Top Ten Winter-Themed Mario Kart Tracks

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through SPC, 

Not a creature was stirring, save for little ol' me. 

A new article is here on the front page with care,

Hoping that viewers will stop by and give it a stare.

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone! It's almost customary for SuperPhillip Central to provide some kind of winter-themed video game list around this time of the year, so let's do that again. This time, though, let's be a little more specific with a look at one of SPC's favorite racing franchises, Mario Kart. The series is renowned for being incredibly accessible to almost all types of players, and its assortment of tracks are seldom dull and ordinarily exciting. 

This top ten list is themed after the latter, those exciting tracks, though those that have a winter theme. We are in a new season here in North America, the winter season, and with Christmas quickly approaching, there's no better way to celebrate both Mario Kart and the holiday season than with a list featuring SPC's favorite winter-based Mario Kart tracks! Let's get to the countdown!

NOTE: For an updated list for 2025, check out this video top ten!

10) Sherbet Land - Mario Kart 64 (N64)

We begin this countdown of winter-based Mario Kart tracks with the first fully 3D entry in the series, Mario Kart 64 and its Sherbet Land track. It was a tough challenge to leave one of the two snow and winter-themed Mario Kart 64 tracks off of this list, but ultimately, Frappe Snowland was the victim. No offense to that track or its fans, as I really enjoy that one, too. Regardless, Sherbet Land in Mario Kart 64 sees Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom crew visit a massive lake-like track, similar to Vanilla Lake from Super Mario Kart. There's cracks in the ice that can be leaped over with proper timing and speed, and the closer to the center of the lake you are when you leap, the more seconds you can shave off your time--though it's also riskier. Penguins surround the lake, sliding around back and forth, and also calling a column-filled cavernous corridor their home. Racers would do well to not bump into one as they waddle around each icy pillar in the cave. Sherbet Land would return in Mario Kart Wii as a retro track, and it allowed players like myself to appreciate this icy race course once again.

9) Rosalina's Ice World - Mario Kart 7 (3DS)

Whether in its Mario Kart 7 original form or more notably in its Mario Kart Tour glow-up, Rosalina's Ice World is a track full of hazards and slippery goodness to enjoy. From the start of the track you can see planets in the sky. This particular track has a cold, lonely feel to it, even with the penguin town full of igloos and other homes halfway through it. One can stay on the top of the ice for a slippery ride, or opt to travel underwater and sea the aquatic life underneath, such as the aforementioned penguins. The home stretch features a cavern of icicles, stalagmites, and more, all leading back into the open outside air where the finish line greets racers. I wasn't originally too keen on Rosalina's Ice World, especially as a Mario Kart 7 Special Cup track, but I eventually warmed up to it. Its Mario Kart Tour version is more enticing, so that might be a cause for my turnaround in opinion.

8) Ice Ice Outpost - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW), Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

As you'll see from this list, Mario Kart 8 and its Deluxe edition have no shortage of excellent tracks to choose from. Of course, when a game has 48 tracks, it sort of makes sense! Regardless, one of the then-new tracks featured in one of the two DLC packs of the Wii U original Mario Kart 8 and included wholesale as part of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is Ice Ice Outpost. This is a unique track located at an arctic outpost surrounded by icebergs, ships, and ocean. The uniqueness of the track comes from how almost the entire track is made up of two paths that cross over one another multiple times. There are plenty of points where you can change paths, and even some dangerous shortcut possibilities to take in the process. Then, there's the enjoyable anti-gravity to engage with, making for one race that seldom lacks challenge and fierce competition!

