Super Mario Kart: discover the history and behind the scenes of the game that caused chaos in racing and became one of Nintendo’s biggest phenomena

Mario, Luigi, Peach and Bowser fiercely competing for the lead on a track full of twists and turns and crazy obstacles is something that is part of our most nostalgic and fun memories. However, few people know that the classic Super Mario Kart, which marked generations on the Super Nintendo, was born almost by chance, amid technical challenges, creative improvisations and a healthy pinch of intentional chaos.

Released in 1992, Super Mario Kart wasn’t initially a game about Mario, or even about karting. It all started as a failed attempt by Nintendo to turn the innovative and fast-paced F-Zero into a multiplayer game. Just imagine, in an alternate universe, maybe Mario wouldn’t have even been the protagonist of this frenetic adventure!

The challenge of transforming F-Zero

F-Zero was a technological milestone at the time, standing out for its impressive use of the Super Nintendo’s Mode Seven, a graphical feature that gave a sense of depth and speed unprecedented on home consoles. However, it had a major limitation: it could only be played by one person.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the genius behind Nintendo’s biggest hits, insisted on creating a multiplayer version, and a small but talented team tried to pull it off. What seemed like a simple task — split the screen and go! — turned out to be a gigantic technical hurdle. The hardware simply couldn’t handle running two perspectives of a high-speed race simultaneously.

Goodbye speed, hello kart!

With the dream of a multiplayer F-Zero falling apart, Miyamoto’s team needed to quickly find an alternative. The solution came from a simple activity: visiting a real kart track to understand how these small vehicles worked. With less speed and smaller tracks, it seemed more feasible to adapt the idea to the console.

But then came another problem: the first versions of the game were visually dull and unattractive. Small cars and similar drivers drove slowly on gray tracks. The initial excitement quickly faded, showing that the project urgently needed a visual identity.

Mario saves the day

The turning point came when Tadashi Sugiyama, a member of the development team, proposed a simple experiment: “Why don’t we put Mario in?” The idea was to create an immediate identification, after all Mario was easily recognizable, even from behind. The test was more than successful. In addition to Mario, iconic characters such as Luigi, Peach, Yoshi and even Bowser joined in the fun, adding color and personality to the game.

What was once a generic kart racing game had become a vibrant, fun title full of references to the universe already loved by Mario fans. The tracks had different themes, and the drivers were now easily identifiable. Super Mario Kart had come to life.

Cheating to Success

But what really set Super Mario Kart apart from other racing games of the time was its boldness in embracing chaos and purposeful unfairness. Unlike traditional games that rewarded skill alone, Mario Kart featured crazy and completely unfair items that could completely change the course of the race. Leading an entire race and losing on the last lap after being hit by a red shell became routine. And as annoying as that was, it was exactly this unpredictability that made the game so addictive and fun.

With short tracks and unexpected items, any player, whether new or experienced, had a real chance of winning. This spirit of fierce, friendly competition made Super Mario Kart an instant phenomenon.

Successful and revolutionary

Since its release, Super Mario Kart has sold over 8 million copies, making it the fourth best-selling game in Super Nintendo history. Its revolutionary formula has spawned one of Nintendo’s most profitable franchises, with over 150 million copies sold to date and dozens of titles across all console generations.

Super Mario Kart not only defined its own genre, but also inspired a number of competing companies that attempted to replicate the game’s magic and success, but never came close to the cultural impact made by Nintendo’s original.

Today, more than 30 years after its release, Super Mario Kart continues to be played, remembered and loved by players of all ages. More than just a game, it has become a symbol of fun, creativity and nostalgia. After all, who has never wanted to throw a red shell at a friend who is about to cross the finish line?