"Super Mario Kart Instruction Booklet" SNS-MK-USA
Converted to ASCII text by Deezer on 8/19/98
deezer@usa.net
-----------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..................................... 2
CONTROLLER OPERATIONS ............................ 3
TO THE STARTING LINE ............................. 5
RACING RULES ..................................... 9
SECRET WEAPONS FOR WINNING ....................... 18
COLLECT THE COINS ................................ 19
THE 8 KART DRIVERS ............................... 21
PERFORMANCE CHART ................................ 25
THE CIRCUITS ..................................... 27
LIST OF COURSE MAPS .............................. 29
MASTER TIPS ...................................... 33
1
______________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
Hi everybody! Thanks for dropping to by the Super Mario Kart
race track. My name is Lakitu, I run this track. If you need
my help, I'll be around.
We race one seater, metal pipe frame go carts here. There
are two engine sizes to choose from: 50cc or 100cc. All of
the go carts are more or less the same, it's the individual
drivers that make the difference when it comes to winning.
Each driver has their strengths and weaknesses. Try using
different drivers until you find the best one for you.
This Game Pak has a [ PICTURE: Lakitu ]
battery backed memory
that saves the best Time
Trial times and keeps
track of which trophy cups
you have earned. If you
switch this Game Pak ON
and OFF repeatedly, you
may erase the saved
information.
2
______________________________________________________________________________
CONTROLLER OPERATIONS
[ PICTURE: SNES controller ]
Y Button [ PICTURE: Race Status screen ]
Brakes.
START Button
Pauses the game and enters
selections.
SELECT Button
Switches to and from the rear
view mirror in a one player
game. [ PICTURE: Rear View Mirror screen ]
Control Pad
Steers your go cart and moves
cursor on selection screens.
X Button
Switches to rear view mirror in a one player game
(same as SELECT Button) and cancels entries on
selection screens.
A Button
Use items.
B Button
Acceleration and entering on selection screens.
[ PICTURE: Mario ] [ PICTURE: Donkey Kong Jr. ]
If you press the L or R [ PICTURE: Luigi ]
Button, your cart will
make a small hop. If you
use the Control Pad at
the same time, you can
do a power slide. See
page 18 for more
information.
Go cart racing is simple to learn, but it takes great patience
and determination to master. Some go cart racers have
gone on to become world class Formula One drivers. To
start racing, insert the Super Mario Kart Game Pak into
your Super NES unit and turn the power ON. When the title
screen appears, press the B Button and pick your desired
game mode.
[ PICTURE: Yoshi ] [ PICTURE: title screen ]
In the MARIO KART GP,
you can select either a
50cc or 100cc cart. The
100cc machine is quite a
bit quicker than the 50cc
one. The other drivers are
more aggressive in the
100cc races too. If you're
just starting out, you may
1P GAME want to warm up with the
> MARIO KART GP 50cc machines. Races
> TIME TRIAL other than the MARIO
KART GP always use the
2P GAME 100cc machines.
> MARIO KART GP
> MATCH RACE
> BATTLE MODE
Use the Control Pad to [ PICTURE: Bowser ]
move the cursor when
making selections. Press
the B Button to enter
selections. If you make a
mistake, press the X
Button to cancel.
[ PICTURE: Toad ]
1P GAME > MARIO KART GP
Here, you will race against 7 opponents.
1P GAME > TIME TRIAL
Pick any track just for practice, or go
for the course record. Records will be
saved, so do your best!
2P GAME > MARIO KART GP
A total of 8 karts like up for the GP
race - 2 human players against6
opponents.
2P GAME > MATCH RACE
A one-on-one race against another
player onthe track of your choice.
2P GAME > BATTLE MODE
It's two players in an arena doing
(What else?) BATTLE!
6
______________________________________________________________________________
CHOOSE
YOUR DRIVER
Choose from the 8 [ PICTURE: Choose Your Driver screen ]
available drivers. See
page 21 for more details.
Course selection varies
depending on the type of
game played. The courses
are explained on page 27.
[ PICTURE: Choose Your Driver screen ]
MARIO KART GP
> MUSHROOM CUP RACE
> FLOWER CUP RACE
> STAR CUP RACE
Pick the cup race you want to enter. Each cup circuit has
5 different tracks. There is a Special Cup race that you
can only enter after mastering the others in the 100cc
class.
