The Tuesday 10s - Kart Racers

We've sure missed a LOT of Tuesdays since being on hiatus here at SuperPhillip Central. Let's make up for it, if just for one post with a brand-new installment of The Tuesday 10s! In case anyone has forgotten what the deal with The Tuesday 10s is, this is where I list ten relatively unordered things (usually games) within a set category.

This time around, I've got the need--the need for speed! (How topical with Top Gun: Maverick setting the box office ablaze and aglow with its dominance, right?!) On this edition of The Tuesday 10s I'm entering the driver's seat and regaling memories of some of my favorite kart racers of all time, one of my FAVORITE genres in general. From mainstays like Mario Kart to more obscure racing titles, these ten are some of the best to ever take to the track! 

After you've read my picks for top kart racers, let the SPC community know some of your favorites by posting them in the comment section below!

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW)

We begin this list of ten of my favorite kart racers with the granddaddy of them all, the Mario Kart series. What better way to begin than with one of the best--if not the best--entry in the series with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe! This entry in the Mario Kart franchise may be a port from the Wii U, but it brought more than enough freshness to the formula to be worthy of its "Deluxe" moniker. First and foremost: all of the DLC tracks from the Wii U game were included in the vanilla game: from Dragon Driftway and Wild Woods, to new takes on familiar tracks like Cheese Land and Ribbon Road. The updated and upgraded Battle Mode brought new arenas to it instead of simply battling on retrofitted tracks from the base game. New accessibility features like steer assist to protect beginning players from easily falling off the track, and auto acceleration meant that anyone could have some fun with this new Mario Kart.

No doubt Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a juggernaut in the kart racing genre, as it continues to move copies five years after launch. Nintendo obviously took notice of fans of the game starving for new content, as the Booster Course Pass brings with it 32 new tracks until next year's end. Speaking of, we should be expecting the second wave soon! 

Mario Kart 7 (3DS)

It's difficult to deliver a list of ten of my favorite kart racers without including at least a few from my favorite series in the genre. It's even more difficult to determine which three to actually include! Mario Kart 7 may not be the greatest entry in the series, but it definitely delivered a lot of delightful fun and hijinks for me as a player. The character roster isn't the best, eschewing Waluigi, Bowser Jr., and Diddy Kong as inclusions, but newcomers like Metal Mario, Wiggler, and Lakitu were fun enough additions all the same. Mario Kart 7 has a great variety of tracks both new and retro--the latter including some of my faves in the franchise, such as Dino Dino Jungle, Airship Fortress, and Waluigi Pinball. The addition of kart customization remains a feature in all Mario Kart games after, and the online of the game still wages on with intense races and hard-hitting hijinks in Battle Mode. It might not be the most beloved Mario Kart for many, but it's quite loved by me!

Mario Kart DS (DS)

As a single-player experience, Mario Kart DS is without question for me the leader of the pack in the long-running (or is it "long-riding"?) franchise. This is due to the addition of Mission Mode, a full-fledged series of challenged-centered missions ranging from coin-collecting to superb boss battles. While Mario Kart DS's follow-up, Mario Kart Wii would incorporate missions into its package, these would be limited-time only affairs. A bit of a bummer. Further, Mario Kart DS brought with it blasts from the past in the form of Retro Cups. Unlike Mario Kart: Super Circuit before it, these weren't limited to just Super Mario Kart. Instead, these 16 retro tracks were picked from all of the previous games in the series. Throw in the franchise's first foray with online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (of course, the online that was present is no longer in service), and you had one wild handheld ride.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Multi)

SEGA and Sumo Digital turned up the action and intensity dial to 11 with Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Launching on virtually every platform under the sun at the time of its release, the game boasted an impressive roster of characters... and for whatever reason Wreck-It-Ralph and Danica Patrick. Regardless, being able to race as oft-forgotten SEGA all-stars like Gillius Thunderhead from Golden Axe and Vyse from Skies of Arcadia was a pure privilege and joy. Those are also the words I'd use to describe the track design, literally transforming between laps to change up the races dynamically in a glorious, action-packed way. That's not all the transformations included in the game: as Sonic and friends would see their vehicles transform as they hit the waves, soared into the sky, and of course, met the pavement. Although the game does suffer more than its fair share of "interesting" bugs and glitches, these don't prevent Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed from zooming across the finish line in style.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (Multi)

