NES, Super Punch-Out!! succeeds in bringing arcade boxing action to the Super Nintendo. The premise of the game remains unchanged; progress to the title of champion through three ever more difficult circuits, learn your opponents moves and how to avoid them, then counter attack until your opponent is down for good. An added feature to this game is special combos; earned by landing punches and avoiding being hit by the opponent, these can rock opponents and provide an advantage to players if landed at the right time.

The controls remain largely the same with the addition of the special combo button, and the difficulty is much the same as the original Punch-Out!! with a tough curve and many hours of practice needed before the fights are truly easy, though the Minor Circuit isn't too hard to get through. The time limit has been brought down to 3 minutes per fight, forcing the action as players lose instantly if the timer reaches 3 minutes, no matter the number of knock downs or the health bars of both boxers.

Graphically the game is far superior to its NES predecessor and its cartoon-ish sprites and animation bring life to the fights as the fighters react far more obviously to each punch. The special meter at the bottom is easy to glance at and it's obvious when players can use their special combo, increasing their chance of successfully using the system. Musically the game features some remixes of songs from Punch-Out!! which are a nice reminder of the series short heritage.

Super Punch-Out!! is superior to the original in most aspects; its gameplay feels better, looks better and has a few more features to help players, but the time limit can be unwelcome at times, with close fights recorded as a loss thanks to there being only a single round. This does have the advantage of making the game feel more arcade-like, as does the scoring system, but it's equally frustrating. Any time put into learning opponent moves is rewarded and progress can be saved once a circuit has been beaten.

Rating: 87/100
Grade: B

Game: Punch-Out!!
Console: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Next Level Games
Release Date: 18th May 2009

Usually when classic franchises are shipped out to third party developers, fans can expect the results to be generally disappointing. While there are some problems with this instalment in the once dormant series, they're mainly with the motion control of the Wii rather than the game itself. Seasoned players will be delighted to find Glass Joe, Von Kaiser and King Hippo waiting for them in the minor circuit of the career mode (though Piston Honda is notably absent, replaced by Disco Kid). For the most part they fight much like their previous versions, though perhaps a little easier overall.

The attacking and defensive options too are very much like those given to players in the first two games; the stamina bar and special move stars make a comeback, and the view is much like that of Super Punch-Out!!. As the game is on the Wii however, two of the three control options involve motion controls; there's the Wiimote and Nunchuk option, a Wiimote, Nunchuk and Balance Board option if you're looking for the optimal amount of excercise, or simply the Wiimote held sideways for a traditional control scheme without motion control.

I opted for the Wiimote and Nunchuk control scheme which worked pretty well, though more than three fights is exhausting, as you're required to thrust the remote forwards for every punch. The difficulty is generally a little easier than the preceding games, while the strategies remain the same, but towards the end of the game things can be just as tough. Graphically the game looks good; nothing truly amazing but it's an update from Super Punch-Out!!'s graphics if nothing else. The music is once again remixes of classic Punch-Out!! tunes and fairly enjoyable.

Overall for a reboot of a classic series on the Wii, Punch-Out!! could have been a lot worse, there's the option not to use motion control which is always appreciated, many nods to the two classic games which came beforehand and a sense of an update on the nostalgia of the series. Although it can be an exhausting experience for those who want to use the motion control, it's a passable reworking of the classic formula.

Rating: 73/100
Grade: C

Game: Ready 2 Rumble Boxing
Console: Sega Dreamcast
Developer: Midway
Release Date: 8th September 1999

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing was released for multiple platforms in 1999; alongside the Dreamcast the game came out for Playstation, Nintendo 64 and the Game Boy Colour. What's interesting about this is that the game was a launch title in the USA and followed soon after in Europe, thus allowing gamers to compare the Playstation, N64 and Dreamcast versions side by side and see the next generation of video gaming for themselves. The Dreamcast version is by far the best, and I'd steer well clear of the Playstation version as it looks ugly and plays horrifically compared to the DC version.

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing features a cast of varied boxing characters with a variety of movesets, catchphrases and taunts, all of whom can be guided through championship and arcade mode to climb the ranks and become the best fighter. Arcade mode features a simple run of 10 fights, from 10th place in the rankings to facing the champion and unlocks fighters if beaten a certain amount of times. Championship mode allows players to take control of 10 of the game's fighters, raise their stats, manage their money and fights in order to make it through Bronze, Silver and Gold classes to claim the championship belt. Controlwise, players can choose from 2 types of high and low punches, assigned to the four buttons of the controller. Dodging is achieved with the L+R triggers, and when a punch lands cleanly enough, players are assigned letters of the word "RUMBLE", until it's spelt out and can be used within the round it's earned to do a near unblockable flurry of punches at their opponent.

Graphically the game looks great on Dreamcast, with some of the best looking modelling of human bodies that had been seen on consoles up until that time. Bruises appear on fighters as they're hit, which is a great bonus feature and there's a wealth of animations and moves for each fighter. The sound is a little average, with grunts and hits sounding somewhat lacklustre, but the taunts and personality of the fighter's dialogue makes up for a lot of this. In contrast to the Dreamcast version, the Playstation version looks less than half as good, with gameplay feeling slow and difficult to control, in contrast.

Overall Ready 2 Rumble Boxing has a great mix of arcade boxing action with huge characters, and actual boxing moves to pull off within the 3D space of the ring. The Championship mode is a nice touch, with control over the chosen boxer's stats and fights, but it's perhaps a little too similar to arcade mode in it's progression, as players will find themselves facing 30 fights to beat Championship mode with a single fighter. Remember to avoid the game on other platforms though, as the Dreamcast version is superior.

Rating: 75/100
Grade: B

Game: Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2
Console: Sega Dreamcast
Developer: Midway
Release Date: 23rd October 2000

Just over a year after the first instalment of the series, Ready 2 Rumble returned with more fighters, celebrity fighters to unlock, an overhauled championship mode and a few other extras. While the core gameplay and concept remain much the same, one nice new addition is tiered RUMBLE attacks. Once the word has been earned once (the maximum in the last game), it can be earned again in red for a stronger flurry attack, or a third time for a silver punch which will knock the opponent out of the ring.

