Mario Kart: Ancient Circuit

Mario Kart: Ancient Circuit is a Mario Kart racing game developed by St. Clair Publications that was released on July 29, 2020. It's the second Mario Kart game for the Switch, the first that's not a remake, and is the successor to Mario Kart 8/Deluxe.
==Story==
This game is unique in that, instead of competing for trophies, the player is instead trying to rebuild a broken ancient relic. Mario and Bowser both discover the relic buried in the ground, and ultimately break it into pieces after fighting over it. After a heated debate, Bowser decides that they should race for it, setting this game into motion.
==Gameplay==
While, at its core, this game plays very similarly to Mario Kart 8/Deluxe, a number of overhauls were made to the look and feel of the game. Most notably, Alex took inspiration from the Super Smash Bros. games and introduced new features/overhauled existing ones with those games in mind.
Among the new features in this game:
* The Horn of Doom™ is back: Returning from Super Mario Kart, if you're in a "bad" place on the last lap of a race, you'll hear a horn honking. Don't like it? Well, get into sixth place or higher, then!
* Unique victory themes are back: Also returning from SMK, characters now have unique after-race results themes if they place sixth or better, with the "original eight" using modernized versions of their original themes (Donkey Kong Jr. is not in this game, so DK takes his theme).
* Double Dashing!! is back: Available only in Vs. and Battle Mode and dubbed "Doubles Mode" in this game, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'s "two players per Kart" mechanic returns as an option.
* Licenses are back: They don't quite work the same as they did in Mario Kart Wii, however; instead, they work more like names in the Smash Bros. games.
* Weather: At random (10% chance of each by default), tracks can get one of five weather conditions on them: Night, Fog, Snow, Rain, and Harsh Sunlight.
** Night makes the track darker and makes it harder to see, although some tracks have lights on to circumvent this.
** Fog sets up a thick fog all around the track, making it harder to see.
** Snow puts snow and ice on the track, severely reducing your traction unless you're in an ATV.
** Rain reduces traction and makes it harder to see, albeit not quite as bad as snow or fog. Tracks with water in them may be flooded.
** Harsh Sunlight makes the track extremely bright, lowers your top speed slightly, causes spinouts/crashes/Lakitu rescues to take 10% longer, makes Rocket Starts harder (and burnouts easier), and reduces the effectiveness of speed boosts in general. Tracks with water in them may be dried out.
** If a track is set to have a specific weather condition by default, getting that weather condition will instead remove it. For example, if Wii-U Mt. Wario, which is already snowy by default, gets a "Snow" condition, the snow and ice will melt.
* Total immunity to Blooper ink in water: Unlike in MK8/D (where Blooper ink would only be washed off if you were out of water, then drove in), in this game, Bloopers are completely useless on you in water.
* Skipping like a stone on water: Use a Mushroom, Star, or Bullet Bill on top of water and you'll skim on the surface. Not all courses with water have this feature.
* Mirror Mode is no longer an engine class, plus Reverse Mode: Mirror Mode can now be accessed in any CC, alongside the new Reverse Mode, where you actually drive the tracks in the opposite direction.
* Smash Bros.-esque control over items: An actual Item Switch exists in this game that allows you to customize which items can appear in races and what places can get them. You want Blue Shells and Bloopers to only be available to first place racers? You got it!
** Item Rain and Item Slots: Two new modes to make races even crazier. See the "Rules" article for more information on those modes.
* Frenzy Mode: Doesn't quite work like in Mario Kart Tour; instead, it works like Final Fantasy's Limit Breaks or the Final Smash Meter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Get an item when the Frenzy Meter is full and go berserk on your opponents!
* New race modes: Endurance and Relay races come to Vs. Mode while Drag Race comes to single-player. Can you conquer them?
* A E S T H E T I C changes: A seemingly Vaporwave-inspired soundtrack in stark contrast to MK8/D's orchestrated one, with the returning SNES tracks having themes that sound very close to their originals.
The points system, used in GP, Vs., and Battle Mode, is exactly the same as that of Mario Kart 8/Deluxe, noted below:
Place 	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th
Points Earned	15 	12 	10 	9 	8 	7 	6 	5 	4 	3 	2 	1
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The points system has also been simplified for lobbies that don't have enough players by simply removing the lowest positions. For example, if there are 11 racers in a lobby, then the lowest number of points a player can get per race is 2.