7
______________________________________________________________________________
TIME TRIAL & MATCH RACE
Choose a course from any cup circuit. To choose the
Special Cup, you must win all of the other cups in the
100cc class. If you are in the TIME TRIAL mode, the top
five records for each track will be shown.
BATTLE MODE
Choose a course from the 4 special battle courses.
[ PICTURE: Time Trial screen ]
To clear the battery
backed memory and
erase all of the records [ PICTURE: Princess ]
stored in your Game Pak,
press L, R, Y and A at the
same time on Controller 1
when the title screen is
displayed. If you want to
clear only the TIME TRIAL
records (and leave the GP [ PICTURE: Koopa Troopa ]
cup information), go to the
course records you wish
to delete. Then press L, R,
Y and A at the same time
on Controller 1.
8
______________________________________________________________________________
RACING RULES
MARIO KART GP (1 Player)
You'll start the MARIO KART GP in eighth place. As soon as
the starting light turns green, the race begins. If you rev
your engine too high before the green light, you'll peel out!
Experiment to find the best way to accelerate at the
starting line. Half of the screen will show an overview of
the course and where all of the racers are currently. To
change this view to your rear view mirror and see what's
going on behind you, press the X Button of the Select
Button. The bottom right of the racing screen shows what
place you're in.
[ PICTURE: Grand Prix screen ]
9
______________________________________________________________________________
Each race is 5 laps. If you place in the top 4 finishing
positions, you can go to the next course in the circuit. If
you place 5th or lower, you'll lose one of your extra carts
and you'll have to try that race again. After the winning
cart crosses the finish line, finishing positions will be
displayed on the left side of the screen.
5th Or Below
[ PICTURE: Ranked Out screen ]
You
Lost!
> Retry
> End
Each time you choose "RETRY", you lose one of your
remaining carts. You start the game with 4 carts total, so
you can "RETRY" 3 times.
If you press the START Button during a race, the game will
pause and you can choose to "GIVE UP" or select "NO" to
return to the race. Every time you "GIVE UP", you lose one
of your remaining carts.
10
______________________________________________________________________________
STANDINGS
The racers who place in the top 4 receive points. At the
end of the circuit, the overall winner will be determined by
the number of points.
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Points 9 6 3 1
X5 RACES
Drivers who come in 5th place or lower, have to "RETRY"
or "END" the game. Points are only awarded for placing in
the top 4.
The place you finish in
will be your starting
position for the next race.
For example, if you come
in 2nd place, you'll start
[ PICTURE: Standings screen ] in the 2nd position in the
next race.
STUFF ON THE TRACK
^ ________
Zipper Jump
Run over this Run over this
and you'll to jump.
ZIP! [ PICTURE: Screen shot ]
[?]
QUESTION BLOCKS
When you run over a Question Block, you never know what
you're going to get. The item box at the top of the screen
will spin through the different items. When it stops, you
have that item. To use the item, press the A Button. After
you run over a Question Block, it will turn red. If you are
already carrying an item, you won't be able to pick up
another one.
[ PICTURE: Green Shell ]
GREEN SHELL
Use the Green Shell to fire at enemy karts - a hit will send an
enemy into a spin. Green Shells can bounce off of barriers, so
you can try for bank shots too.
[ PICTURE: Red Shell ]
RED SHELL
The Red Shell is a lot like the Green Shell except it works like a
guided missile! If you have an enemy in your sights, let the Red
Shell go. Unless you are too close or too far away, the Red Shell
rarely misses its mark.
[ PICTURE: Banana Peel ]
Banana Peel
When a cart hits a Banana Peel, it will spin out.
[ PICTURE: Feather ]
Feather
The Feather allows you to jump much higher than if you used
the L or R Buttons. Use this to jump over enemies or clear
obstacles.
13
______________________________________________________________________________
[ PICTURE: Mushroom ]
Mushroom
You get a temporary burst of speed by using a Mushroom.
Sometimes, you can make an enemy spin out if you hit them
while you are using a mushroom.
[ PICTURE: Star ]
Star
Using the Star makes you invincible for a short period of time.
During this time, your speed increases and you are immune to
enemy attacks. If you fall into water, lava, or off of an edge, you
will lose your invincibility. The Star is very useful.