The championship mode is now time based; the next prize fight and title fight have a set date and gym training is free, but must be scheduled on the calendar. Players raise their fighter's stats as normal and attempt to fight for the championship belt from 13th position in the rankings. This is preferable to the bronze, silver and gold classes of the previous game. There are many fighters making their Dreamcast debut in the title, including the previously N64 exclusive J,R Flurry, and these add some imagination to the roster of 23 fighters.

Graphically the game looks great on the Dreamcast and is very similar on the Playstation 2. These two versions are by far the best, and are essentially interchangeable. Fighters have more distinguishing features than in the first game, and those who have been carried over have been given a nice update. The sound still leaves a little to be desired but there's some surprisingly good voice acting, especially considering that Michael Jackson features in the cast.

Overall whilst Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2 brought few significant gameplay improvements to the table, the increased roster and selection of game modes provide more excitement, and the championship mode improvements give a greater sense of progression for those interested in 'completing' the game. As far as arcade boxing games go, you can't do much better for a roster or the amount of action provided by this game.

Rating: 79/100
Grade: B

Game: Ready 2 Rumble Revolution
Console: Nintendo Wii
Developer: 10tacle Studios
Release Date: 17th March 2009

Ready 2 Rumble Revolution was the inevitable Wii cash-in for the series as Midway, the original developers of the game were going bankrupt. Featuring very few characters from the original games, and far less amusing or even impressive replacements, the game almost instantly fails to connect with existing fans of the series. While the game modes remain much the same, there's the option to play the training minigames independently of the Career Mode.

The biggest problem however is that of control; with only the motion controls available to use, and a huge selection of punches and moves to pull off, the technology isn't advanced enough to distinguish between similar movements, leading to player frustration when the wrong move is executed. In addition to this, players are required to keep their hands up in order to defend themselves (which is very tiring), and the experience as a whole is draining, so play sessions tend to last only as long as players can stand.

Graphically the game is less impressive than anything in the series so far for its time of release. The cartoonish figures of the boxers look almost ridiculous, and there's nearly none of the amusing characterisation that was present on the Dreamcast instalments. It's easy to ignore the sounds of the game as the frustration of getting the correct punch to land on screen usually drowns out any in game audio.

Overall Ready 2 Rumble Revolution is an insult to the series, lacking the enjoyable arcade style gameplay of the first two games and replacing it with hit-and-miss controls which overcomplicate the formula. The Wii saw a lot of series revivals and cash-ins on famous games, but this goes down with the worst of those, due to the general lack of effort to make the game anything like its predecessors.

Rating: 42/100
Grade: E

SNK Double Header: Samurai Shodown and Fatal Fury

Having recently taken a look at an SNK arcade collection, I decided that now would be the perfect time to compare the console versions of some of the games to their arcade counterparts. Originally I was going to review King of the Monsters on Mega Drive also, but for now the cart doesn't seem to be working, so it'll just be the two games featured below. 

Game: Samurai Shodown
Console: Sega Mega Drive
Developer: SNK
Release Date: 1994

Samurai Shodown is a fighting game featuring combatants all wielding swords of some variety, featuring light, medium and heavy attack options as well as special moves for a fairly standard, but enjoyable fighting game experience. What sets Samurai Shodown on the Mega Drive apart from its arcade version is the adjustable difficulty and settings provided in the menu. Since SNK games are known to be fairly difficult, it's nice to be able to play around with the settings and find a level of difficulty at which the game is both fun and challenging.

There's a good amount of variety between the game's 11 characters and their movesets, providing replayability and options if players get stuck. The fighting action featured certainly isn't the fastest ever, but it's at least similar to the speed of combat in the arcade version, if a little less smooth. The controls map well to the Mega Drive controller's 3 button layout, and combos can be pulled off without too much difficulty.

Graphically the game looks good, with colourful sprites and interesting destructible backgrounds. The animation is generally smooth although not as good as the arcade version. Special attacks seem to have the most exciting visuals in the game, with bright colours and large areas of damage. The soundtrack to the game is made up of various mostly Japanese sounding tracks, and sounds good on the Mega Drive for the most part

Overall Samurai Shodown is a fairly average, but interesting fighting game for the Mega Drive which has some good features but no real unique selling point. In nearly all aspects it can be described as 'good, but not amazing', leading to an generally positive feel without any real excitement. I'd recommend the game to players who like their fighting games, but it's not a must-have for the Mega Drive.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C

Game: Fatal Fury
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: SNK
Release Date: 1993

Fatal Fury on the SNES looks and sounds much like its arcade counterpart, but looking a little deeper will reveal that there are subtle differences. The game features the stages and characters from the arcade version, though the introductory shots of each stage have been removed along with their impressive 3D effect. Another removal from the game is the double plane feature where players could dodge into the background or foreground. While the Mega Drive version of the game kept this, there's only one plane in this version.

The difficulty level can be selected, but makes little difference to the overall gameplay as even difficulty level 1 results in a spammy and cheap AI opponent, whilst cranking it up to level 9 brings the game to a near impossible level. The controls have been converted in such a way that special moves are difficult to pull off, and throwing moves too are harder, leaving players with simply punches and kicks as their move options.

Graphically, the game is an approximation of the arcade version with many of the environmental effects and backgrounds simplified. The fighters too aren't quite as well animated, with some clunky movement in certain cases. The game's sound is probably it's strongest feature with enjoyable and fitting music improving the experience very slightly.

Overall, without its innovative two-plane approach, beautiful establishing shots of its locations and smooth animation, there's not a lot left separating Fatal Fury from any other fighting game of its day. After the release of Street Fighter II, the genre was full to the brim with acceptable but unremarkable games, of which this is just another.

Rating: 56/100
Grade: D

Game Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time

Game: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Konami
Release Date: 19th November 1992

The first TMNT game on the SNES, Turtles in Time followed 3 NES titles in the series (one of which wasn't released in Europe). Nonetheless Konami still chose to add a IV to the game's title, which probably confused a player or two back in the day. I previously reviewed the first TMNT game on NES as well as this game's Mega Drive counterpart; Hyperstone Heist. The former is a pretty terrible game, with a horrifying difficulty curve, and frustrating controls, the latter came out after Turtles In Time, but is in a very similar style.