When a lobby gets down to 8 players, however, Mario Kart 7's point system is used instead:
Place 	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
Points Earned	10 	8 	6 	5 	4 	3 	2 	1
Then, at 3 or 4 players, a slightly modified version of the system used in the first three games is used:
Place 	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
Points Earned	10 	6 	3 	1
Finally, if there are just two players in a lobby, the point system used in the first four Mario Kart games is used instead, where the winner gets one point.
==Controls==
These are the defaults; as in the Smash Bros. games, you can change these.
===Joy-Cons attached/Pro Controller===
*, /, or by tilting the thing: The steering wheel.
* up or : Engage first person view, back from Mario Kart 7.
* down or : Leave first person view, or if already out of it, toggle between three levels of external zoom, the third being a top-down view.
* or : The gas.
*: The brakes, then driving in reverse.
*: Use items (or blast your horn if you don't have any, or stop the item roulette)
*: Swap items (swap racers in Doubles Mode; in Co-Op Mode, both players must hit this button)
*/: Hop / trick. Keep this button held while turning to engage a drift, and hopefully ultimately do a Mini-Turbo. In Doubles Co-Op Mode, the racer in back can potentially steal an opponent's item if they don't already have one.
*: Rearview mirror
* or : Pause
===GameCube controller===
Similar to Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. To wit:
* - The gas.
* - The brakes, drive in reverse.
* - The steering wheel.
* up: Go into first person view.
* down: Leave first person view, or if already out of it, toggle between the three external zoom levels mentioned above
*/ - Hop, trick, engage drift
*/ - Use item, stop roulette, blast horn
* - Switch items/racers
* - Pause
==Advanced techniques==
* Rocket Start: Hit the gas at the right time (generally when "2" appears at the countdown) for a Mushroom boost off the line. Hit it too early, though, and you'll instead burn out, for a very slow start.
** In Doubles Co-Op Mode, if both players do a Rocket Start, it becomes a Double Dash, and they get an even bigger speed boost.
* Spin Turn: Back from MK64 and Super Circuit, press A and B at the same time when stopped to turn around rapidly.
* Mini-Turbo: Drift hard enough for a speed boost when you release it. As in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there are three levels of Mini-Turbo, colored blue, red, and purple. A character with the maximum Mini-Turbo stat can get a speed boost of five seconds off a purple charge!
* Tricking: Press the hop button at the apex of a ramp for a slight speed boost when you land.
* Spin Boosting: In anti-gravity sections, hit other racers or specially-placed Spin Boost Pillar bumpers for a speed boost.
* Drafting: Tailgate another racer for a few seconds to get a speed boost.
==Game modes==
===Race!===
====Vs. Mode====
The "meat and potatoes" of the game. Race against other players for fun or for glory.
====Battle Mode====
Essentially Call of Duty, Fortnite, Splatoon, or Overwatch, but in Karts. Fight to be the last one standing on one of ten specially-designed tracks.
====Tournament Mode====
Race with as many as 64 players/teams to be the best Mario Karter on your block.
====Rules====
Allows you to set the rules for the race in a manner similar to the Smash Bros. games. You can even save rulesets, as in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
===Games and More===
====GP====
Also the "meat and potatoes" of the game. Race an entire cup for a piece of the relic. Each driver gets points depending on where they placed according to the system mentioned above; whoever has the most points wins.
If you come in first, you get a piece of the relic and unlock something, usually a new Kart or character (exactly which ones you have to win to unlock what are detailed in their own sections), while if you come in second or third, you get a silver or bronze fake relic piece. (If you re-race a track you've already gotten a relic piece in and come in first again, you get a fake gold relic piece as well.)
Also, similarly to Mario Kart 8/Deluxe, you get stars on your save file if you can pull off three or more consecutive first place wins in a cup. Get a perfect score of 75 points to get the maximum three stars!
====Time Trials====
Race by yourself to get the fastest possible time. Your best time on a track becomes a "ghost" which you can share with others. Go fast enough and you can take on a "staff ghost"; beat that to take on the "expert staff ghost".
As in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you can race in either 150cc or 200cc. New to this game is a 100cc Time Trial mode; while this allows you to get some practice on tough courses, your time in this mode doesn't count.
Also new to this game is the fact that you're not automatically given a Triple Mushroom to start. Instead, special Item Boxes now appear on the track, which contain the following items:
* Mushroom: 50% chance
* Triple Mushroom: 30% chance
* Boo: 15% chance
* Star: 4% chance
* Golden Mushroom: 1% chance
====Drag Race====
Essentially the Mario Kart answer to the Home Run Contest in the Smash games. Gather as many Mushrooms as you can in 10 seconds and hope your character/Kart combo goes as far as possible with them!