[ PICTURE: Lightning Bolt ]
Lightning Bolt
Use the Lightning Bolt and you'll see a big flash. After the flash,
all of the other racers will become smaller in size for a while.
During this time, they will move slower and are very vulnerable.
[ PICTURE: Coin ]
Coin
The Coin adds 2 coins to your total. Push the A Button right
away when you get a Coin. Collect as many as you can!
[ PICTURE: Ghost ]
Ghost
The Ghost makes you and your kart invisible. You'll also be
able to take your opponent's item.
NOTE: Lightning and Coins only appear in the GP and MATCH
RACE modes. The Ghost only appears in BATTLE MODE.
14
______________________________________________________________________________
MARIO KART GP (2 Players)
A split screen is used in 2 Player mode, so that you and
your opponent can compete at the same time. The
racer using Controller #1 will start in 8th place, and the
racer using Controller 2 will start in 7th place. If either
player finishes in the top 4, both will go on to the next race.
TIME TRIAL (1 Player Only)
The TIME TRIAL is great for practicing. There are no items
or coins to worry about, just a nice clean race track. The
top 5 times and drivers for each track are saved in your
Game Pak. You can race on any track and choose any
driver.
[ PICTURE: 2-Player Grand Prix screen]
When you finish a TIME
TRIAL, your finishing time
will be displayed. At this
[ PICTURE: Time Trial screen ] point, you can choose to
retry that track or choose
a new one. If you pick
"REPLAY" you can watch
how you did in the last
race. If you pause the
game or do some really
weird driving, the
"REPLAY" option may not
appear.
15
______________________________________________________________________________
MATCH RACE (2 Players Only)
This is a one-on-one, head-to-head race to the finish. Use
your items wisely to put yourself in the winner's circle.
BATTLE MODE (2 Players Only)
Each player has 3 balloons protecting their cart. The object
here is to burst all 3 of your opponent's balloons using items
that you obtain from the Question Blocks. Whoever runs out
of balloons first, loses!
[ PICTURE: All 8 racers ]
16
______________________________________________________________________________
HOW TO WIN IN BATTLE MODE
* Look at the color of the barriers on your opponent's screen
to determine where they are.
* Use the Star to your advantage. While you are invincible, it
is possible to hit your opponent multiple times.
* You can eliminate Banana Peels with Shells.
* Always keep an eye on your opponent's screen.
[ PICTURE: Mario battling Bowser ]
The win/loss indicator in BATTLE MODE or MATCH RACE
shows up to 99 wins and losses. Before you start playing
the BATTLE MODE or MATCH RACE, it's a good idea to set
a limit. For example, the first person to win 3 rounds, wins
the game. To reset the win/loss indicator, turn the power OFF,
then back ON. The Reset Button does not reset the win/
loss indicator.
17
______________________________________________________________________________
SECRET WEAPONS FOR WINNING: POWER SLIDING
USING THE L AND R BUTTONS
Experiment with using the L and R buttons when turning
corners. If you time it just right, you can do a power slide.
You'll find it is possible (but difficult) to take sharp corners
without letting up on the gas!
B Button + Control Pad + L or R Button
||
\/
Tight Turn
If your timing isn't quite
right, you may slide off
the course or even spin
out. If you find yourself
going out of control, let up
on the gas. (This applies
to normal driving too.)
Also, power slides are
very useful in BATTLE [ PICTURE: Mario power sliding ]
MODE when you are Speed Through Tight
trying to get away from Corners!
an opponent that is on
your tail!
18
______________________________________________________________________________
COLLECT THE COINS
Coins are all over the ground. Keep an eye open for them
and always know how many coins you have. Each coin
you pick up (up to 10) makes your cart go faster. Whenever
an enemy runs into you or you spin out, you lose coins.
Lakitu will also charge you if he needs to pick you up. If
you don't have any coins and an enemy hits you, you will
spin out, so be sure to collect as many as you can!
Number
of === 1 to 10 ===> Max
Coins Speed
Any number of coins over 10 are surplus.
At the beginning of a
race, the number of
coins you have is
determined by your [ PICTURE: Mario getting a coin ]
starting position.
HOW MANY COINS DO YOU LOSE WHEN...?