Of course, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed wouldn't have been what it was without having a sturdy and stellar foundation to build off of. The original Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing was that foundation, and it remains an excellent kart racer to this day, even with an arguably superior sequel alongside it now. Taking a wide range of SEGA all-stars and putting them in colorful race courses to speed through was a genius idea, and Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is fantastic in that regard. It's also fantastic in its racing controls, handling, and pure sense of speed. While Transformed would indeed raise the dial of insanity and intensity up to 11, the original Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is still worth taking a look at, as it's a really remarkable racer.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled (Multi)

From one mascot to another, we move on from Sonic to Crash Bandicoot in one of the greatest, most content-rich kart racers around: Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled. Remaking all of the tracks from the original Crash Team Racing as well as Crash Nitro Kart, introducing several "seasons" featuring brand-new tracks that fit right in quality-wise with the originals, and presenting a multitude of characters, karts, cosmetics, and more to unlock, Crash Bandicoot's original kart-racing outing was definitely given as much tender, loving care as possible. Sure, the high skill ceiling may put off some players, especially if they hop online and get decimated by racers who have mastered the "Blue Fire" technique, but the game can be enjoyed by pretty much everyone.

Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

Speaking of Crash Team Racing, how about we go back a little further in the past to the game that CTR was no doubt inspired by especially with its Adventure Mode? Diddy Kong Racing brought a collect-a-thon angle to its kart racing goodness, offering Gold Balloons to collect in its Adventure Mode, opening doors to new levels and areas, races to win, bosses to beat, and mini-games to win. Diddy Kong Racing was developed and published when Rare was firing on all cylinders, creating banger after banger on the Nintendo 64, and DKR remains one of my favorite kart racing games, period. Even after two decades and some change, the Adventure Mode as a single-player or co-op experience is unmatched in a kart racer, and I hope to goodness we see Diddy in the future take the wheel of a kart once again without having to share the road with Mario and friends.

Kirby Air Ride (GCN)

An untraditional kart racer where you play with an analog stick and one button? Madness! But when the game design guru behind Super Smash Bros. and Kid Icarus: Uprising, Masahiro Sakurai, is at the helm, the team under his leadership somehow made it work and wonderfully so! Featuring three main modes: a standard racer, a top-down racer mode, and the "get ready to lose a good portion of your free time in" City Trial mode, Kirby Air Ride delivered abundant fun to go along with its extensive amounts of charm. The controls may have been simple to learn, but as the cliche goes, they were indeed tough to master. A myriad of unlockables meant that players who were engaged enough with this delightful racer would stick with the game for a long time, and the local multiplayer was absolutely amazing in its entertainment value. Kirby Air Ride is a shining star in the GameCube's lineup.

Chocobo GP (NSW)

The most recent game on this list is from Square Enix, and truthfully, a month ago, I would have been hard-pressed to recommend this game. However, ever since Square dropped the trashy, scummy, and aggressive business practices from Chocobo GP, and have since added multiple improvements to the game as well, I can wholeheartedly recommend this racer. A follow-up to the PlayStation's Chocobo Racing, Chocobo GP might not boast a massive amount of track locales (though most locales feature multiple track arrangements), the game more than makes up for that with its pure unadulterated fun. Its cast of unlockable characters is large, its titular Chocobo GP mode is ingenious, and controlling Chocobo and friends feels wonderful. There is some Mario Kart madness to be found with using the game's version of items (Magicite), but overall, Chocobo GP shows that this bird truly is the word when it comes to complementary racers on Switch to play alongside Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

ModNation Racers: Road Trip (Vita)