As a beat 'em up, the game allows up to 2 players to take on hordes of Foot Soldiers from the foot clan, who have a variety of moves and attacks, as well as bosses such as Slash, Rat King, Krang and Shredder. After making their way through to the Technodrome, the turtles are sent back in time, and make their way from 25 billion BC to 2100 AD, with several stops along with way to fight baddies, before finally returning to the Technodrome to defeat Super Shredder. In total there are 10 levels in the game, though the final level is simply a boss fight, and 2 of the levels are bonus stages which are shorter than regular stages.

All 4 turtles are selectable from the beginning, and have different stats and attacks, thanks to their different weapon choices. Controlwise, players have the option of using regular attacks, special attacks, and jumping attacks, as well as some combination moves such as throwing enemies at the screen (a necessary technique to beat Shredder in the first half of the game). Gameplay feels natural and fun for a beat 'em up, one of the best I've ever experienced in fact; the game is a lot of fun with a friend especially.

While there's not a great amount of variety in the enemies featured throughout the game, each level and time period has new features which keep things fresh. For example, on the pirate ship level in the 1500s there are planks which must be avoided by players, as when stepped on they spring up and cause damage. The prehistoric level features pterodactyls which drop egg bombs, and the futuristic levels feature killer robots. Despite this, the main enemies in each level are members of the Foot Clan who have inexplicably also been sent back in time.

In addition to the regular moves discussed earlier, players can also pick up power ups which allow them to damage enemies with a spin move, as well as pizzas which restore full health. Extra lives are available when certain score milestones are reached, and can be helpful for players wanting to complete the game in one sitting. While it's not particularly difficult, many of the bosses take a little figuring out, but luckily players are allowed to select how many lives they wish to start with (up to 7), as well as a difficulty level which affects the amount of continues given (Easy gives 3, Medium 4, and Hard 5).

The options menu also offers 12 different control schemes for the game, swapping the jump, attack and special attack buttons around in almost every imaginable combination, which is a major plus. One of the most impressive features of the game is the attention to detail; fire hydrants can be hit in order to blast water at opponents, enemy bombs can be used strategically to damage opponents and there's no friendly fire, meaning 2 players can go crazy without worrying about damaging each other. My only complaint is that the special attack takes health to complete, I'd much rather a limited number of uses.

Graphically the game looks great and comes with the option to colour the turtles as they are in the cartoon, or the comics. Everything is bright and vibrant and the levels vary nicely; there's a bonus level that looks as if it might have come straight out of F-Zero, which is interesting. Musically too the game excels with plenty of memorable and motivational tunes to kick some Foot Clan butt.

Overall Turtles In Time is fairly close to the perfect Beat 'Em Up in my book; a fairly large variety of levels which can be completed in a single intense sitting, with or without a friend, plenty of adjustable options, great visuals and a kickass soundtrack. The game also manages to capture the humour and mood of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with various soundclips and cartoon-like touches.

Rating: 88/100
Grade: A

Game Review: SimCity

Game: SimCity
Console: SNES
Developer: Maxis
Release Date: 13th August 1991

The first game in the "Sim" series, SimCity saw a release for many different consoles in several different forms. The SNES release of the game came over 2 years after the first release on the Commodore Amiga. The idea of the game is to build a functioning city from residential, industrial and commercial zones as well as other more specific buildings, using a combination of good planning and strategy.

Using the SNES controller to make almost computer like control movements, players can check on several informational graphs and sets of figures as well as specifically position buildings, zones, roads and any othe placeable items. Moving around the map to a different area can be a little cumbersome, despite a fast travel option being included, and sometimes switching quickly between menus, graphs and the main screen can take longer than you'd expect.

Players aquire money by setting a taxation rate, which may encourage or discourage citizens from moving to the city, depending on where it's set. The upkeep of transport systems, and the police/fire services is also deducted before the player gets their spending money. Once a zone is built, players must wait until it is populated by the inhabitants of their city, according to the demand for that particular type of area. All districts and buildings must have roads or railroads leading to them so that they can be accessed by the population. All buildings except power stations must also be served by some sort of electricity, although it automatically flows through rows of buildings.

The inhabitants of your city will produce a report every year on their biggest concerns which usually include a combination of taxes, pollution, housing costs, and crime. If there are any natural disasters then they may cause some concern amongst citizens also. Sometimes prize buildings such as casinos, zoos, amusement parks and libraries are given to the player to put on the map; these all give their own benefits to the city. With the freedoms given to unleash any disasters from the six available, some players may take more of a relaxed attitude towards their cities, but personally I quite like to fill out all the available space with buildings, get as many citizens as possible, lower the tax rate to next to nothing, and then attempt to get my approval rating as high as possible. Playing in this fashion means that games can last a good hour or two.

Graphically the game features fairly simple representations of a city, especially compared to later installments of the series, however t's not bad for the SNES and it's easy enough to view and recognise all buildings and landmarks that impact on the game. There's also a good variety of choice with buildings and the amount of graphs that are available to view. As the player's city progresses, different music will play behind the game to reflect the mood. These generally accompany gameplay nicely and give the game some charm from the era it was released in.

Overall SimCity provides a pretty basic city building simulator which appears to have more depth than it actually does due to the care and attention taken by the game's creators to provide the player with lots of analysis options and a range of factors which govern the overall happiness of the population. Although there are more in-depth city building simulators which look more realistic and have many more options in terms of building and maintaining the city, SimCity's charm is in its simplicity and it's a great game to play with a friend or two, taking it in turns to be mayor for a year.

Rating: 77/100
Grade: B

Master System Light Gun Game Roundup

Just as the NES had its Zapper, the Sega Master System had the Light Phaser, which was actually better than the Zapper in many respects. Firstly it's black, instead of orange and grey which suits serious gun games far better, secondly the trigger is far easier to pull and has a nice soft click rather than the stiff motion of the Zapper, and lastly it's more accurate on well programmed light gun games. I currently own 5 games (the first 3 of which are all on one cartridge) which work with the Light Phaser, so here are short reviews of all of them.