7) DK Pass - Mario Kart DS (DS)

The lone track example from the Nintendo DS's "cleverly" titled Mario Kart DS, DK Pass is a ride through the snowy mountainside pass filled with snow, snowmen, and racers to overcome. DK Pass features a multitude of twists and turns, some without railing to save you in case you monkey around too much, and hazards to avoid. The most notable of which are the gigantic rolling snowballs that can clobber unassuming racers like a bowling ball knocking down pins. Sometimes you're going against the path of snowballs, like on the ride up the pass, while on the ride down, you're driving with them. Either way, it's a precarious place to be! DK Pass is especially enjoyable in Mario Kart 7 for how in the first two laps the race is covered with a blanket of fog, but by the third, the sun pierces through the clouds and fog, dissipating both, and reveals a clearer and brighter view of this rocky and rowdy winter-based track.

6) DK Summit - Mario Kart Wii (Wii)

Another DK-based winter-themed track, DK Summit comes from Mario Kart Wii, and this game in the series introduced the ability to trick off ramps and other elevation changes to get a speed boost. What makes DK Summit so much fun is that it gives ample opportunity to try out this new mechanic, and does so with great generosity! Almost immediately after the starting line, you're rocketed through the air to the top of the summit through a large barrel cannon. Then, you're only recourse is a windy and equally wild ride down the slopes, avoiding chasms, players, and other dangers as you trick off slopes, halfpipes, and more. It's riveting to say the least, and makes for one seriously enjoyable track to go "ape" on!

5) Vancouver Velocity - Mario Kart Tour (iOS, AND)

Let's move to Mario Kart's premier mobile outing with a game that I have certainly warmed up to since my rather scathing review back near its launch. It's Mario Kart Tour, and despite my myriad issues with the game, there are several bright spots, and one of them is the amazing track design on display. The new city-based courses based on real life locations offer a taste of the real world in Mario Kart, though of course with a Mushroom Kingdom spin! Vancouver of Canada is one of such cities, and Vancouver Velocity is a stellar track from the game. However, this time around the snow and ice are merely for aesthetics as you never really interact with them in the actual race from the bright neon lights of the city, where the starting line begins, to the trek through the surrounding forests across thin bridges and then a windy road of wooden planks. It's a gorgeous track with a great deal of challenge to come in first on.

4) Sherbet Land - Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

It wouldn't be a Mario Kart list with mentioning the unique experiment in the series, Mario Kart: Double Dash. Whether playing the GameCube original version of Sherbet Land (not to be confused with the previously listed Nintendo 64 track of the same name), or diving (literally at times) into the track's retro revival in Mario Kart 8, Sherbet Land is a slippery ride through a Shy Guy skating rink and then a crystal cavern, out to a curvy patch of road surrounded by thick snowbanks, and finally weaving through a giant patch of ice where Freezies from Mario Bros. make their homes. It's a particularly festive track with Christmas lights flashing around, and the song played only amplifies this feeling.

3) Merry Mountain - Mario Kart Tour (iOS, AND)

Why, hello there again, Mario Kart Tour! Speaking of feeling particularly festive, we move on to a track that is the newest and most recent of the bunch on this list. It's so satisfying of a track that it arrives at the number three spot on this list! It's Mario Kart Tour's Merry Mountain, a wholly original track that first appeared in the Winter Tour this year in the game. Nothing else rivals the festive feel of this track, whether you're starting out in the Christmas village where the start/finish line is, weaving through the windy paths, either taking the ground path or the more elevated wooden plank path to reach the top of the mountain. At the top, you of course have nowhere to go but down, offering plenty of opportunities to trick off ramps, collect coins being tossed out by a Toad-driven sleigh in the sky, and making your way back down to the finish. It's a delightfully fun track, and the only caveat here is that you have to play Mario Kart Tour to experience it!

2) Animal Crossing (Winter) - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW), Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

If there was one track that especially gives off a comfy and cozy feeling it's the Animal Crossing track, specifically the winter variant of it. This track is notable for, like Animal Crossing, having four seasons to it, and one track variant attached to each. With the winter version, you get a warm feeling even in the coldest season of them all. The town is lit up and decorated with Christmas lights, snow blankets all, and the nighttime sky illuminates the ground to make for an especially lovely looking place. It's homey and remarkable to look at, but it's also a great deal of fun to race on, too, whether you're in town or riding along the beach with stars in the sky and snow on the ground. This is all the while animal villagers cheer you on to [hopefully] victory. It also doesn't hurt that Animal Crossing is one of my favorite Nintendo franchises, either, so that might sway my opinion on this pick... a little.