ModNation Racers is pretty much on the backburner if not completely dead as a PlayStation franchise. That said, the third and final release in the franchise was the PlayStation Vita launch title, ModNation Racers: Road Trip. Part of the thrill of this game was the racing shenanigans and full-fledged single player mode. However, the main event here was Road Trip and ModNation Racers as a series as a whole's ability to create your own drivers (Mods), karts, and yes, courses. All of this was quite intuitive and easy enough to do with a little practice and patience. While LittleBigPlanet Karting would take the course creation to a whole new level entirely (maybe to a too intimidating level), ModNation Racers: Road Trip offered a more simplistic, accessible approach that anyone could pick up, design, and play around with. The base game is enjoyable, the content creation is enviable, it's just too bad that there wasn't any online play to make this ModNation Racers installment even better than it was already.

The Tuesday 10s: My Favorite Multiplayer Games

It's approaching the end of Tuesday here in Central City, but that means there's still time for The Tuesday 10s to make its reappearance once more! The Tuesday 10s is a relatively unordered list of ten game-related items of a specific category. This time around, I'll be sharing ten of my favorite multiplayer games, whether they're enjoyed online, offline, or a mix of both!

After you've checked out my ten choices, feel free to let me know which multiplayer games are your favorites to bust out every now and then!

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NSW)

We start off this list of ten multiplayer games I love the most with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I'm hardly what you'd call a "competitive Smash player", as I don't even have one character I stick to predominantly. Well, I do prefer to use Link in Spirit Battles, but when it comes to online and off, I change up which character I play as constantly. I prefer to play Ultimate in a local multiplayer setting, so while I don't have the option to play with friends at the moment this way because of a certain pandemic (you may have heard or read about it), I do have the option to play with family. Unlike so many fighting games I've played where I struggle to learn and memorize move inputs and combos, with Smash Bros., it's as simple as hitting an attack button and holding a direction on the analog stick. It makes it easy to jump in, play, and have some fun. With all of the characters, modes, and arenas to engage in both online and off, the "Ultimate" moniker of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate definitely isn't just for show.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW)

For the next three entries here on this Tuesday 10s, I have the need--the need for speed! Beginning with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Tuesday 10s feature a trio of cartoon kart racers. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe  offers an approach that works for both seasoned racers and more casual types, giving the latter a completely optional steer assist to keep them on the track. The multiplayer is generally fun for all skill levels because of this, as well as the generally satisfactory item balance--a concept that previous Mario Kart games didn't do a great job at doing. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a racer I routinely return to because it's great for hopping online for a few tracks, or--if my brother and I are feeling a bit crazy and possessing a couple of hours--great for doing a series of 48 tracks all in a row. Now if that doesn't show some love and dedication to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, then I don't know what does!

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled (PS4, NSW, XB1)

Moving on from Mario to Crash Bandicoot, Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled has an abundance of content attached to it--far more than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, truth be told. Between the immense amount of tracks--whether from the original CTR, from Crash Nitro Kart, or brand new races entirely--characters that can be unlocked, a meaty adventure mode to complete, time trials to beat, and daily tasks to tackle, Nitro-Fueled has a lot going for it. I actually prefer playing this one online, as the skill ceiling is mighty high. For new players and heck, even average players, it's far too easy to grow disenchanted by the difficulty of both the Medium-level AI and well versed online players of CTR. You can lose ground easily, and when online, it's not uncommon to get lapped unless you master to art of the Sacred Fire boost and its Ultra form. Confused? Don't be alarmed, as CTR is an insanely complex and deep kart racer, and this is what makes it not the greatest game to break out for the uninitiated at parties. Still, once you get over that initial bump, the multiplayer becomes incredibly enjoyable, especially online.

