Kart racing game

SuperTuxKart is a kart racing game featuring mascots of open-source software

Kart racing game, also known as cart racing game or go-kart racing game, is a subgenre of racing video games. Kart racing games are known to have simplified driving mechanics while adding obstacles, unusual track designs and various action elements. Kart racers are also known to cast fictional characters known from various platform games or cartoon television series as the drivers of vehicles with unusual designs.

Kart racing games are a more arcade-like experience than other racing games and usually offer modes in which player characters can shoot projectiles at one another or collect power-ups. Typically, in such games, vehicles move more alike go-karts, lacking anything along the lines of a gear stick and clutch pedal.

History

Crashing Race (1976) was the first game to include car combat and Power Drift featured go-kart racing in 1988, but Super Mario Kart (1992) is cited to have started the kart racing genre, being the first kart racing game to implement combat elements within races. The game was also slower than other racing games of the time due to hardware limitations, prompting the developers to use a go-karts theme. Since then, over 50 kart racing games have been released, featuring characters ranging from Nicktoons to South Park.

The Mario Kart series is often considered the primary kart racing series, topping other popular games such as Diddy Kong Racing.

See also

• Category:Karting video games