Super Mario Kart (Super Nintendo, 1992)

Pros: Plenty of Game Play Variants; Varying Difficulty Levels to Accommodate All Players
Cons: None

Super Mario Kart for the SNES is the classic that put kart racing on the map. The game has eight classic characters, all with their own special abilities. There are also special power-ups which include lightning bolts, turtle shells, and feathers, among others. There are four basic game play modes.

Cup Mode:
The concept of this mode is that players must rank high enough to win a trophy. The cup mode is available in three difficulty levels: 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. Winning trophies in the cup mode eventually leads to unlocking the Special Cup which provides 5 new tracks for racing. The Special Cup is playable only in 100cc and 150cc.

Versus Mode:
In this mode, two players select a track from the cup mode. The players compete against one another as well as the computer for first place.

Battle Mode:
In battle mode, two player compete against one another in an arena which is separate from the cup mode tracks. Each player is given three balloons. Players then drive around the arena to obtain power-ups to shoot at one another. The first player to run out of balloons loses.

Time Trial Mode:
In time trial mode, a single player races around a course, with no opponents, to attempt to obtain the best time.

Super Mario Kart is a must have game for anybody looking to expand their current collection, play an old classic, or for current generation gamers who wish to play a classic which has helped to carry the industry where it is today.