Diddy Kong Racing (N64)

My final kart racer on this list of multiplayer faves is Diddy Kong Racing, which is probably my favorite kart racer of the bunch. You can play by land, by air, and by sea in one of three vehicles: karts, planes, and hovercrafts--depending on the track. Diddy Kong Racing invented the adventure mode template seen in Crash Team Racing, and dare I say, it hasn't been beat yet. Multiplayer offers up to four players to share the screen and speed through various tracks, but the stand out feature of Diddy Kong Racing's multiplayer, for me, is the ability to play the aforementioned adventure mode with another player. Now, this required a special in-game code to do so, but being able to compete together to help one another win races, complete silver coin challenges, win mini-games, and beat bosses was awesome. Diddy Kong Racing houses some of my favorite multiplayer memories on the Nintendo 64. But that isn't the only N64 classic that managed to do that...!

Perfect Dark (N64, XBLA)

Ah, yes. If there was any game on the Nintendo 64 that I devoted the most playtime to, it was Perfect Dark. This first-person shooter was so ahead of its time, and it still contains myriad features that most FPS games lack today! Multiplayer alone features so much customization with the coup de grace being customizing the personalities and difficulties of the numerous bots that could be in matches. From pugilist simulants that let their fists do the talking, to simulants that prey upon the losing opponent in matches, the personalities are so impressive. I loved customizing the look of my character by head and body model, setting up my own loadouts and scenarios, playing match after match, and leveling up (though not in an RPG sense) based on various stats like kills, steps taken, accuracy, and more. Then, there's the single player campaign, which players could engage with either co-operatively or with one player as Joanna Dark and another as a never-ending supply of enemy grunts. Like I said, Perfect Dark was so ahead of its time, and perhaps that's why I've struggled to find as compelling an FPS game since.

Bomberman 64 (N64)

Let's continue our foray with the Nintendo 64 with a blast from the past. Literally! It's Bomberman 64, and between this game and Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, its hard-to-find and valuable sequel, many sleepovers as a child were had bombing and blasting friends to smithereens (and also blowing myself up with errant placed bombs of my own). The 3D arenas brought a unique spin on the Bomberman franchise, featuring multiple tiers and spots on maps where the action truly heated up. Yes, Bomberman 64 certainly did not play the same as its 2D counterparts, but it did bring my friends and I joy. To this day, Bomberman 64's multiplayer still brings this blogger joy to play.

Mario Party 2 (N64)

There are so many Mario Party games to choose from that picking just one might seem like an impossible task. However, my favorite of the bunch remains Mario Party 2. Had it not been for the original's handful of blister-causing mini-games, the first Mario Party would have been my pick. Still, Mario Party 2 provides plenty of entertainment all the same with its focus on unfiltered fun. A fair portion of the original Mario Party's mini-games make a return in this Power Star-studded sequel, as does a collection of amusing new mini-games alike and new mini-game types. Boards are much more expansive, and the costume party window-dressing of the game is one that I enjoyed, too. I particularly have fond memories of Mario Party 2 not just for the times I played this with friends at sleepovers as a child and later on in college, but also because it was one of the first video games I played with my dad.

Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

Speaking of Mario, how about some more Mario? Super Mario 3D World has been long rumored for a release on the Nintendo Switch, after being one of the last major games stuck on the Wii U. It's a hotly anticipated game, if ever a port could be, because 3D World is such a fantastic game. It took the approach and foundation placed by the Nintendo 3DS' Super Mario 3D Land and expanded upon it beautifully to a bigger and better game. And this time there was multiplayer, which brought all sorts of chaos, both intended and unintended, into the fold. The levels were the stars of the show, and they were made immensely more enjoyable by playing with one, two, or even three other players. Super Mario 3D World shined as one of the best experiences on the Wii U, and here's hoping we finally see it arrive on the Nintendo Switch so others can experience the game for themselves, too!