Spin caused by an item attack 4 coins
Lakitu towing charge 2 coins
Collision with enemy kart 1 coin
If you lose all of your coins be real careful about colliding
with enemy racers. If you need to be towed and you have
no coins, Lakitu will take care of you anyway. (Hey, he's a
nice guy!)
[ PICTURE: Yoshi spinning out ]
You cannot carry your
coins to another course.
You need to start over
collecting them. Also
remember that you must
be on the ground to
collect coins. Even if you
are slightly off the ground,
you cannot collect coins.
20
______________________________________________________________________________
THE 8 CART DRIVERS
There are basically 4 types of cart drivers. If each player
picks the same type of driver in 2 player mode, the race
should be very close.
The Bros
[ PICTURE: Mario ] [ PICTURE: Luigi ]
Standard
Performance
MARIO & LUIGI
The Mario Brothers have
pretty much the same
abilities in cart driving.
Mario and Luigi have had
a friendly rivalry that goes
back to their childhood.
You can expect a heated
contest between them.
When Mario and Luigi are
computer controlled, they
try to block your path.
21
______________________________________________________________________________
The Dragon
and
The Lady
[ PICTURE: Princess ] [ PICTURE: Yoshi ]
Fast Acceleration
PRINCESS & YOSHI
At first, you might think
that The Princess and
Yoshi would have nothing
in common (except their
fondness for Mario). As it
turns out, they have the
same driving ability. Both
of these racers have very
fast acceleration. As
enemies, the Princess will
toss poison mushrooms in
your path, and Yoshi will
use eggs to hinder your
progress.
22
______________________________________________________________________________
The Showdown
[ PICTURE: Bowser ] [ PICTURE: Donkey Kong Jr. ]
High Top Speed
BOWSER &
DONKEY KONG JR.
These two drivers have
long been Mario's arch
enemies. They are both
rather hefty, so they have
slow acceleration, but
their top speed is great!
As enemies, look out for
Bowser's fireballs and
Donkey Kong Jr.'s banana
peels. These two really
throw their weight around.
Stay clear of them!
23
______________________________________________________________________________
The Small Guys
[ PICTURE: Koopa Troopa ] [ PICTURE: Toad ]
Good Control
KOOPA TROOPA &
TOAD
Neither of these racers
have qualities that make
them stand out. They are,
however, good all around
racers with better than
average control in corners-
they do not skid as easy.
These racers are good
for beginners who are just
learning to race. In the
GP race as enemies,
Koopa Troopa will drop
shells and Toad will place
poison mushrooms on the
track.
24
______________________________________________________________________________
PERFORMANCE CHART
\ Conditions Accele- Top CHOCO
\ ration Speed ISLAND
Drivers \
Standard
Performance * ** /\
MARIO & LUIGI
Fast
Acceration *** * **
PRINCESS & YOSHI
High Top Speed
BOWSER & /\ *** *
DONKEY KONG JR.
The Small Guys
KOOPA TROOPA ** /\ ***
& TOAD
* KOOPA TROOPA and TOAD are good at steering carts,
while the Princess and Yoshi have some trouble with the
steering wheel.
* If KOOPA TROOPA or TOAD collide with the immense
BOWSER or DONKEY KONG JR. they will be bounced
around a bit.
25
______________________________________________________________________________
This shows the best carts for each track. Try to pick a cart
that will work well for the whole circuit.
Ranking
*** The Best of ** Very * Average /\ Not so
the Best Good hot
VANILLA DONUT KOOPA BATTLE
LAKE PLAINS BEACH MODE
*** * /\ *
/\ *** ** ***
** /\ *** /\
* ** * **
In the GP race, the cart in front of you or behind you may try
to make the race more difficult by tossing things on to the
track. The best thing to do is concentrate on avoiding these
objects. As you get closer to the front of the pack, these
attacks get worse.
26
______________________________________________________________________________
THE CIRCUITS
MUSHROOM CUP FLOWER CUP
MARIO CIRCUIT CHOCO ISLAND
Course 1 Course 1
DONUT PLAINS GHOST VALLEY
Course 1 Course 2
GHOST VALLEY DONUT PLAINS
Course 1 Course 2
BOWSER CASTLE BOWSER CASTLE
Course 1 Course 2
MARIO CIRCUIT MARIO CIRCUIT
Course 2 Course 3
Course Characteristics
MARIO CIRCUIT Slipperiness: 1
A paved track with good traction. Look out for the [ PICTURE: Pipe ]
pipes!
