Dude, the screenshots look amazing. Personally, what I feel Double 7.9 Dash should have looked. I apreciate the double carts, don't get me wrong, but I've always been curious what they would have looked like with only one character per cart on the Gamecube. Amazing. I'm stoked.

wow interesting. I definitely hope this follows through. Oh so you say we did get the Fzero? Around where are they? what arcades?

It's always amazing at how easy Nintendo can impress us, but how rarely they really try to do it. I've been trying to buy a F-Zero Arcade cabinet for months, with no luck as Nintendo barely made any of them. Perhaps I may become lucky with this one.

JESUS how much do Arcade Cabinets cost? That would be insane to have one. I seriously hope that Mario Kart GP is massively more available than F-Zero AC.

This is sweet, but where was it 3 years ago? The Triforce was supposed to rule the world and bring about 3rd party collaboration bliss..

I don't want to seem silly but does anyone think there will be a home version? I might never get to play this other wise.

When I went to Disney World last summer I knew it had arcades all over the place so I was about to bring my memory card with my F-Zero save, but then I figured what were the chances and I would probably just loose my memory card anyways, so I left it at home. When I got to the hotel that I was staying at, guess what was in the lobby, for 25¢ a game no less.

Needless to say when it got dark and I left one of the parks and came back to the hotel I would drop a few dollors in that machine. I tried to beat all the best times for each track ,which were all held by the same name. I wonder if my phantom rival even knows that I beat his score at the sonic loop. I still regret not bringing my memory card.

*EDIT* grammar

I look forward to dealing with inappropriate photography on the machine at my place of work

I certainly hope if they release this in the US, there's be more than 100 made.

It looks cool. I wonder if there's going to be the ability to bring in your Double Dash save and maybe unlock a special course or character in the arcade game, depending on what you unlocked in Double Dash. I kind of doubt Nintendo will go to the trouble of porting this to the Cube though, since Double Dash is still doing well. It'd probably shut IGN up though. *L*

Oh, and did anyone else notice that the coin system is apparently back?

*Continues to wait for Ian to pop up, complaining about Nintendo releasing yet ANOTHER Mario game.*

Again, as does the DS game, it amazes me that Nintendo has gone completely away from the themed carts. I really think they had something going there....

My question is are we looking at Mario Kart Revolution with these screens?

Sony has talked about including a camera as a part of its new system.

Nintendo could be doing the same...Personally if I had a camera within the system I would want it installed to the controller and not the console, but I dunno if that would work.

I think this is awesome, and I hope to see it for the next system not Gamecube, because there is just enough time to really jazz up a home edition for launch with a new system.

Also just another aside, IF Nintendo is preparing this for a launch game and includes that cool camera feature, then it means some kind of online gaming support.

All around I think this is great news.

*agrees that this should be "remade" for the Rev*

But of course with even more tracks and battle stages!

No, this isn't Mario Kart Revolution, it's based on the Triforce project, which was all about building arcade games around the GameCube hardware. The graphics in the one and only screenshot are only marginally better than Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Edit: Okay, okay...that's not to say it COULDN'T be remade for Revolution as Bill suggested, I just think/hope that Revolution Mario Kart will look a lot better than this *kicks self for being a graphics ho*.

I hope the reason we aren't seeing themed, two-character karts in recent Mario Kart games is because Nintendo wants to save it's more creative ideas for the home console versions of the series, but I don't know. While I personally thought a lot of the themed carts looked stupid, I liked the concept and I think it would be awesome if more time and effort was put into making the designs more go-cart-like. And the two-character set up added a nice twist, I don't think it needs to be in every game, but I'd like to see it again, for sure.

I'm guessing that Mario Kart appeals to both guys and girls, and a larger age range, with characters more recognizable to casual gamers than F-Zero. (It's also not nearly as difficult.) Just a few reasons why arcades that passed on F-Zero AX should still take a look at this.

It should be more likely to show up in arcades, though by how much is anybody's guess. I never saw an F-Zero AX machine at all around here... :/

I personally think themed carts should be a staple in the series. Two person racing should become a new mode that requires 2 player. I think that would be a great way for the series to go. It would give users more options and wouldn't make double dash look like the odd ball out.

Edit: Hell, wouldn't it be awesome if these arcade cabinets had a spot for a person to stand on the back? Make it so two people could still play for the cost of one normal play as long as one was willing to not drive. Give them a fire forward and fire back button along with a little screen showing their item. Then make the floor tippy so that it can sense which way they are leaning to activiate the blue sparks. That would be a bad ass arcade game then.

I don't think the graphics are marginally better than double dash. Go look at it again. If that is running at 60FPS then that is much better than Double Dash, and really all that needs to be done is added even higher resolution textures, online play, and more features.

I would rather have a Mario Kart look that good and launch for Revolution then have it look potentially better, but wait 2 years.