1) Mount Wario - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NSW), Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

Not just my favorite winter-themed Mario Kart track, but one of my favorite tracks in any Mario Kart period, Mount Wario, which debuted in Mario Kart 8, is unlike any other track on this list. Rather than being three laps it's divided up into three parts, as racers start at the top of the titular mountain, dropping in from the back of an airplane and drive all the way down to the base. Along the way are slippery slopes, a river running through a cavern, a dam, a dangerous section filled with trees to weave through, and the final section, a segment made up of ski jumps and moguls to traverse as you make your way to the finish line where your adoring public awaits to cheer you on. The entire race is like an adventure, one pulse-pounding thrill ride that like a great ride at an amusement park, one that you'll want to immediately go on again after completing it. This is how the best Mario Kart tracks make me feel, and Mount Wario is one of the tops in this department, and tops this list of winter-themed Mario Kart tracks.

Honorable Mentions: Frappe Snowland - Mario Kart 64, Snow Land - Mario Kart: Super Circuit (GBA)

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - "Mario Kart" Edition

Welcome to the beginning of a new week here at SuperPhillip Central. Generally, on Mondays, we start the week with an edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. That tradition continues with this Mario Kart-themed edition, spotlighting five themes from five individual entries in Nintendo's long, lasting arcade racing series.

Jetting off the starting marker with a well-timed button press before Lakitu's count goes down to 1, we flip and fly with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Following that, with dive and glide with Mario Kart 7. Then, we keep the lead in tow with Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart 64, before crossing over the finish line in record time with Super Mario Kart.

Click on the big and bold VGM volume name to hear that song via YouTube video, and remember: the VGM Database has every song ever featured in this weekly ongoing series of articles. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1471. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS) - Lunar Colony

Let's boost out of the starting line with the most recent Mario Kart outing on there, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an updated port of the Wii U original. Deluxe came jam-packed with all of the content of the original Wii U release, such as its roster, tracks (including all of the initial DLC now on the game itself), and modes. Well, the latter isn't exactly true. In fact, one of the fresh aspects of Deluxe was the revamped Battle Mode, taking place in actual arenas rather than retro-fitted tracks lifted from Grand Prix mode. Lunar Colony, with its chill guitar and electronic accompaniment, is one of such arena featured in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's new and improved Battle Mode.

v1472. Mario Kart 7 (3DS) - Wuhu Loop

Returning from Wii Sports Resort, Wuhu Island gets representation in Mario Kart 7 three times: twice in the Grand Prix modes as two different tracks and once in Battle Mode as one of the arenas. The first of these Grand Prix tracks takes place in the Flower Cup, and it's a three-stage race as opposed to a three-lap one. It's a glorious and satisfying trip around Wuhu Island, hence the racetrack's name, Wuhu Loop! Race through the heart of Wuhu Town, cross the historic red suspension bridge, race alongside the ocean on a cliff side path, and meander around the island in this wonderful race.

v1473. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN) - Peach Beach & Daisy Cruiser

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! ended up being a nostalgic favorite for me, which is weird because I spent more time playing Mario Kart 64, its console predecessor. Regardless, the bright and bouncy visuals, "two characters per kart" racing mechanic, memorable tracks (at least for me), and endless nights of enjoyable multiplayer made for a Mario Kart entry I really liked. This theme, VGM volume 1473, plays during two tracks within Double Dash!!, one in the early tropical beach track Peach Beach, and the other aboard the Daisy Cruiser. Both of these venues are great for soaking in some sun while ruining others' racing vacations via banana peels, shells, and lightning bolts.