DONUT PLAINS Slipperiness: 2
A tranquil setting with a beautiful pond. Pipes or [ PICTURE: Gopher ]
Gophers may get in your way.
GHOST VALLEY Slipperiness: 1
A track made of wood built a long time ago. [ PICTURE: X; absent ]
There are no special obstacles, but be sure to
keep your eyes peeled for holes.
Enemies have a way of making racing as difficult as
possible for you. Do your best to avoid their attacks.
27
______________________________________________________________________________
The "Slipperiness" differs depending on the course. There
are 4 levels of slipperiness - the bigger the number, the
more slippery the course.
STAR CUP SPECIAL CUP
KOOPA BEACH The Special Cup is a
Course 1 secret cup race for
CHOCO ISLAND 100cc racers. Only
Course 2 drivers who have won
VANILLA LAKE the gold in the other
Course 3 three cups can
BOWSER CASTLE compete here.
Course 4
MARIO CIRCUIT
Course 4
BOWSER CASTLE Slipperiness: 1
A course made of stones set on a bed of lava. Be [ PICTURE: Thwomp ]
careful, or you'll get Thwomped.
CHOCO ISLAND Slipperiness: 3
A dirt course in the desert. The infamous Piranha [ PICTURE: Piranha Plant ]
Plant hangs out here.
KOOPA BEACH Slipperiness: 3
A race on the beach around a small island. The [ PICTURE: Cheep Cheep ]
Flopping Cheep Cheep makes its home here.
VANILLA LAKE Slipperiness: 4
A frozen lake that is very slick. Pipes and holes in [ PICTURE: Pipe ]
the ice should be avoided at all costs.
28
______________________________________________________________________________
LIST OF COURSE MAPS
MUSHROOM CUP RACE
[ PICTURE: Mario Circuit 1 ] [ PICTURE: Donut Plains 1 ]
MARIO CIRCUIT 1 DONUT PLAINS 1
[ PICTURE: Ghost Valley 1 ]
GHOST VALLEY 1
[ PICTURE: Bowser Castle 1 ] [ PICTURE: Mario Circuit 2 ]
BOWSER CASTLE 1 MARIO CIRCUIT 2
If you run into an oil slick, you'll spin out. Steer around them
when possible.
FLOWER CUP RACE
[ PICTURE: Choco Island 1 ] [ PICTURE: Ghost Valley 2 ]
CHOCO ISLAND 1 GHOST VALLEY 2
[ PICTURE: Donut Plains 2 ]
DONUT PLAINS 2
[ PICTURE: Bowser Castle 2 ] [ PICTURE: Mario Circuit 3 ]
BOWSER CASTLE 2 MARIO CIRCUIT 3
If a Gopher hops on your kart, shake it off by pressing the
L or R Buttons repeatedly!
30
______________________________________________________________________________
STAR CUP RACE
[ PICTURE: Koopa Beach 1 ] [ PICTURE: Choco Island 2 ]
KOOPA BEACH 1 CHOCO ISLAND 2
[ PICTURE: Vanilla Lake 1 ]
VANILLA LAKE 1
[ PICTURE: Bowser Castle 3 ] [ PICTURE: Mario Circuit 4 ]
BOWSER CASTLE 3 MARIO CIRCUIT 4
The dark blue water around Koopa Beach is very deep.
Be careful!
31
______________________________________________________________________________
* If you are skidding in a corner, let up on the gas to
regain control.
* These carts cannot go in reverse. If you need to turn
around, hop with the L and R Buttons.
* You cannot hop over obstacles such as Banana Peels.
Use a feather and jump over them.
* If you fall into the water, you can still move slowly. But
never fear! I will rescue you with my trusty fishing pole.
Even if you fall off the edge of a GHOST VALLEY track
or into the lava on one of the BOWSER CASTLE tracks,
I'll quickly reel you in to safety.
* Items cannot be picked up when you are off the ground.
* If you race well enough in the TIME TRIALS, then choose
the same course again, you may be able to race against
yourself!
* If you're going the wrong way, I will swoop onto the
screen with a yellow "X" flag.
* There is a special challenge waiting for you if you can
get the gold trophy in the 100cc Special Cup.
33
______________________________________________________________________________
