Play Super Mario Kart Rider Online

Super Mario Kart Rider came out in 1992 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, a time when platformers dominated the console. It was developed and published by Nintendo, fitting right in with the familiar side scrolling adventures of the era, but it tried something a little different by blending racing into the usual run and jump formula.

You control Mario, navigating courses that are part obstacle filled race track, part traditional platforming stage. The main goal is to reach the finish line before your opponents, collecting coins and power ups along the way. Signature mechanics include hopping over pits and enemies just like in the main Mario games, but also drifting around tight corners to maintain speed and using items like shells to knock other racers off course. The pacing is fast, and the difficulty ramps up quickly with later tracks demanding precise jumps and tight drifts. It feels like a chaotic, slightly janky mash up of two different types of games, but there is a strange charm in making that final jump to the checkered flag.