24 Tracks is alot, but I am willing to bet many of those tracks are old track designs redesigned with higher resolution.

I think added tracks, adding battle courses, and resolution will be enough to make it a revolution game.

And theme Karts could be hidden and unlocked...I like that idea best.

I really hate the way they talk about the rubberband effect like its a feature... If it was a feature it could be turned on and off....blarg

"*Continues to wait for Ian to pop up, complaining about Nintendo releasing yet ANOTHER Mario game.*"

You need to check out the thread in Other Systems since that's where I've responded so far.

If this was just another Cube Mario Kart game I would irritated that Nintendo would waste time and effort on something so unneeded. But this isn't a Cube game, not yet anyway. Mario Kart is one of the few Mario spinoffs that I feel should continue to appear on each Nintendo console. It's become big enough that it's really it's own franchise outside of Mario. It attracts sales because it's "Mario Kart" not just because it's a derivative game with "Mario" on the box.

I want to see this on the Revolution. I think it's a perfect easy launch title. It's already pretty much done. The track design (except maybe for battle mode), the engine, etc are all done already. It's really just a port job and they've got a major title that they can plug into the Revolution release schedule at pretty much any time. And the face mapping thing might relate to the Rev's new features as well. The only problem I can see is that if Mario Kart is a Revolution launch title then it might not be online which would kind of suck. Mario Kart NEEDS to be online at some point and having to wait yet another generation for it would be a waste.

Other then that thought they could save it for any potential post-launch drought. Imagine if Mario Kart: Double Dash had been released in February 2002. The Cube's whole position in the console wars could be completely different if a title of that calibre had been released right in the middle of the post-launch drought.

*continues waiting for a Smash Bros arcade game*
Yeah, so I'm a bit iffy about Pac-Man being in the game. Am I the only one that thinks that a bit weird? He doesn't seem to have a place in the mario universe. Correction, he doesn't have a place. Hmmpf

"Yeah, so I'm a bit iffy about Pac-Man being in the game. Am I the only one that thinks that a bit weird? He doesn't seem to have a place in the mario universe. Correction, he doesn't have a place. Hmmpf"

It's revenge for Mario's stupid commentary ruining Pac-Man Vs.

I hate Pac-Man. The Vs game was cool, as was the original, but that's really something you drop after games go 3D, for Christ's sake.

Hey, I am one that wouldn't mind a All-Star's Kart...or atleast hidden characters from different franchises in the new Mario Kart. I think its fun, and that's all that matters to me.

As for Revolution. If this was a launch game or any Mario Kart game was a launch game you would see millions instantly. Mario Kart is one of the most beloved franchises of all.

I actually think Nintendo is making a mistake launching this new Zelda for Gamecube.

This Zelda should be pushed back, enhanced and perfect for Revolution.

Launch games should include. Zelda, Mario, Mario Kart, and perhaps Pilot Wings. If Nintendo did that and had Smash Brothers waiting from the next lineup of games it would be a great start.

Did Ian just say that having a port as a launch title was a good idea?

::In Ian's voice (typing)::

If this game is Nintendo's sole launch title for Revolution, I will be very upset. Plus, a port for a launch title is acceptable if it's a not a port of a game that everyone's already played.

With Super Mario DS, not only was it the system's only first-party launch title, but it was a port of a game that everyone has already played through at least twice.

An arcade port is totally different because it's generally unfeasible for the average person to own an arcade machine. I see it more like a movie coming to video.

And yes kingvudu I would be upset if this was the sole Revolution launch title. Not because of what this game is but just because having only one title is REALLY lame.

I really have to question why people are upset about Pacman being in the game.

Its a racing game...its not like the image of Pacman taints, hurts the gameplay, or does anything negative to the game. I think its kinda cool. Its another option, that is all.

I could understand complaining about PacMan in a 3D Mario Game, or in Smash Brothers, because then the gameplay could be dramatically different. Not so with in this case though.

Its just like secret characters in Tony Hawk or SSX3. They are wierd for sure, and don't seem to fit, but they also don't hurt the game.

I agree with you on that, Spak-Spang. If you don't like Pac-Man, just don't play as him.

But I still think the game is only a little better looking than Double Dash. I grabbed a pile of screens from both Gamesarefun and PlanetGameCube to make sure I wasn't fooling myself. I think the thing that makes the Arcade game look better to everyone is that they're going for a more realistic style. As someone else here said, they're not basing it on Super Mario Sunshine. Which is great, but its also a matter of taste. Qualitatively, I think the only things that definitely look better in the Arcade screenshots are:
- Sharper graphics, mainly because it isn't using a depth-of-field effect
- Better character models, however there is also only one character per kart, and from what I've seen, only six karts are on the track at one time! There is way more chaos in the Double Dash screenshots.

I'd still like to see this game as an early Revolution port, and I wouldn't even mind if they don't enhance the graphics, I just think Revolution will be capable of more.