v1474. Mario Kart 64 (N64) - Rainbow Road

I talked about how Double Dash!! was a more nostalgic for me as opposed to the Mario Kart entry I played much more, Mario Kart 64. However, thinking back, there was so much to dislike about 64, from the insane rubber-band AI to the handling of the karts themselves. One thing that Mario Kart 64 beats the pants off most games in the series is without question the astounding music. Through all the themes, there isn't a loser in the bunch, and all fans of the soundtrack like myself can thank game composer Kenta Nagata for that.

v1475. Super Mario Kart (SNES) - Mario Circuit

We head to the finish line with SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs in style here with the original Mario Kart experience, Super Mario Kart from the SNES. Mario Circuit is the very first Mushroom Cup race, and it eases players into Super Mario Kart with gentle curves and minimal obstructions so they can get a grip on the game's controls.

All-Star Franchises, Underrated Entries - Part Nine

If you've been around SuperPhillip Central for a little while (it's still okay if you haven't, so no harm done), then you know that I like talking about underrated and overlooked games. I've done various series on the subject. However, most of the time, the games mentioned in these articles are from wholly new or overlooked franchises themselves.

There are also a multitude of series that I can think of that have one, two, or a handful of games in it that aren't viewed as highly as the others, whether just or not.

These ideas are where the concept of All-Star Franchises, Underrated Entries comes from, and since part eight, I've come up with six more underrated entries to big-time franchises, some bigger than others. If you'd like to see past parts of this now long-running series, check them out here:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Mario Kart - Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

After the original Super Mario Kart essentially created a new genre with the mascot kart racer, after Mario Kart 64 took the franchise into uncharted territory with 3D, and after Mario Kart's debut on a handheld with Super Circuit, the Mario Kart series needed something special with its GameCube outing to make it stand out from the pack. Nintendo met that challenge with Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a racer that innovated with the addition of two racers per kart, able to switch on the fly when strategy called for it. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! isn't as acclaimed by fans or critics as much as other Mario Kart games out there, but rest assured, it's a wonderful entry in the series, bringing forth 16 stellar new races, such as DK Mountain, Daisy Cruiser, and the always crazy and entertaining Baby Park. 

Donkey Kong - Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat (GCN)

Before Nintendo EAD went on to create one of the highest-rated games of all time with Super Mario Galaxy, the team crafted an innovative platforming adventure starring Donkey Kong known as Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat. The innovation came from the use of a bongo controller that came packaged with the game, where hitting the left bongo would move DK left, the right bongo would move DK right, and clapping (or you can alternately hit the rim of the controller) would attack enemies. Using all these inputs in tandem would allow players to exhaust a myriad of high-numbered combos, increasing DK's banana count and score in each pair of levels, followed by a traditional boss battle or a Punch-Out-styled Kong encounter. Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat would get a Wii enhancement, ditching the bongo controller for the shaking of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

Banjo-Kazooie - Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360)

Some fans of Banjo and his always cheeky partner Kazooie see Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts as the death of the franchise. Others see it as an extension of the formula with the same level of humor, charm, and wit the series is known for, just put in a vehicle-styled setting. Nuts & Bolts departed greatly from the standard foundation that Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie before it had laid down, offering missions in open world landscapes based off of using custom-constructed vehicles to achieve various goals. The fun wasn't just completing these goals for a Jiggy reward, but also seeing just how many ways you could go about accomplishing the same task. While Nuts & Bolts is decidedly not the direction most Banjo-Kazooie fans would have liked the series to go in, or even have the bear and bird attached to the game, for what it is, Nuts & Bolts is a terrific title.

