11 Awesome Kart Racers That Aren't Mario Kart
11Thrilling/Awesome Kart Racers
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at thrilling and awesome Kart Racers! And before you go saying “we already know” in the comments ... we aren’t including “Mario Kart”! Yes, we ALL play and love “Mario Kart”, but variety is the spice of life, folks! Check out these other titles if and when you get the chance!
“Diddy Kong Racing” (1997)
Released shortly after Nintendo launched “Mario Kart 64”, “Diddy Kong Racing” provided players another stellar kart-racing experience, one that featured a colorful cast of characters and a wondrous Adventure mode. Despite its family-friendly appearance, it also established itself as a challenging game to complete, especially when it came to collecting the silver tokens and doing it all again in Adventure 2 mode. Couple that with tracks that demanded skill in quick-turning and making the most of your boost, and “Diddy Kong Racing” would become one of the Nintendo 64’s best titles! Crossing our fingers we get this on Switch someday...
“KartRider: Drift” (2020)
Surprisingly enough, there’s a good number of kart racers to try out on mobile devices, and the most notable one on our radar is “KartRider: Drift”. Full disclosure, we have done sponsored content with them in the past. Even so, the time we’ve spent with the game has been genuinely entertaining, as users are able to customize their karts and drivers before tearing up the track. Speaking of which, the track design is spot-on, demanding you grasp an understanding of the controls with sharp turns. At the time of writing, “KartRider: Drift” is scheduled to make a full launch before the end of 2020.
“Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed” (2012)
On the surface, a kart racer starring Sonic the Hedgehog sounds like a silly premise given how the Blue Blur can run at the speed of light. That didn’t stop “Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed” from being an exceptional title for speed demons. What made this sequel to “Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing” unique is how the track can change over the course of the game, forcing players to switch between car, boat, and plane controls mid-race. It also represents a wide array of SEGA games that have launched over the company’s decades-long history. From “Shinobi” and “NiGHTS” to “Jet Set Radio” and…”Football Manager”(?), anyone with an appreciation for SEGA (or racing games) can find plenty to enjoy here!
“Toy Story Racer” (2001)
This is certainly one of the oddest games that will appear on this list, but still worth your time if you’re looking for a retro kart racer that offers a wealth of different challenges. “Toy Story Racer” features a career mode consisting of various game modes that will test your driving skills, whether it’s a simple race, a deathmatch, or completing a race in reverse without getting hit. Yeah, there’s more than meets the eye in this casual racer. In 2010 it was re-released as a PS one Classic, so you can also play it on PS3. And if you’re wanting more, developer Traveller’s Tales made another kart racer in the same vein previously with “Muppets Race Mania”.
“Super Indie Karts” (2015)
Speaking of retro kart racers, “Super Indie Karts” may be appealing to those wanting an experience similar to “Super Mario Kart” or fans of the indie titles featured here. Take control of characters from “Duck Game”, “ToeJam & Earl”, “Guacamelee”, “Freedom Planet”, and more, and grab the gold as you race across a vast number of tracks. While we’re on the subject, the tracks are packed with characters and references to the games represented, and it’s only made us want to check out some of the titles featured. On top of that, the controls are tight, the speeds are perfect, and the difficulty is right around what we expect from standard kart racers.
“Looney Tunes Racing” (2000) There were a lot of kart racers releasing throughout the late 90’s and early 2000’s, especially the licensed kind. However, “Looney Tunes Racing” was one that stood out from the crowd, and not just because of its wide roster of toons. Power-ups weren’t chosen at random by a single item box, but rather the number of tokens you collected, adding an element of strategy as to when and where you should be using power-ups. Additionally, tracks featured ACME gates that trigger environmental hazards, which could potentially let you steal first place or hinder racers behind you from catching up. Combine that with the catchy score, and this was a game that would make a “Looney Tunes” fan go nuts!
“ModNation Racers” (2010)
We’ve all dreamed of making our own “Mario Kart”, but until Nintendo releases a “Mario Kart Maker” (and not that RC car thing), the only opportunity we had was “ModNation Racers” on PlayStation 3. This was THE game for racing game fanatics as users were given almost total freedom in creating drivers, karts, and tracks! And the game didn’t stop at the single-player campaign either; during its time, the “ModNation Racers” community was thriving with new DLC and user-created content being spotlighted daily. Needless to say, this was the dream, and it only makes it more upsetting that the servers shut down years ago. Man, this could have had a solid future on PS4…
“All-Star Fruit Racing” (2017)
The character models may be a bit rough to look at, but “All-Star Fruit Racing” holds more value than one may think. In addition to customizing your own fruit-themed vehicle, players can select from a wide selection of drivers that each have their own special weapon. However, that’s only the tip of the iceberg; “All-Star Fruit Racing” gets incredibly creative with the fruit theme, particularly in its level design. Expect races to be held near coconut waterfalls, grape mines, frozen apple mountains, and much, much more! The weapon system is surprisingly deep as well, tasking players to collect fruit and combine them in different ways to enhance power-ups. In short, this indie racer will brighten your day!
“Meow Motors” (2018)
You know what we need more of in our games? Cats, lots and lots of cats - and “Meow Motors” is just the start of this movement! What exactly makes this game so special? Well, just look at it! It’s freakin’ adorable! Okay, in all seriousness, “Meow Motors” is more than just a fuzzy face. There’s a strong focus on combat and meter management, as you’ll have to gauge how often you’re boosting, charging weapons, leaving oil spills, and drifting. Yes, it’s a lot to keep track of, but that’s what makes each race more exciting.
“Touring Karts” (2019)
Sure, all of these titles have been exciting to tour through, but what about a VR kart racer? Well, you’re in luck - there’s one on the market! “Touring Karts” is basically “Mario Kart VR”, but with a tighter focus on controls and power-ups. You can combine power-ups to form crazier ones as you avoid other racers and giant monkeys. However, you’ll also need to grasp the drifting mechanics as they aren’t your typical “slide, get mini-boost” formula. And as for the career mode? Let’s just say you’ve got a long road ahead!
“Crash Team Racing” (1999)
Of course we had to put “Crash Team Racing” on the list! If you weren’t playing “Mario Kart, you were sure as hell playing this! Crash Bandicoot’s own kart-racing spin-off may not have as many entries as the plucky plumber, but the original game is one that fans still look back on to this day. The tracks were intricate and filled with secrets, the drifting was tight and emphasized the feeling of speed, and the Adventure mode was crafted to be used as practice outside of races. While Beenox did an exceptional job with the “Nitro-Fueled” remake by adding in customizable karts and beefed up the roster, the original still holds up today with its charm, visuals, and admittedly, absence of microtransactions and grindy progression.