The long-running Mario Kart series is arguably the most beloved racing franchise of all time, and there are more than a few clones that manage to hold a candle to it. For players who don't gravitate toward Nintendo devices, there's no real way to play the series besides the mobile release Mario Kart Tour, and even those that do have access to the game may find themselves looking for something new. However, there are many other kart racing games that are quite similar to Mario Kart that provide similarly enjoyable experiences.
In conversations about racing titles, Mario Kart always seems to take the spotlight, especially with the recent Mario Kart booster course releases for the game that have begun adding even more tracks to the title. Over the years, there have been many releases clearly inspired by the cartoony kart racer that have been able to hold their own, and even bring new things to the table that Mario Kart does not. These are the best Mario Kart-style games that are actually worthwhile.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Is A Solid Mario Kart Alternative
There have been several Sonic racing games released over the years that are similar to Mario Kart's style, but All-Stars Racing Transformed is the best-received title out of all of them. The title comes from the fact that a player's vehicle will often change form mid-race, from car to plane to boat, which is an interesting twist on the normal formula. Although Team Sonic Racing was fairly well-received as well, it doesn't have this unique feature.
Players can choose from a myriad of characters from the Sonic universe and beyond, including racers like Crazy Taxi's B.D. Joe and Wreck-It Ralph. The game's items differentiate themselves nicely from Mario Kart as well, offering unique options like Blow Fish and Ice Cannon that keep things feeling fresh. The graphics of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed have also stood the test of time, still not appearing too dated several years post-release.
Crash Team Racing Is Chaotic Mario Kart-Style Fun
Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled perfectly captures the absurd nature of the Crash Bandicoot series in racing form, with its own unique flavor that sets it apart from Mario Kart games. Although Crash Team Racing won't be receiving updates like Mario Kart has continued to, it's still a worthwhile experience.
A combination of power-ups and projectiles can make for a lot of fast-paced fun, offering everything from classic Bandicoot TNT Boxes to homing missiles, and the appeal of playing as the series' most iconic characters undoubtedly adds extra appeal to Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled.
Super Indie Karts Is A Great Mario Kart Twist
Super Indie Karts harkens back to the early days of kart racers, and takes inspiration from a slew of other indie titles in both its racers and tracks. The game is still in early access, but features a comprehensive set of gameplay options nonetheless. The Mario Kart-like game also offers an interesting retro twist, featuring both 16-bit and 64-bit tracks in a way that manages to uniquely capture two eras of nostalgia in one title.
Super Indie Karts proves that not only Nintendo and RARE can make a good racer, featuring all the different modes players are looking for in a Mario Kart-style game, like grand prix races, time trials, and battling. The game has a growing list of tracks, karts, and characters from other indie titles like Guacamelee!, Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove, and Runbow. While there's currently no set release date for a final version of the game, even in early access the game has an incredible amount to offer, and developers have been making updates to it consistently.
SuperTuxKart Is An Open-Source Mario Kart
SuperTuxKart is perhaps one of the most unique entries on this list, first and foremost due to the fact it's a completely free, open-source title. Its creators were not trying to make a Mario Kart clone with SuperTuxKart but something all its own, with players being encouraged to even create their own characters, tracks, and arenas and share them with the community. The game plays off its open-source nature in fun ways - for example, the game's main character is Tux the penguin, Linux's mascot, and there are other characters inspired by popular open-source programs like GIMP and Blender present as well.
Unlike most kart racers, SuperTuxKart even has a main story set in the Mascot Kingdom, where Tux will go up against the evil dragon Nolok to make the kingdom safe again. Alongside this story mode, players can participate in races either solo against AI or with friends, play a special soccer mode, speed through time trials, and more. With so much content, it's amazing the entire game comes without the hitch of video games' widespread microtransaction problem that typically accompanies free titles. Players can also find free tools for things like programming and 3D-modeling for SuperTuxCart to make their own creation process easier.
All-Star Fruit Racing Is A Delicious Take On Mario Kart
All-Star Fruit Racing takes Mario Kart in a much more edible direction with a game that centers around juicer-based power-ups. As players zoom around the tracks - which are imaginatively designed courses split into the categories Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Special Islands - they'll collect fruit to fill their juice tank and unleash special combos. All-Star Fruit Racing offers a career mode - a rarer find for less-realistic kart racers - as well as elimination races, hill climbs, and customizable championships where players can tailor things like difficulty level. Players will find extensive car customization options beyond that of Mario Kart, great for anyone who wishes Mario Kart had more aesthetic choices.
With Mario Kart celebrating its 30th anniversary last year, the lasting impact the series has had on the racing genre is undeniable. With the franchise having such a deep-seated hold on the kart racer market, it can sometimes be difficult to enjoy any other similar title - players are too distracted comparing the other games to Mario Kart. However, if players put their Mario Kart comparisons aside, these other video games can offer a fun, different take on the kart racing genre that fans know and love.
Source: PlayStation/YouTube