The Legend of Zelda - The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)

The Nintendo DS saw Nintendo selling almost as many of its dual-screened system as the PlayStation 2 did in its lifetime. Quite the achievement. It also saw the arrival of a focus on touch-based controls and the utilization of both of the system's screens. While not every DS game used either or both marketed features of the system, The Legend of Zelda franchise was one that did. Instead of using traditional analog controls like every other Zelda before it, Phantom Hourglass used all touch. From moving Link around to attacking foes, the touch screen was the central focus here. It made some tools like the Boomerang really intuitive, and while the rest of the controls took some learning, once the curve was met, they were wildly entertaining and worthwhile. I choose Phantom Hourglass over Spirit Tracks, the game's successor, due to one particular dungeon that requires multiple revisits, being a source of tedium for many a player. While that's a frustrating part of the game, overall, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is a superb entry in the long-running franchise.

Kirby - Kirby: Mass Attack (DS)

Another Nintendo DS that focuses on touch, Kirby: Mass Attack is the fourth and final game in the series that arrived on the system. The first, Canvas Curse, had players moving Kirby through side-scrolling levels with the power of touch and through drawing lines to guide the pink puffball around. Mass Attack features a totally different method of using touch-- using it to guide a team of up to ten Kirbys through levels by tapping the screen, creating a star that the Kirby squadron can follow and even grab onto. There's also the ability to flick Kirbys into enemies and obstacles to clear stages. Being a late release on the Nintendo DS and the fourth Kirby game on the system, Kirby: Mass Attack didn't receive as much fanfare as the other three Kirby releases on the DS before it. It's a "mass"-ive shame, as the game is a intuitive, innovative, and entertaining delight that plays unlike any other platformer on the system.

Breath of Fire - Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter (PS2)

Previous Breath of Fire games featured many elements borrowed from other RPGs of the day, specifically Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, the two titans of RPGs back then. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 2's Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter eschewed many of the traditions of the series with a story told in an underground industrial world, where the goal was to reach the surface through defeating enemies, collecting keys, and doing one's best to stay alive. Repeated play-throughs of the game were recommended due to the story not being fully available through just one run through Dragon Quarter. The drastic departure of Dragon Quarter compared to past Breath of Fire games put off a lot of players, specifically those with a deep connection to the games, but those willing to give Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter a chance will discover a game highly worthy of playing and investing some time into.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Monday Night Raw Edition

What do RPGs and Mario have in common? Well, if you thought Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Paper Mario, or Mario and Luigi, you made an educated guess, but it's an incorrect one. Instead, this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs leads off with three special RPGs and ends with two Mario games.

Chrono Cross takes us to emotional heights right from the get-go, followed by an intense 16-bit boss theme from Final Fantasy VI. We then listen to a satisfying vocal theme from Wild ARMs 3. Wrapping up things, we get some time on the links with Mario Golf, and then drive home in style with Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Also, be sure to check out the VGM Database for all 1025 previous VGM volumes. It's been reorganized slightly into 100 volume chunks.

v1026. Chrono Cross (PS1) - Star-Stealing Girl

We begin this edition of the old VGMs with a heartfelt tune from Yasunori Mitsuda's Chrono Cross soundtrack. From the touching piano accompaniment, to the heart-tugging strings, to the clear as crystal vocals that garnish this song, Star-Stealing Girl is a true delight from beginning to end. Even if you haven't touched Chrono Cross, you need no emotional attachment to the game to appreciate this theme, a true sign of a great VGM.

v1027. Final Fantasy VI (SNES) - The Decisive Battle

My absolute favorite normal boss theme within the Final Fantasy series, The Decisive Battle is a catchy and tense theme that plays during Terra's party's encounters with bosses big and small. Nobuo Uematsu was at the top of his game when he composed the music for Final Fantasy VI, and it is without question my favorite Final Fantasy soundtrack. That's high acclaim, as the Final Fantasy series has no shortage of sublime soundtracks.

v1028. Wild ARMs 3 (PS2) - Wings (English Version)