Game: Marksman Shooting

Console: Sega Master System

Developer: Sega

Release Date: 1986

While the concept of Marksman Shooting isn't the most elaborate (it's literally set entirely at a shooting range), it makes up for the lack of variety with some of the best accuracy featured in a Light Phaser game, a slow but challenging difficulty curve, and enjoyable gameplay. The aim is to hit as many targets as possible, squarely in the red circle on their chest (headshots and other hits don't count), per round so as to exceed the target percentage. 

In contrast to other light gun shooters across various systems, accuracy doesn't matter in this game; you're allowed to shoot as many times as you like. The only important factor is the percentage of targets players manage to hit overall. This is useful for tracking your aim across the screen between shots for more accurate shooting when it matters. As the player clears more rounds, the speed of the targets increases, as does the percentage needed to clear a round. It's a steady rise in both and makes for a good level of challenge which gets truly difficult around round 10.

Graphically the game is good with clearly marked targets and a good sense of depth for the era, although the fact that there's no change of scenery in the entire game may put some players off. The sound in the game is pretty basic, but a clear "hit" sound when players shoot a target correctly is useful. The accuracy and detection of the Light Phaser in this game is some of the best I've seen. 

Overall Marksman Shooting is a basic but very well executed Light Gun Shooter which allows players to improve their skill with the Light Phaser for use in other games, and challenge for a high score by reaching the highest round they are able to. While a change of scenery/target within the game would have made it even better there's a certain charm it, almost as if it could be a minigame featured in a game from later console generations.

Rating: 70/100

Grade: C 

Game: Trap Shooting
Console: Sega Master System
Developer: Sega
Release Date: 1986

Trap Shooting is another simple light gun title for the Master System which is based on the sport of clay pigeon shooting. Players must shoot clay pigeons which are fired from up to three locations, outwards across the screen. Two clay pigeons are usually shot per turn, with three bullets given to the player. Upon shooting a clay pigeon the player will receive points for how far it was away from them, and a yellow dot on the scorecard at the bottom of the screen. If they can pass the arrow underneath with yellow dots, then they are allowed to progress to the next round.

The distance between the player and the screen is important whilst playing this game, as you have to be much closer than most of the other titles in this review to even register hits. When you're in the correct position it's a pretty fun game to play, despite being fairly easily. When you're too far (we're talking about 1.5m here) away from the screen however, gameplay is pretty frustrating as no matter how hard you try to hit anything, nothing will happen.

There are some nice backgrounds featured in the game, which rotate every 5 levels until level 15 and provide a good aesthetic for the game. Once again the sound effects and music aren't really anything special, but it's almost to be expected with such an old light gun game. 

Overall Trap Shooting's slight issues with accuracy and lack of challenge mean that it's far less interesting than Marksman shooting. While the targets move, it's a very slow and floaty movement when compared to that of many other light gun games. 

Rating: 52/100

Grade: D

Game: Safari Hunt
Console: Sega Master System
Developer: Sega
Release Date: 1986

Safari Hunt is a game which was heavily influenced by the success of Nintendo's Duck Hunt for the NES, although it features more animals and a greater variety of locations. Different amounts of points are awarded for shooting different types of animals; some have a bonus for shooting them multiple times also. The aim of the game is to surpass the qualifying score for each level.

Animals pop up and move around the screen in different ways, but usually those worth the most points will hide behind objects. The hit detection and accuracy of the light gun with this game seems to be fairly low. This is compounded by the fact that there's no indication of where you're shooting if you miss, meaning that losing track of your aim can prove to be a big problem.

Graphically Safari Hunt uses bright colours and cartoon like sprites for its targets, although they're not particularly detailed, and Duck Hunt looks slightly better. Just like the previous two games, the sound effects are basic and fairly uninspiring. Overall the game is pretty disappointing; there's not much to do due to, being based on Duck Hunt and with difficulties in targeting added to this, it's a pretty poor title. Of the Master System light gun games I have, this is probably the least enjoyable and one of the hardest to play well.

Rating: 30/100

Grade: E

Game: Rescue Mission
Console: Sega Master System
Developer: Sega
Release Date: 1987

Rescue Mission tasks players with assisting their soldier in finding and rescuing their injured comrades whilst riding a handcar along railway lines through enemy territory. To avoid the soldier being blown up by mines, rockets and other weapons, enemy troops must quickly be identified and shot with the light gun. Leaving enemies too long without shooting them will usually result in their projectile being fired which players must quickly shoot down before it reaches the handcar. With three handcar operators to choose from (each of whom move at slightly different speeds, and stop for different intervals), the player only has 3 lives until the game is over.

At each downed comrade, the handcar stops to administer aid before continuing. Players can choose to shoot their comrade in order to speed through the level but will lose points and the bonus which is received for having helped. Usually this either a helmet (which protects the player from an extra shot) or a health pack which heals the player, or providing that the player is fully healed, blows up all on screen enemies. There are 5 levels in the game; Jungle, Swamp, Village, Bridge and Ammunition Depot, which feature on foot enemies and jetpack enemies alternately.

Graphically the game looks well presented and colourful for the time, although the targets and sprites are fairly basic in design and animation. The game's music isn't bad, although the theme which plays when you lose a life resembles that of Super Mario Bros in the same situation. The light gun works wonderfully with the game and once players have themselves set up, it's easy to shoot exactly where you want to. The only real issue I experienced with the game was its overwhelming difficulty from around 3 levels in. 

Overall Rescue Mission is a great idea and concept for an early light gun shooter. It doesn't overcomplicate itself, but takes the action out of a generic setting and gives real challenge to the player. Although the difficulty level increases to an almost unbearable level by the end, with only 5 stages, the game needs something to ensure that it has replay value. On the whole though, it's a lot of fun. 

Rating: 66/100

Grade: C

Game: Operation Wolf
Console: Sega Master System
Developer: Taito
Release Date: 1987

While it's perfectly possible to play Operation Wolf with just a Master System controller, it's pretty obvious that the game was intended as a light gun shooter. Without a light gun, players move the target reticule about the screen and press 1 to throw grenades, and 2 to shoot. With a light gun, the shooting and aiming is controlled via the peripheral, although grenades are still selected via a Master System controller (without one plugged in, there's no way to use grenades).