Outside of the two person per kart thing, I can't tell the graphical difference between this and the GC version.

I think its awesome that PacMan is in it. It lets everyone know that this is Namco's mario kart. One of the things that bugged me about F-Zero was that Sega didn't really do anything to put their stamp on it. It would have rocked if there was a Green Hill race track or something.

Yuck, while this game looks alright, I do NOT want it to be a "Revolution launch title", I want the Revolution Mario Kart to be by Nintendo. I want this ported to GCN. GameCube can easily handle this, I don't see the point putting this on any other console.

*Yawn*

Yeah, yeah Mario Kart comes to the arcade. Whoopty-do. I really can't be too excited; F-Zero AX is nowhere to be found in my area(or my state for that matter), and what few arcades are left just have the DDR upteenth mix and Tekken 5 as the newest games. Granted, this is Namco we're talking about, who are better off than Sega, but I won't hold my breath.

The whole Triforce gig was a wasted opportunity, at least here in the North America. I wanted to play F-Zero AX. Very badly. But Sega didnt' distribute them En-mass, and Nintendo didn't bother taking up distribution duty. I shouldn't have to bend over backwards just because they didn't put their best foot foward.

Oh well, but if it indeed shows up around my area, I'll quit my bitching.

Looks great, wish it were coming to the US but its doubtfull. 1.Arcades in USA suck, 2.its doubtfull on the GCN...

I don't mind Namco incorporating a character, but it'd be nice if they had something other than Pac-man. The game sorta lost its charm when it went 3D and started sucking, and so did the character. Hell, it wasn't even a character to start with.

Don't Triforce boards have double the Ram as a GCN? If so, wouldn't "porting it down" to the Gamecube be harder then porting it to the Rev? I like the fact that it is currently at a higher res, or so it seems. I am so happy to actually see go carts as well, instead of "go cars." This game excites me all over again. And you wonder why DD is the second best selling game on Gamecube? Heh.

I doubt this will be as scarce as FZero AX. Compare the sales numbers of DD and GX, I think it's safe to say there's more demand for Mario Kart.

Six Degrees Of Super Mario (variation of "Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon"):

Pac-Man has been in Pac-Man Fever with Astaroth.
Astaroth has been in Soul Calibur II with Link.
Link has been in Super Smash Bros. (and SSBM and SMRPG and Tetris (NES)) with Mario.

Ha! Three degrees!

Thanks to several comic book/video game/etc. crossovers, you'd be surprised at how many characters are in the same multiverse as Mario. Pac-Man is just closer than he was before, if you don't count Pac-Man Vs. (Lara Croft, Optimus Prime, Batman, and several other characters are also in the same multiverse as Super Mario if you think about it.)

Besides, Pac-Man is a cartoony character, and a major classic game character. It's inevitable that they should meet. If you don't like it, don't play him.

Though I wonder what features you'd be able to add on your picture if you chose Pac-Man. It's not like there's much to Pac-Man, unless they make your face yellow or put his arms coming out of your ears. o_0

They stick your face in his mouth... <_<

Well, considering Pac-Man is also in Tales of Symphonia I'm expecting some Mario vs. Lloyd matches in the future!

Isn't Pac-Man just a snowman in ToS, though? Or am I wrong?

When I do the "Six Degrees Of Super Mario" game I don't count it unless they're actually there in person; though I also allow for different incarnations of the same person (eg. Link, Predator).

Klonoa floppy-ears was also in Tos. *o*

I wonder if the Mario Kart "hop" will return in the arcade version, and therefore the seats will JUMP UP TO GIVE YOU A HEART ATTACK accordingaly. Make sure you don't have anything solid in your backpockets, cuz it will hurt bad.

I heard you press accel+brake to hop. And to punch other racers off their cart you use your fist

Jon: Yes but how would the inhabitants of the worlds know of Pac-Man? I certainly didn't see any arcades over there.

Even this can't woo you guys.

Quote

---

Originally posted by: PaleZer0
I think its awesome that PacMan is in it. It lets everyone know that this is Namco's mario kart. One of the things that bugged me about F-Zero was that Sega didn't really do anything to put their stamp on it. It would have rocked if there was a Green Hill race track or something.

---

A Sonic F-Zero track would be awesome, since the two games are so compatible in that sense. Though one of the mechanically-looking worlds would have been more appropriate (though the contrast would be nice). Sega influences are obvious, though: they certainly like casino areas.

I think this is awesome and would be ultra-hyped if I got to play it. This is the sort of thing that could get me to break my "no arcade" philosophy. Hopefully some version of this comes to some system, because it sounds like it could be a blast (despite pac-man).

Quote

---

The basic karting control is about the same as it was in the SNES days, wherein hitting both the gas and the brake at the same time will cause the kart to hop into the air

---