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

From one platformer to another, LittleBigPlanet was a jack-of-all-trades in the platforming genre, offering the ability to play, create, and share levels with others in LittleBigPlanet community. This intricate and exceptional system would be the predecessor to what we see now with Media Molecule's massively marvelous Dreams game, which launched earlier this year on the PlayStation 4. Really, I could pick any LittleBigPlanet game from the trilogy as a multiplayer favorite, but it's the first game I handpicked as the representative of the franchise due to how much time I spent with the game. Far more than LittleBigPlanet 2 or 3. Whether playing with my brother through the campaign of curated levels that were created by Media Molecule themselves or hopping online with a group to play through created levels from the community, the memories I have of LittleBigPlanet are some of my most cherished on any PlayStation platform.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (SNES)

Let's conclude this edition of the Tuesday 10s with a game that kicks a lot of shell. It's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time, my absolute favorite beat-em-up. It helps that I adore the heroes-in-a-half-shell to this day, and that the actual game itself is one of the most brilliant beat-em-ups around. Smashing through wave after wave of Foot Soldiers, beating down bosses, and chucking foes into the screen seldom gets boring. Turtles in Time is a game that I can come back to time after time and enjoy myself. It's particularly a pleasure to play through with a friend or family member. Here's hoping COVID-19 clears out sooner rather than later so I can do just that once more!

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - A Masters Masterpiece Edition

The Masters is over, and the most exciting event in golf is now in the past. However, SuperPhillip Central has the perfect answer to-- okay, what am I talking about. This edition has no golf in it whatsoever, and I just needed a catchy edition name.

That notwithstanding, some stellar titles are featured this week, starting off with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. We then take it to the court with Mario Tennis Open. Following this is a trip to Terranigma, then an excursion to Pirate Lagoon from Diddy Kong Racing. Finally, we wrap up with a cheesy (in all the good ways) vocal theme from cult classic Burning Rangers.

For those interested in perusing past VGM volumes of SuperPhillip Central's weekly segment, check out the VGM Database at this link.

v1116. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, 3DS) - Title Theme

I couldn't help but bring back a game to SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs that is honest to goodness my favorite of all time. Now, that's not to say I remember everything about it. It isn't as easy to remember every facet and quirk about it as, say, a shorter game like Mega Man X, also a favorite. However, I do hold the game very dear. Touching songs like the one heard here for the title sequence as Link moves across beautiful Hyrule Field certainly help this feeling. The piano and ocarina combination is indeed a very endearing and romantic one.

v1117. Mario Tennis Open (3DS) - Wario Dunes

While Mario Tennis Open was a disappointment for many, I enjoyed the game and found a good amount of play time from it. Things could only go up with the next Mario Tennis, right? Well, about that... Anyway, the soundtrack for Mario Tennis Open, penned by Motoi Sakuraba, is full of tremendous grooves and catchy rhythms. It's great to play a spirited match of tennis to.

v1118. Terranigma (SNES) - Crysta

It's only fair that North America didn't see Terranigma while the rest of the world did. I mean, Startropics didn't see a Japanese release at all, and for the longest time (until the Wii Virtual Console, to be somewhat exact) Super Mario RPG was unavailable to Europeans. Since I'm based in the States (middle America, to be somewhat exact), I missed out on Terranigma, and I because of this I hold no emotional attachment to the game. That's how I know the game's soundtrack is something special.

v1119. Diddy Kong Racing (N64) - Pirate Lagoon

One of the lone hovercraft-only courses in Diddy Kong Racing, Pirate Lagoon has you carefully navigating your craft through hostile waters, tight turns, through a narrow cavernous chamber, and back outside near a wrecked pirate ship. Dave Wise once again delights with his music stylings, delivering a catchy, upbeat, and uptempo soundtrack that gets regular plays on my iTunes.

v1120. Burning Rangers (SAT) - Angels With Burning Hearts (English Version)

Rock out with this final VGM volume for this week. It's from a cult classic game for a cult classic system. It's Burning Rangers from the Sega Saturn. The game isn't totally unknown, as it got a new audience with the Burning Depths course in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. One of my least favorite tracks due to its hard to see turns, but a track in the game all the same. Gotta love the cheesy vocals, rock guitar, and sax!

7 E3 2015 Announcements That Would Have Me Hyped Like Crazy

E3 2015 is approaching like a speed demon. Next week will be like Christmas for gamers, where all the biggest announcements from the big three-- Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft-- as well as third-parties and indie developers will be made and games will be showcased. It takes very little to get me excited, as I just love all things gaming pretty much, but these seven dream games/announcements would make me flopping around on the floor with excitement like a fish without air. Okay, maybe I could have used a more pleasant simile, but you get the picture!

