Since 1992, Mario Kart has consistently been one of the best-selling games on each Nintendo console. It’s the ultimate source of local multiplier madness, and with Mario Kart World set to launch alongside the Switch 2, let’s rank each game in the series from worst to best.
When looking at what makes a Mario Kart title really shine, there are a few factors to consider. Obviously, multiplayer is important, but one also needs to consider the quality and quantity of courses, item variety, controls, and, in certain instances, the amount of customization given to players. Given that we’re going to be looking at Nintendo-developed entries, we won’t be looking at the Bandai Namco-developed arcade entries, or the AR mixed media game, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit.
So with that, let’s rank each Mario Kart game from worst to best!
10) Mario Kart Tour (2019)
Let’s just ignore the gross monetization that Mario Kart Tour has. As a Mario Kart game, Tour feels barebones. The courses you have access to are determined biweekly, and most of these courses are pale imitations of their console counterparts. The unique courses lack charm, though the costumes that characters unlock do add a bit of levity and fun to the races. That doesn’t change the fact that the longer you play, the more it feels like it was developed with profit in mind rather than fun.
9) Super Mario Kart (1992)
I feel bad picking on the original Mario Kart because, for its time, Super Mario Kart standardized the genre. There are plenty of courses, and it supported splitscreen multiplayer in an era where such a thing wasn’t commonplace. That being said, the game is surprisingly unfair, with AI that will rubberband like crazy to make the game “challenging.” There’s also no denying that while the courses are bright and colorful, they’re mostly just variations on the same themes, making them feel repetitive. At the very least, Battle Mode was fun with a friend.
8) Mario Kart: Super Circuit (2002)
Unlike its 2D predecessor, Super Circuit has a solid amount of tracks, offering a variety of characters not present in Super Mario Kart. The game is stuffed with 40 tracks, more than any game in the series until Mario Kart 8. Characters also have unique stats and characteristics, meaning character choice, for once, actually matters. However, the game is still limited by its 2D level design and the lack of any substantial additions to the series. Not only that, but local multiplayer is virtually impossible unless you have a ton of link cables.
7) Mario Kart 64 (1997)
I don’t want to hate on Mario Kart 64. I have plenty of memories playing it with my dad as a kid and challenging friends on Block Fort. But there’s no denying that Mario Kart 64 is a pretty weak entry in the series. There are some wonderful tracks here, like Wario Stadium and Kalamari Desert, and plenty of excellent items were introduced to make racing all the more chaotic, but the game is starving for content. With only 16 tracks, all of which are unlocked at the start, there’s not much incentive to keep playing. The N64 was home to plenty of multiplayer action, but Mario Kart 64 was notably weaker than its peers.
6) Mario Kart 7 (2011)
Often forgotten, Mario Kart 7’s big claim to fame isn’t its tracks, but the mechanical tweaks that made races more dynamic. This was the entry that gave us kart customization, and while it did lessen the importance of characters, it allowed players to tailor their vehicle to their liking. Then there’s the gliding and underwater mechanics, which offer up brief bursts of variety. These are smaller changes to be sure, but they do just enough to make the tracks feel fun. It may not be everyone’s favorite, but to ignore what it did for later entries would be a mistake.
5) Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (2003)
Beloved by many, Double Dash!! stands apart from the rest of the series thanks to its partner mechanic. At first, while it seems somewhat pointless teaming up with someone to race, once you realize that this determines which unique items you have access to, as well as which karts you’re able to race with, and gives players two items at once, it leads to races that are chaotic in the best way possible. Sadly, much like 64, there is a disappointing lack of content, which does dampen my enthusiasm every time I return to it, but it’s still a blast to play.
4) Mario Kart 8 (2014)
For many, Mario Kart 8 was the reason to own a Wii U. Expanding on everything that 7 did, 8 gave players more customization than ever before across the game’s 48 courses. Some of the tracks in 8 are just fantastic, like Mount Wario, Electrodrome, and the complete reinvention of 64’s Rainbow Road. Plus, anti-gravity mechanics offered meaningful gameplay changes as their sections of races turned into bumper car battles. It’s a great game and would be higher if not for the fact that the Battle Mode in 8 is godawful.
3) Mario Kart DS (2005)
Mario Kart DS was the leap forward the series needed. While earlier games were fine, DS brought in so many interesting and cool ideas that you can’t help but appreciate what it did. Not only did this game introduce wireless multiplayer, it also included a surprisingly fleshed-out single-player mode, remade 16 tracks from earlier entries, which would be replicated in all future games, and delivered some of the most seamless and fun physics in the series, snaking aside. Time may have lessened DS’s legacy, but, for a time, it was the gold standard.
2) Mario Kart Wii (2008)
I never actually played Mario Kart Wii until recently. I suppose this was because of its jagged visuals, but ignoring that, the actual racing in Wii is unparalleled. Online play was further refined, with a community that’s still thriving, bikes were introduced as a new vehicle type, and races increased to 12 racers. Then there’s the sheer quantity of controller types that range from GameCube to motion controls, letting anyone play Wii however they want. But the real secret sauce of Wii is the sheer amount of excellent tracks. Coconut Mall, Maple Treeway, and Wario’s Gold Mine are just a few of the truly excellent courses present, making Wii a true delight to play almost two decades later.
1) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)
In terms of content, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can’t be beat. Sporting an obscene 96 tracks, even if there are duds in there (like the Tour courses), there are twice as many great courses to replace them. Honestly, 8 Deluxe addresses every problem present in 8, fixes it, and then some. Not only is there an improved Battle Mode, but now players can hold two items at once, replicating the chaos of Double Dash!!. I genuinely believe that anyone can pop in 8 Deluxe and instantly have fun with it. It’s the best-selling Mario Kart game of all time and the best entry in the series.