The object of the game is to make your way through 6 enemy infested stages, getting rid of soliders, vehicles and aircraft as you go, and taking as little damage as possible. There are a few innocent targets which if hit will deplete the health bar at the bottom. Players can also pick up extra grenades and ammo clips to help them with their mission along the way by shooting passing birds and animals. The level ends when the counters in the bottom right have reached 0, and the game ends if the player's health bar turns exclusively red.

The main drawback of Operation Wolf is that getting past the first 2 stages is incredibly difficult whichever control scheme you use as there's not many chances to restore your health, which is carried over from level to level. Players are given one continue, but since this sends them back to the beginning of the level they previously failed, it's only really good for getting a little further, rather than helping to complete the game.

Graphically the game isn't particularly detailed, and the enemy sprites are nowhere near as big as in the arcade version of the game. The sound leaves a little to be desired, but isn't bad for the era. Overall Operation Wolf is a fun light gun title which works very well with the peripheral and is only really let down by its difficulty; I couldn't find any footage of players getting past the 3rd level without using a mouse to hit the targets. 

Rating: 64/100

Grade: C

Game Review: The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past

Game: The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 4th September 1992

The last of the 2D Zelda games for home console, A Link to the Past expands the experience from the original "The Legend Of Zelda" on the NES to give an experience truly worthy of the increased power of the SNES. Like most if not all Zelda games, the story follows Link on a quest to first obtain the Master Sword and then defeat Ganon to stop him from using the power of the triforce to send the world into darkness. To do this, the player must guide Link through various dungeons which are filled with enemies and puzzles.

Although the game was one of the best selling SNES games and had quite a following, the Zelda series wasn't quite as popular as it is today. Players of the SNES era were used to Zelda games being fairly difficult both in gameplay and puzzles. As there was no internet they'd have to use their initiative, tips from friends or a strategy guide for help when they got stuck. Around midway through the game, I decided that it'd be a good idea to use a strategy guide to aid me, rather than getting completely lost in huge dungeons.

Players are given a fairly good idea of what needs doing in the game; there's numbered points on the map to signify the location of dungeons, important characters often give hints as to useful locations, and there are plaques located in temples which also give advice. Each dungeon is accessed through the overworld; there are 3 in the Light World, and 8 in the Dark World, although the game requires you to constantly switch between the two worlds which feature the same basic map with changes to the locations and landscape in various places.

In the overworld there are shops, NPC's and creatures which roam around and can either be ignored or damaged by whatever weapons Link is carrying. Usually between each dungeon there are a few Heart Pieces (which increase health for every 4 found), or weapon upgrades to be found, so it pays to explore. Some of these upgrades however are pretty much mandatory, which means that exploration also is, unless you're aware of everything that needs to be done (or following a guide).

The dungeons themselves range from being short and fairly straightforward at the beginning of the game to long and complex at the end, which makes for a decent difficulty curve that goes perhaps a little too far upwards towards the end. I found myself referring to the strategy guide quite a lot nearer the end, as the way forward was unclear and the dungeon was already filled with advanced enemies which could deal a lot of damage to Link.

The problem with this is that is makes the game difficult for those unfamiliar with the series to pick up and play, especially without a strategy guide. The amount of item pickups and upgrades, combined with navigation of the dungeons, general strategy and "Zelda logic" means firstly that all players must take pretty much the same route through the game, or face being significantly underpowered, and secondly that without having previously completed the game, you'll need a strategy guide or tons of patience after getting lost.

Link acquires various weapons in his travels, most of which are staples of the Zelda series such as the Master Sword, Hookshot, Bow and Arrow. There's also the Hammer, Boomerang, Cane Of Somaria, Magic Cape and Mirror Shield which have various uses in the dungeons. With the large amount of collectible items comes the expectation that you'll know when to use them, and I must admit that there were times when I had to refer to the guide for a particularly inventive use of them.

At the end of each dungeon is a boss which has a weakness that Link must exploit to beat it. Most of the bosses in A Link to the Past are pretty easy, especially the last 3 or 4, which is a disappointment. I don't necessarily think that ultra-hard boss battles would be any better, but after a hard trek through a long dungeon, defeating the boss in 2 minutes flat is an anticlimax.

The world of A Link to the Past is well fleshed out and interesting, with plenty to do and find. It's especially impressive when you consider when the game was released, and the Light World/Dark World idea also works well. When combined with the story, these factors give the game a unique charm and appeal which can't be found in later (or earlier) instalments.

Graphically the game has its own style which fits well with the game and features vivid colours in both the Light and Dark overworlds as well as the dungeons. While it's far more simplistic than any Zelda games that came later, it takes the 2D instalments of the series almost as far as they can possibly go in terms of graphics. The music of the game is also impressive, featuring one of the most memorable versions of the theme tune, as well as many other classic pieces.

Overall A Link to the Past is well remembered by gamers, who hail it as one of the best SNES games ever released. I would agree with this, but add that since then its appeal to gamers who are new to the series may have declined slightly. The controls and puzzles of dungeons are still as good as ever, but the difficulty of later levels and the patience needed to find each item and upgrade necessary for completing the game can be offputting, especially with easier 3D instalments of the series out for all but the WiiU.

In short this is a good game if you have the time and effort to put into completing it, and don't mind referring to a guide every now and then. It's definitely not a good starting point for gamers new to the series, or even something I'd recommend to those who haven't played it before, unless they're well versed in Zelda games already and it's because of this that the game will be fondly remembered by most who have played it, and fairly unappealing to those who haven't.

Rating: 87/100
Grade: B

Series Review: Mario Kart

To take me past 250 games reviewed in total, I thought I'd play an incredibly popular series that has both classic and modern instalments and is still going to this day. With a game from the series on nearly every Nintendo console since 1993 and almost 100 million sales in total, the Super Mario Kart series stands 16th on a list of all time best selling franchises.