- A new Diddy Kong Racing

A rumor exists on the Internet that a project, either developed or co-developed by Retro Studios and Monster Games, are hard at work at a new Diddy Kong Racing, featuring Nintendo's lesser known characters as racers. This rumor dates back to last year, and it has recently popped up this week due to Nintendo of Europe filing a trademark for "Diddy Kong", and Diddy Kong being absent from Mario Kart 8's roster. While someone might just be playing with my heartstrings, Diddy Kong Racing is my favorite kart racer of all time, and I jump at any chance to believe that a new entry is being made.

- A new Metroid

Nintendo's Shinya Takahashi, a man who runs one of Nintendo's development division, stated last year that there are plans to build a future for both 2D and 3D Metroid. Could it be that many months after Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Retro Studios' last release, had its development finished (about 18 months ago) that they could be working on a new Metroid? Whether or not it's a dual release like in 2002 with the GameCube's Metroid Prime and the Game Boy Advance's Metroid Fusion releasing on the same day with a new 2D and 3D Metroid releasing simultaneously, one for Wii U and one for 3DS, I just want a new Metroid!

- LEGO City Undercover 2

This is one that probably won't happen at all, due to the fact that WB Games has LEGO Jurassic World releasing this week, LEGO Avengers releasing late this year as well as LEGO Dimensions, all for Wii U. It seems way too packed with LEGO releases to do a fourth game this year. However, LEGO Undercover continues to be my favorite in the series, and I would love a return to the Grand Theft Auto-lite world with Chase McCain, Frank Honey, and all the lovable characters that exist inside. The game remains one of my favorites on the Wii U, and a sequel would send me hooting and hollering like the Nintendo 64 kid.

- Sly Cooper 5

With a movie set to release next year, I believe, it would make sense for a movie tie-in game similar to what Insomniac Games is doing with Ratchet & Clank. Considering there was a huge cliffhanger at the end of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, I'd love to find out what actually happens with regards to Mr. Cooper. It would also give me yet another reason to purchase a PlayStation 4, as colorful platformers are hard to find on anything but Nintendo systems, and 3D platformers are even rarer.

- Rare's new game being Banjo-Kazooie... or Jet Force Gemini... or Perfect Dark

Basically, if it's a franchise from its Nintendo days, I'm most likely interested in it seeing a sequel by this iteration of the Rare team. Heck, I adored Perfect Dark Zero, despite it not being fit to be in the same sentence as its predecessor. I know there's rumors that Battletoads, a true blast from the past, might be Rare's next game, or at least from another Microsoft-owned company similar to Killer Instinct. However, nothing gives me more excitement than seeing a franchise from my most nostalgic gaming period-- the N64 generation-- given a current generation entry.

- Sonic the Hedgehog's 25th anniversary game

Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice was announced prior to E3, and that might be all we're getting from SEGA this year when it concerns the Blue Blur (besides the next Mario & Sonic Olympics entry). That's fine with me, as next year will be Sonic the Hedgehog's 25th anniversary. It makes sense that Sonic Team would want to release a new game to capitalize on that occasion. However, I don't think it's too soon to reveal the actual project, whether a sneak peak or teaser, to Sonic's fans at this year's E3.

- Rayman's return

I generally don't watch third-party E3 conferences, but that may be changing with EA's and Ubisoft's this year. While I couldn't care less about the umpteenth entry in the Assassin's Creed franchise, any word on a Watch Dogs sequel, or the return of Sam Fisher, what would excite me would be a new entry in the Rayman franchise. Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends are two of the best 2D platformers I've ever played, so a third HD entry would have my head in the clouds, dreaming of nabbing Lums and rescuing Electoons. If you haven't guessed by now, my favorite types of games are fantastical cartoon-like concoctions.

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What announcements from this year's E3 would make you go bananas? Let me know in the comments section below!