Wings is the ending theme of Wild ARMs 3, the first of four Wild ARMs games that would hit the PlayStation 2. The others consist of Wild ARMs 4, 5, and the remake of the very first Wild ARMs, Wild ARMs Alter Code f. If you're looking for a science fiction game set in the Wild West, then this RPG series might just fascinate you.

v1029. Mario Golf (N64) - Toad Tournament

For the longest time my favorite arcade golf games were Hot Shots Golf Fore! and the Nintendo 64 Mario Golf. Then Camelot wowed me with their Nintendo 3DS Mario Golf entry, World Tour. Not only did the game have an abundance of original courses, but the well-worth-it downloadable content had all six of Mario Golf's courses remade! Still, though, I do enjoy the N64 Mario Golf's soundtrack better than 3DS. Perhaps the only thing I prefer now!

v1030. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN) - Credits

Let's end this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with a staff credits theme from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, a truly underrated Mario Kart entry. The credits theme starts off with the motif from Mario Kart 64's credits theme, one of my favorite staff roll themes of all time. With Double Dash's theme, I really dig the mellow piano and the finale where the game's main theme is heard.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Keep Your Friends Close and Your VGMs Closer Edition

We kick off this week how we routinely do here at SuperPhillip Central with SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. We've been doing this for about three years now, and we have no signs of stopping. Perhaps we will if great video game music somehow dries up, but we're not thinking it will any time soon! This week's edition has music from Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, and Final Fantasy V.

v681. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN) - Circuit

The theme for Mario Circuit, Luigi Circuit, and Yoshi Circuit in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Circuit is a peppy and cheerful tune full of uptempo whistling goodness. Double Dash!! is not only a notable entry in the series for being a drastic departure on the formula of any Mario Kart past and future due to its two person kart, but it's also notable for having a fantastic multiplayer and groovy track design.

v682. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2) - Heavenly Flight

With the news that Studio Ghibli is taking some time off for reevaluate the future direction of the company, it felt right to bring up a song created by the studio's main composer, Joe Hisaishi. Dragon Quest VIII was the sole PlayStation 2 era entry in the series, but man, is it a terrific game to represent that era!

v683. Disney's Hercules Action Game (PS1) - The Big Olive

The Big Olive is Athens in the universe of Disney's Hercules, a clever take on New York City being known as the Big Apple. This city level has multiple 2D planes to it, offering the ability to move along rooftops, down alleyways, up in the rafters, and on the city streets of Athens. Just watch out for pickpockets and electrocuted cats. Eh. Don't ask.

v684. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (DS) - London (Live Version)

This live version of the London theme recorded with real instruments did not play in Professor Layton and the Unwound Theme. However, it would find a place in the soundtrack of Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy for the Nintendo 3DS. It's a somber, melancholy piece that holds a lot of precious beauty to it.

v685. Final Fantasy V (SNES) - Battle on the Big Bridge

A popular piece for Final Fantasy fans and those who enjoy the music of longtime series composer Nobuo Uematsu (or anyone who just likes excellent music), Battle on the Big Bridge is one of the special battle themes within Final Fantasy V. The original Final Fantasy V released for the Super Famicom, but it would never make the trip across the pond to the West until the Final Fantasy Anthology duo of discs that released for the original PlayStation.

SuperPhillip Central's Top 100 Games of All Time (60-51)

On June 5, SuperPhillip Central turned five years old. We're celebrating big the only way we know how, with a list of our favorite 100 games of all time. SuperPhillip Central's staff has come together to come up with this list. These don't necessarily have to be the best, but they are indeed our favorites. Coming up with an order for these games has been an immense challenge. We're sure you won't agree with our order-- heck, we don't even agree with our order. That said, we hope you'll at least agree with our picks, and if you don't, at least you can read our rationale for our choices. Regardless, for ten weeks, we will be counting down our favorite games of all time. Please join us for this great undertaking.