Game: Super Mario Kart
Console: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 21st January 1993

The earliest independently successful spin-off from the Mario platforming series and pioneer of the Kart Racing game genre, Super Mario Kart took Mario, his friends, and some enemies and allowed them to vent their frustrations through vehicular mayhem. The game features 8 different characters, racing on 20 unique tracks which are based off Super Mario World locations, with 9 items used to gain some sort of advantage over other players.

The player can choose to race in GP mode which consists of five laps, on five different circuits with points awarded for finishing in the top 4 positions. If players finish below this, they must retry the race until they attain at least 4th place and have a limited number of lives to do so. With 3 difficulty levels (50, 100 and 150cc), and 4 cups per difficulty level, there's a good amount of replayability for such a seemingly basic racing game.

When racing in one player mode, the screen is split into two halves; the top showing the racer's viewpoint of the circuit and the bottom showing more of an overview. In two player modes, the bottom screen is replaced by the view of the second player. The coins that a player has collected are shown in the bottom right and these make the kart go faster, up to a total of 10. The player's remaining lives and current position are shown alongside the number of coins.

The driving itself feels looser than in later Mario games; it's definitely a good idea to take your foot off the gas pedal if you're cornering (unless you plan to drift around corners). Overall it fits well with the age of the game and feels a lot easier to control than F-Zero on SNES, perhaps due to reduced speed. Players are able to jump over obstacles with the L and R buttons, as well as using them to initiate a drift.

There's a choice of two player modes; players can choose to race each other in both time trial and cup modes as well as battling to pop balloons in specially designed levels. The tracks featured in the game are imaginative and do a good job of evoking the feel of Super Mario World. Toward the end of the game there are some devilishly difficult tracks, including the first incarnation of the infamous Rainbow Road.

The items are what give competitive racing the edge over most racing games of the time; using green and red shells to slow your opponents down is incredibly satisfying and although the item selection is only small in this game, the core ideas are present. A lot of the features we see in Mario Kart games of the present day originated in this game.

Graphically the game is fairly impressive for the time, using Mode 7 graphics to emulate a 3D feel with only 2D components. The problem with this, however is that in some levels (particularly ice and lava levels) it's difficult to recognise items on the floor, as they appear flat. There's nothing more infuriating that being in the lead and crashing into a surface that doesn't appear to be in your way. The music of the game is generally enjoyable although not particularly notable.

Overall Super Mario Kart was a great start to the spin-off series, featuring enjoyable gameplay and ideas combining with good use of the technology of the time to produce a fast, fun and competitive experience. 100cc and 150cc difficulties can be fairly hard to win races on, and laps on most tracks are incredibly short, but other than these minor points, there's some good racing to be had.

Rating: 75/100
Grade: B

Game: Mario Kart 64
Console: Nintendo 64
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 24th June 1997

Four years after the first game in the series, Mario Kart 64 provided an updated look and feel for the games which is much closer to what we're used to from modern instalments. With fully 3D tracks came the ability to have changes in elevation, proper jumps and more complex obstacles such as walls and pits, even though the pre-rendered character sprites and items were still only in 2D. The game still featured 8 racers, replacing Koopa Troopa and Donkey Kong Jr. with Wario and Donkey Kong.

Making a change from Grand Prix races being 5 laps of a very short track, players now complete 3 laps of slightly longer tracks (although in some cases, the tracks are incredibly long). There are also 4 tracks per Grand Prix instead of 5. The 50, 100 and 150cc difficulty levels are retained, with an added Extra difficulty mode which allows players to race on mirrored tracks. Up to 4 players can compete in multiplayer modes, up from Super Mario Kart's 2 and Battle mode re-appears with many of the same ideas.

Driving definitely feels a little different from Super Mario Kart with more of a sliding dynamic to cornering and less places where it's necessary to take your finger off the A button. While this style of control is less precise, it works well with the analog stick of the Nintendo 64 and the 3D graphics of this instalment. The players view whilst playing the game in one player modes is slightly changed, as the map no longer takes up a whole half of the screen.

Grand Prix Mode is fairly easy on 50cc difficulty, 100cc can be challenging on the harder tracks and 150cc cranks the rubberband AI up to a level which is very hard to beat. On all levels of difficulty, the AI's programming means that they'll catch up with your kart quickly, even from shell and banana attacks. Another factor that increases the difficulty is the way that the character who is first (or second if you're first) in the ranking table after Race 1 of each Grand Prix will be your toughest competitor in the next rounds, securing victory in the Grand Prix overall for the AI unless you win at least 3 races and place well in the other race.

Most of the items from Super Mario Kart make a return in 64, with only the coins and feather taken away, and the Boo item re-purposed to steal an item from another player rather than turning the player invisible. New items that appear in Mario Kart 64 include the blue shell, which travels along the floor to halt the progress of the player in pole position (although not as devastatingly as in later installments), fake item boxes and multiples of pre-existing items such as bananas, green shells, red shells and mushrooms.

Battle mode is fun and arguably better than in the original, with the use of the new items and 4 player capabilities. There's 4 courses to battle on, as well as the ability to race without any AI players against other human players on any track from the main game. This is the first point in the series where the games feel geared towards the multiplayer experience as one player mode is plagued by the rubberbanding AI and hugely varied difficulty levels.

Graphically the game's tracks are impressive for the most part, and even the 2D character and item sprites are bearable. It's an improvement on the Super Mario Kart's ground based obstacles which were hard to see and thus avoid. The game also is better musically with some memorable themes which are remixed for stages in later games; particularly the theme for Rainbow Road.

Overall Mario Kart 64 is an enjoyable racer, just like its predecessor; there's good competitive action most of the time, and excellent multiplayer modes. Although there's less laps in this installment, some races last far too long, especially on Wario's Stadium and Rainbow Road, with the latter's 3 laps lasting around 8 and a half minutes. The difficulty is also a bit off with 50cc mode being far too easy, and 100cc mode a bit too challenging when the rubberband AI is factored in. It's a small improvement on the SNES version in my opinion.

