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Mario Kart 64 (1996)
83 Score
Racing

Mario Kart 64 (1996)

Nintendo  /  December 14, 1996  /  Rated Everyone

Data last updated July 24, 2026

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Released

1996

Publisher

Nintendo

Time to beat

~75 hrs

Community

621

Mario Kart 64 (マリオカート64, Mario Kāto Rokujūyon) is a kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was the successor to Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and is the second game in the Mario Kart series. It was released first in Japan on December 14, 1996, and in North America and Europe in 1997. It was later released as a Virtual Console game for the Wii and Wii U in 2007 and 2016, respectively.
Changes from the original include the move to polygon-based true 3D computer graphics for track design, and the inclusion of four-player support. Players take control of characters from the Mario franchise, who race around a variety of tracks with items that can either harm opponents or aid the user. The move to three-dimensional graphics allowed for track features not possible with the original game's Mode 7 graphics, such as changes in elevation, bridges, walls, and pits. However, the characters and items remained 2D pre-rendered sprites.

The blue shell, officially referred to by Nintendo as the Spiny Shell, is a power-up item in the Mario Kart video game series. Originating in Mario Kart 64 (1996) and featured in every main entry of the series since then, the blue shell, when used, aims directly at the racer in first place, stopping them on impact. The blue shell acts as a "catch-up" mechanic, with racers ranked towards the bottom having a better chance of it spawning when driving into item boxes, giving them a better chance at diminishing the lead of the racer in top position. In addition to the Mario Kart series, the blue shell appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series from 2001's Melee onwards, and in Mario Hoops 3-on-3. A character based on the item appears in the 2023 film The Super Mario Bros. Movie, voiced by Scott Menville.

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exceptional
47.44%
recommended
43.59%
meh
5.45%
skip
3.53%

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