If you missed a previous edition of our countdown, look no further than these links:

Games of All Time (100-91)
Games of All Time (90-81)
Games of All Time (80-71)
Games of All Time (70-61)

 Let's get to the countdown!

60) Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

We kick off this week's list of ten games with Mario Kart: Double Dash!! No, we didn't add in two exclamation points for effect-- that's how the title of the game is officially written as by Nintendo. Regardless, onto the game itself-- what we consider the greatest kart racer of the PS2 era. The cooperative nature of having two racers per kart added a new dimension to the gameplay, and working in tandem to achieve the same goal-- first place-- made for some very fun and hilarious exchanges between both opponents and partners! Double Dash!! featured a great amount of new tracks, including Baby Park, Mushroom City, Bowser's Castle, Dino Dino Jungle, Wario Colosseum, and Rainbow Road, to name a handful. It's a game that still delivers to this day, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is a local multiplayer juggernaut.

59) Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (PS2)

Out of the four Sly Cooper games that have been released thus far, we still have our hearts pilfered by the first game in the series, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus. Emotional gibberish aside, Sly 1 introduced the world to that thieving raccoon and his accomplices, a brawny hippo and a tech-savvy turtle. It also put Sucker Punch (now working on the PS4 launch window title InFAMOUS: Second Son) into the gaming public's collective eye. We rate this Sly Cooper above the rest because of how it was structured. There wasn't much in the way of an open world setting, and each mission was an actual full-fledged level-- something we enjoyed and preferred greatly. Yes, there have been better boss battles in the series since, but no Sly Cooper game has enthralled us more than the Thievius Raccoonus.

58) ExciteBots: Trick Racing (Wii) 

Quite possibly our favorite racer of the past generation was a severely overlooked title from Monster Games called ExciteBots: Trick Racing. It was absolutely crazy, manic, wild and highly enjoyable. You see, you didn't just race to the finish in the game. No, you had to do it with some style. Performing tricks in the air, carefully driving through tree-lined paths and kicking field goals were just three of the many ways to earn stars. At the end of the race, the player with the most stars was considered the winner. In the solo mode, depending on how many stars you earned, you were awarded a letter grade. Getting the top grade meant unlocking an abundance of new tracks, content, and bots. The motion controlled driving worked great on the wide tracks ExciteBots was full of, and the level of insanity crammed into the game disc still hasn't been topped by any racer. You can nab ExciteBots: Trick Racing (at least in North America and Japan) on the very cheap, and it's an absolute steal. You'll be ready to make Super Sandwiches while you perform Super Tree Runs shortly thereafter!

57) The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)

Size matters, especially in the world of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. While Link appeared in a title before Minish Cap, Capcom's take on the Zelda series was a wholly original one, taking Link and allowing him to shrink down to Minish people size. This ability granted him access to new locations, and made ordinary-sized objects in the real world dangerous and possibly deadly in the Minish world. The game's six dungeons were fantastically designed, showing that Capcom had not lost a step since Oracles of Ages and Oracle of Seasons (speaking of which.... later on this list...). The bright and colorful graphics looked absolutely wonderful on the Game Boy Advance's screen, and the music beautifully blended old and new, bringing remixes and totally new tracks to the table. Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors have this game on their handhelds already, so here's hoping more people get to experience The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap if the Ambassador games are made public.

56) F-Zero GX (GCN)

Do you like high velocity races? Do you like futuristic settings? Do you like anti-gravity? Do you like fiendishly difficult games? Do you like loop-de-loops, twists, turns, and swirls in your track design? Will Captain Falcon forever be your hero, and not just only for tonight? If you said "yes" to any one of these questions, then F-Zero GX is the title for you. This GameCube exclusive was the last F-Zero game to hit a home console, and it contained over 30 unique racers, 30 participant races, mind-blowing graphics, a sensational soundtrack comprised of electronic, techno and rock music, and some of the greatest racing to ever hit a Nintendo system-- nay, any video game system. F-Zero GX is a technological marvel, but it also has the heart of an exciting and ultimately really rewarding racer.

55) Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

In the Super Nintendo era, we were but young kids. We didn't know much then, but we know now how much we miss that generation of gaming, if only for the copious amounts of platformers that popped up at the time. Rare's Donkey Kong Country brought Shigeru Miyamoto's main monkey back into the spotlight, this time in heroic form and a snazzy, new, red tie. Many were wowed by the well done visuals, genius music and tech of the game, but Donkey Kong Country also had the gameplay to back the whole package up. Cartwheeling across chasms, blasting out from barrel to barrel, and beating the crud of those cursed Kremlings made for an excellent ride. The amount of secrets in the game made for a highly replay-able platforming adventure that has since stood the test of time.

54) Batman: Arkham City (PS3, 360, PC)

It is not a stretch to call Batman: Arkham City one of the best superhero games ever devised. It is not simply a great superhero game, but it is a great game in general. Arkham City introduced a more open world setting to players, which was an entertaining to glide and grapple across. The combat system made for battles that were seldom a chore and took some ingenuity and finesse to perfect for the developers (and to master for the players). The story of Arkham City was exciting from beginning to end, constantly having us play more extra minutes than we should have been just to see what happened next. Exploration of Arkham City was a joy to do, and the walled off dystopia held many side quests among its main missions, showcasing new characters seemingly at every turn. Batman: Arkham City successfully was the ultimate superhero experience, and we're excited to see where a new developer takes us with Batman: Arkham Origins.

53) The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons (GBC)

We recently revisited both of these Game Boy Color Legend of Zelda games when they released on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. The pair of Zelda adventures both had their own overworld gimmicks (and we don't say that in a negative way) to change how Link explored each game's respective world. For Oracle of Ages, it was transporting from the present to the past and vice versa. For Oracle of Seasons, it was cycling between the four seasons to pass environmental obstructions and progress through the game. Both games contained eight unique and well designed dungeons that were so good you wouldn't know that an outside studio made them and not Nintendo themselves. After one game was beaten, a password could be inputted into the other to continue Link's quest on the other game. Through beating both, you would be introduced to the real villain behind both game worlds' problems. If you have yet to play either Oracle of Ages or Oracle of Seasons, you are truly missing out.

52) Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

We probably have this game listed too low on this list for a lot of PlayStation fans, but that's okay. Just know that we do love Team ICO's second PlayStation 2 effort a whole lot. While at first glance Shadow of the Colossus comes off as an action-adventure game, there are no towns or dungeons to visit, and no other enemies to take down besides the colossi within the game. Each colossi boss towers over Wander, the protagonist, and this is where Shadow of the Colossus almost reaches puzzle game levels. The tact and approach to taking down each colossi, figuring out and then exploiting their weakness(es) is what you, as the player, must do. However, the game isn't perfect, which is why we have it listed at #52. The camera and controls can be a bit clumsy, which detracts from the experience. That said, the experience that Shadow of the Colossus gives players is one that most should not go without having for themselves.

51) Final Fantasy IX (PS1)

After the two Final Fantasy games that preceded it went with a more modern approach, Final Fantasy IX went back to its roots with a more classical, medieval setting, with cartoon proportioned characters. This traditional Final Fantasy approach made those of us nostalgic for the old days of the series jiggle around with glee. Final Fantasy IX's world was a marvel to behold, offering wondrous location after location, the Active Time Battle system made it so players had to act fast or get beaten down, and the cast of characters were some of the most endearing ones of the PlayStation era. Final Fantasy IX may not be the best that Squaresoft had to offer PlayStation owners, but it certainly rings true for us as one of the better mainline installments in the series.

===

You. Us. Same day next week. We'll have ten more titles on our list of favorites (50-41 to be exact), as we hit the second half of our monumental countdown. We hope you continue to enjoy what we have to say about each game. (If not, please pretend.)