Rating: 76/100
Grade: B

Game: Mario Kart Super Circuit
Console: Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 14th September 2001

The first handheld instalment of the Mario Kart series, Super Circuit plays like an updated version of Super Mario Kart featuring the same sort of 2D graphics for the tracks, with features of the game more akin to Mario Kart 64. With 20 new tracks as well as all 20 original tracks from Super Mario Kart as unlockables, it has the most playable tracks of any Mario Kart game. The same 8 racers return from the previous instalment and no new characters have been added.

The tracks, sprites and items are all in 2D, although there are some nice scenery and background effects which give the game an edge over the original. The items featured in the game are the same as those in Mario Kart 64, with the Golden Mushroom removed. Single player mode features Mario GP, Time Trial and Quick Play modes, and 2 Player is achieved through a Link cable. Surprisingly, Super Circuit can be played with others who don't own the game, and is one of only a few Game Boy Advance games to make use of this, although it's a stripped down version due to memory limitations.

Driving in this game feels like a mixture of both preceding games; the controls are fairly tight and it's less drifty than Mario Kart 64, but the circuits have a little more influence from the later game. It handles well on the whole and the difficulty issue with previous games has been fixed. 50, 100 and 150cc races are all potentially winnable, but with each rise in difficulty there's a steady rise in challenge also.

The tracks themselves could be a little more original; some of the new ones are based on courses from Mario Kart 64, and the game features all of the courses from Super Mario Kart. That said, it's still a lot of fun and  later games have indulged in classic cup features also. The game retains the 4th or better to continue dynamic in GP races, for the last time in the series, as well as the 9, 6, 3, 1 point scoring structure.

Graphically the game doesn't look great when inspected up close, but on the Game Boy Advance's small screen, there's not a whole lot wrong with it; in fact it can look pretty nice at times. There's a marked musical improvement also with funky basslines and some enjoyable music to race to. The voice clips are very similar if not identical to those used in Mario Kart 64, but with the same roster it's to be expected.

Overall Mario Kart Super Circuit is a great mix of features from Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64 which offers a whole host of new gameplay as well as all of the tracks from the original game. While I couldn't play the 2 player modes due to lack of a link cable I'm sure there's a lot to offer, and the ability to play others who don't own the cartridge themself is a bonus.

Rating: 79/100
Grade: B

Game: Mario Kart: Double Dash
Console: Nintendo Gamecube
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 13th November 2003

Double Dash, the first truly 3D instalment of the Mario Kart also changed up the formula and gameplay significantly. In this game two racers are in each kart; one to drive and the other to use items, the points system has been revised to reward the first 7 finishers rather than just the first 4, and players no longer need to retry races if they finish below 4th. There's a choice of 20 characters to play as, and a larger and more dynamic choice of karts, representing racer's individual styles and colours.

As with previous instalments of the series, the main GP mode features 50, 100 and 150cc difficulties as well as a mirror mode once all championships have been won. Players can choose to race as a team or competitively with up to 4 players (or even 8 with a LAN cable for Gamecube). Multiplayer Battle mode also returns with new courses and modes. Although all of the normal items which feature in the game were in Mario Kart 64, there are new special items which are individual to specific characters and are a good addition.

The controls for racing and using items are fairly similar to those in previous instalments, although they can now be separated out when playing co-operatively. There's an improved drift mechanic and the ability to shift the kart left or right when playing with a friend on your team. Driving in this game feels pretty tight, and the option to drift around sharp corners is an advantage. The difficulty is similar to other games in the series, with 50cc being incredibly easy, 100cc presenting a small challenge, and 150cc being willing to cheat you out of entire championships with items and AI finishing positions.

There's a real focus on multiplayer in this instalment of the series, even more so than before. I'd certainly recommend the Mario Kart games for parties and hanging out with friends than as a single player experience but if you can deal with AI that's geared towards beating you and using items to stop you from winning at all costs and take racing as a fun arcade experience then there's enjoyment to be had.

Graphically the game is huge improvement on everything before it in the series, with fully 3D tracks and karts which are more detailed than before. Musically too it's impressive and features some enjoyable track themes. Although there aren't too many new features in the game as a whole, the 2 person per kart dynamic works well and expands the two player gameplay.

Overall Double Dash is another slight improvement on past instalments, upgrading parts of the game like graphics and drifting, whilst removing the ability to hold items behind you in a game that's set the AI to target you above all other competitors. It's definitely better as a multiplayer experience but 100cc races in single player are also good fun.

Rating: 80/100
Grade: B

Game: Mario Kart DS
Console: Nintendo DS
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 25th November 2005

The 3rd best selling game for the Nintendo DS, Mario Kart DS introduced several features such as a single player mission mode, Retro Grand Prix, a Bullet Bill item and a Wi-Fi connected multiplayer mode. There are 12 playable characters, each with their own themed kart and a personalised version of the simple kart. The other available gameplay modes remain largely the same, with Grand Prix, Time Trial and Battle modes.

Grand Prix mode now contains 8 championships, with the addition of 4 Retro sets featuring remade courses from the previous games in the series. All of these are available at 50, 100 and 150cc difficulties. Completing a set of 4 Grand Prix at any difficulty will unlock different playable characters, karts and mirror mode, depending on which Grand Prix is completed. Players are also able to compete online via Nintendo WFC but I was unable to use this on my DS for some reason.

With the addition of the second screen, players have a slightly different view of the race, with the classic 3rd person rear viewpoint on the top screen and an overhead view displaying simple face sprites to represent players, but also highlighting upcoming items and hazards, and showing what items other players have aquired. It's possible to race whilst looking at either screen, although a combination of the two with more focus on the top tends to work best.

The racing is similar to that of Double Dash with a slight change in that players are able to hold items behind them for protection once again, and the D-pad is used to control the kart as there are no analog sticks on the DS. While the difficulty is also similar, 50cc mode is insultingly easy at times, but the other two difficulties are made harder by items more than the AI. In 100cc races, I was averaging 2-3 blue shells per race whilst leading which seems excessive.

Battle mode has been improved with 6 courses available from the beginning as well as 2 to unlock. There's also the option to play against AI opponents in Balloon Battle and Shine Sprite modes. The new inclusion of Mission Mode adds challenges for players to complete over 7 difficulty levels with a boss at the end of each. This adds some inventive single player gameplay outside of the Grand Prix mode, which the series was in need of.