====Challenger's Approach====
If you failed to unlock a new character, you can use this option to retry.
====Mission Mode====
Added in the "Butch vs. Femme" DLC pack and back from Mario Kart DS, go through nine "worlds" of gimmicky races, then take on a boss. Actually uses an overworld that looks similar to the New Super Mario Bros. games.
===The Garage===
====Custom Combos====
If you have a specific combo that you really like to "main" in competition, save it here to make it easier for you to select later.
====Customize a Kart====
Allows Mario Kart DS-esque styling of Karts, including custom emblems.
====Mii Maker====
This is how Miis become usable in the game.
====Customize Controls====
Customize the controls to your liking. You can either tie them to a license or to your copy of the game.
===Extras===
====Get DLC====
This is how you actually get whatever paid DLC you have bought for the game.
====View Stats====
View a bevy of in-game statistics, including all GP trophies, your best Time Trial times for all courses, and your record in Vs. and Battle.
====MKTV====
View replays, highlight reels, and photos you've saved or downloaded.
====Challenges====
Similar to the Smash Bros. games, there are 100 achievements for you to unlock in this game.
====Sound Test====
Listen to all the music and character voices.
====Other Options====
* Language: Play the game in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Korean, Greek, or Armenian.
* Brightness: Adjust the brightness of the game.
* Volume: Adjust in-game volume and the balance of sound to music.
====Saved Data====
Allows you to view, edit, and delete any licenses, rulesets, custom combos, Miis, and item switches you've made.
==Characters==
This game features 36 playable characters, 24 of which are available by default, and 12 which must be unlocked. Also, as one of the many Smash Bros.-inspired overhauls that this game makes, each character has seven alternate costumes. For most, these are just simple recolors; however, for some, these are completely different characters altogether. For example, Bowser Jr.'s alternate costumes are each of the Koopalings, while Toad has four Toadette skins.
As in the Smash Bros. games, to unlock a character, you have to actually race them on a track. This race is two laps and will generally be done with the last character/Kart combo you used, on their "home course". If you fail to unlock a character, you can use the "Challenger's Approach" option to re-challenge them.
Peach, Daisy, Rosalina, Wario, Waluigi, and Yuki Sakura have 16 costumes, owing to the fact that they wear alternate "biker" outfits when on bikes or ATV's. For Wario, his biker outfit consists of his WarioWare series outfit.
There are also DLC characters!
==Karts==
As in Mario Kart 7 and 8, you must build your Kart by selecting its body, tires, and glider.
There are 55 bodies in this game, only four of which are available by default. There are 18 each of Karts, bikes, and ATV's, plus a super secret 19th bike. The bikes are not further separated into outside drift or sport/inside drift bikes as in the past. Furthermore, each category of vehicle is split into nine Nitro and nine Retro vehicles. New to this game is the fact that the Retro Karts are distinguished by system just like Retro Tracks (i.e. "GCN DK Jumbo", "Wii Flame Runner", "DS Dry Bomber", etc.). Some Retro vehicles that were Karts in their original game were retconned into being bikes and ATV's.
As in Mario Kart DS, 7, and 8, all bodies are available to all characters. Furthermore, they are available by default like in the latter two and do not have to be unlocked like in DS.
There are 25 sets of tires, five of which are available by default. The rest are unlocked at random every 100 coins. Except for the five default ones, which are completely neutral, each tire boosts a stat by 3 while dropping another by 3. Weight cannot be affected.
There are 16 gliders, only one of which is available by default. The rest are unlocked in a set order every 150 coins. Gliders boost a specific set of stats by 2, except for the default Super Glider, which is completely neutral.
There are also DLC Karts! Each time a new DLC pack is released, it will always consist of one Kart, one bike, and one ATV. The vehicles are not separated into Nitro and Retro. Alex may also release DLC tires and gliders for stat combos not currently available.
==How stats are calculated==
The stat system in this game is far simpler compared to past Mario Kart titles.
There are six stats for each driver: Weight, Acceleration, Top Speed, Handling, Off-Roading, and Mini-Turbo. All are expressed as a whole number out of 10. The Karts are broken up in this exact same way. The two values are added together, and that represents how good your character/Kart combo is.
Next, the tires are taken into account. Tires will generally boost one stat by 3 while lowering one by 3.
Finally, the gliders are added into the mix. Gliders will boost a pre-determined set of stats by 2.
The totals are all added up, and that is your combo's final stats. The highest you can ever possibly get in one stat is 25, except for weight, which has a max of 22. It is impossible to go below 1 in any stat, so if you choose a combo that would result in a stat being 0 or a negative number, it gets set to 1. This is done to prevent a game crash, as the game's code is reliant on stats being a positive value.