One thing that the game does seem to be a little obsessed with is grading your performance. In every Grand Prix, you'll receive a grade from 3 stars to F for the time it took you to complete, regardless of your finishing position. In Mission Mode you're also graded on the time you take, irrespective of the fact that you've completed the objective. While there's no need to get the best grades to complete the game, it might annoy completionists that the standards for the best grades are very high.

Graphically Mario Kart DS doesn't look as sharp as Double Dash due to being confined to the small screen of the DS, but it's not far behind. I did manage to mistake a Goomba for a mushroom powerup at one point but that might say more about my eyesight than the graphics. The music of this game is almost exactly what you'd expect from having heard the soundtracks from the rest of the series. It's never mind blowing but it gets the job done.

Overall Mario Kart DS introduces some good ideas such as the new Mission mode and Wi-Fi based multiplayer, but can suffer at times from item induced difficulty with blue shells being far more common than in previous instalments. The inclusion of a retro Grand Prix makes for a good look back on the series, and makes for a large roster of well designed tracks. Also R.O.B the robot is included as the final unlockable, which made me smile.

Rating: 83/100
Grade: B

Game: Mario Kart Wii
Console: Nintendo Wii
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: 11th April 2008

The final instalment of the series that I'll be reviewing is Mario Kart Wii, which has the largest roster of any Mario Kart game, with 24 characters in total as well as 32 tracks, 3 new items, 6 new battle stages and 5 karts and bikes for each driver weight class. Looking back to the first Mario Kart game, this is a huge expansion of options whilst keeping many of the same gameplay ideas.

The modes remain much the same as on the DS version of the game, with the exception of Mission mode, which has been removed; Grand Prix is the main single player event with 4 Grand Prix on all new tracks and 4 Retro Grand Prix which take stages from all previous instalments. Time Trial, Online races and Battle mode can also be played in single player with AI making up the rest of your team as well as your opponents, or with friends as an alternative to multiplayer Grand Prix and VS Race mode.

The biggest change in racing terms is the inclusion of bikes in the game; 50cc races are competed with only karts allowed, 100cc allows only bikes, and 150cc and Mirror Mode allow both karts and bikes. Players can control their kart with either the Wiimote, used like a steering wheel, Wiimote and nunchuk (using the nunchuk to steer and the Wiimote for accelerating) or a Gamecube controller to make things more similar to Double Dash (although the buttons are slightly different). Using just the Wiimote on its own can be a little imprecise, but the other two control methods both work well to give the player a choice of at least 2 ways to race.

Three new items have been added since Mario Kart DS; the first is a large mushroom, from New Super Mario Bros. which makes the users kart much larger and faster for a short while, the second is a POW! block from Super Mario Bros. 2 which causes all other racers to spin out and lose all speed, and the last new item is a Raincloud which makes the receiver small via a bolt of lightning after a short time, unless they manage to pass it onto another racer.

Another difference from previous versions is that races now consist of 12 competitors instead of 8, which makes for a slightly more chaotic experience. Items seem to dominate the racing more than the previous rubberbanding of the AI, and although the amount of times blue shells are used per race seems to have fallen from Mario Kart DS, there's plenty of use of the POW! blocks and lightning items. All of the difficulties in Grand Prix mode seem to have got a little easier, with 150cc and Mirror Mode being difficult but not impossible to come first on.

Online Mode makes for the most difficult challenge with a busy and alive scene even today, 6 years after the game's release. I was able to find a game with 11 other players within around 10 seconds and there was a mixed standard of ability. Players start with 5000 race points to their name and gain/lose points for doing well/badly in races. Due to Mario Kart's chaotic multiplayer nature, it almost feels as if this is what the series had been heading towards. I rarely won races online but they were all fun and tightly contested.

In addition to the online multiplayer, there's also local multiplayer for up to 4 players, with racing, balloon and coin battle modes. These are mainly team based, but the AI will fill any empty slots. With a good selection of battle courses and all of the circuits featured in the main game to race on, this makes for a rich local multiplayer experience to match the online and single player modes. Any of the battle modes can also be played purely against AI opponents in single player mode also.

Unlockables in Mario Kart Wii are slightly different to other games; some require staff time trial laps to be beaten, whilst others need specific star ratings in all Grand Prix of a certain difficulty. This means that players have to work hard to unlock every character, but does give the game some replay value. Whilst R.O.B the Robot isn't included in this instalment, there's plenty of new additions to the roster to give new choice to players.

Graphically Mario Kart Wii is the nicest looking of the games I've reviewed in the series, with crisp stylised locations, characters and karts in full 3D, with bright and vibrant colours. There's a good sense of speed throughout the game which adds to the feeling of chaos within races. The soundtrack is enjoyable also, with many new tunes as well as remixes for the Retro Grand Prix stages. Voice clips and other sounds are good and help to add a sense of personality to the racers, especially those who haven't been in the series before.

Overall Mario Kart Wii is in my opinion the best game of the series so far as it expands the racing experience to 12 players at a time, has a great online experience and single player offline Grand Prix, and loses the blatant rubberbanding AI of previous instalments to make way for a more balanced approach. While races can get chaotic with the use of many items one after another and the new items being fairly powerful, I think this is the way Mario Kart was intended to be.

Rating: 87/100
Grade: B

As you can see from the fact that I've given every Mario Kart game in this review some kind of B grade, all of the series titles are enjoyable 'pick up and play' racing games with an element of luck as well as skill. Whilst the idea of rewarding those in later positions with better items may not seem appealing to hardcore racing game fans, it's a nice way to even up the stakes when playing with friends or anyone who hasn't played the games before.

As for the difficulty of each title in the series, many people seem to have their own opinions on which is hardest. Having played each of the games in succession, I'd say that this order is about right for difficulty of winning the 150cc Grand Prix races with any ranking;

Mario Kart 64  (most difficult)
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Super Mario Kart
Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart Super Circuit
Mario Kart Wii  (easiest)

With so many games sold across the entire series, it's safe to say that most people have played at least one of the titles. Just like discussion of which is hardest, an intense debate rages over which game is the best, which begs the question; which is your favourite Mario Kart game, and why?