Here's what the characters' stats mean:
*Weight should be self-explanatory. A combo with a higher Weight stat will push away those with lower weight when they collide.
*Acceleration refers to how easily one can reach their top speed. A higher stat here equals faster acceleration.
*Top Speed is the highest possible speed one can attain, which equates to about two miles per hour a point in 50cc, 3mph in 100cc, 4mph in 150cc, and 6mph in 200cc. The highest possible speed you can attain in this game unboosted is 150mph/240kph.
*Handling measures how well one turns. A higher Handling stat equates to a tighter turning radius and a higher tendency towards inside drifting.
*Off-Roading measures how much speed one retains when going off the track, at the rate of four percent a point. So, if you have the maximum possible Off-Roading stat, you lose no speed at all going off-road.
*Mini-Turbo measures the length of a Mini-Turbo boost, as well as how long drafting, Mushroom, and Dash Panel boosts last, at the rate of .24 seconds per point when drafting and .14 seconds for all other boosts. The maximum possible here is 3.5 seconds/6 seconds of drafting.
As an example, let's use the closest we can get to Alex's "main" in Mario Kart 8/Deluxe: Peach on the Wii-U Teddy Buggy, with the Monster tires and the Bowser Kite.
Peach's stats in this game are:
	Weight	Acceleration	Top Speed	Handling	Off-Roading	Mini-Turbo
	3 	7 	3 	7 	7 	7
The Teddy Buggy's stats in this game are:
	Weight	Acceleration	Top Speed	Handling	Off-Roading	Mini-Turbo
	5 	6 	4 	6 	5 	6
The Monster tires increase top speed by 3 at the expense of acceleration, while the Bowser Kite increases weight by 2. So, the "Alex Standard", if you will, is ultimately:
Peach on Wii-U Teddy Buggy with Monster tires and Bowser Kite	Weight	Acceleration	Top Speed	Handling	Off-Roading	Mini-Turbo
Peach on Wii-U Teddy Buggy with Monster tires and Bowser Kite	10 	10 	10 	13 	12 	13
...which equates to a top speed of 60mph/96kph in 200cc, retaining 48% of that when going off-road, and a 1.82-second Mini-Turbo/Mushroom boost or 3.12-second draft boost.
In Doubles Mode, if Peach is partnered with Daisy, then any time they switch spots and Daisy goes to the front, the stats change to:
Daisy on Wii-U Teddy Buggy with Monster tires and Bowser Kite	Weight	Acceleration	Top Speed	Handling	Off-Roading	Mini-Turbo
Daisy on Wii-U Teddy Buggy with Monster tires and Bowser Kite	11 	9 	12 	12 	11 	12
...which would equate to a top speed of 72mph/115kph in 200cc, retaining 44% of that when going off-road, and a 1.68-second Mini-Turbo or 2.88-second draft.
==Tracks==
In this game, cups go back to having five tracks each, just as it was in Super Mario Kart. There are eight Nitro cups and eight Retro cups. In addition, Rainbow Road is now a cup in itself and there's a special course known as Final Destination, which brings the base track count to 86.
There are also ten Battle Mode stages, five Nitro and five Retro.
The tracks are still three laps each, except for any returning SNES tracks, which are five, and a select few which are only one or two. In addition, all Nitro cups have at least one track in them that uses sections. However, only one Retro track is sectioned, and that's the third race of the Buzzy Beetle Cup, Wii-U Mt. Wario (which was also sectioned in its original appearance).
There are also DLC tracks in cups of five, as well as DLC Battle stages!
==Items==
In this game, items go back to being on a place-based rotation. Battle Mode's item selection is a bit more complicated.
==Downloadable content==
Yes, it exists. The first pack was released November 10, 2020.
==amiibo==
While this game IS Amiibo-compatible, all importing an Amiibo will do is unlock costumes for Miis.
==Reception==
Nothing yet.
==Pre-release and unused content==
==Oddities==
Anything returning from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gets the "Wii-U" label in this game even though MK8D was on the Nintendo Switch.
==Names in other languages==
==References==
Category:Mario Kart Games
Category:Mario Games
*
Category:Racing Games
Category:Nintendo Switch Games
Category:2020
Category:Games with DLC
Category:Crossover Games
Category:Fan Games
Category:Rated E10+ Games
Category:Rated 12 Games
Category:Rated PG Games
Category:Rated B CERO Games
Category:Amiibo Compatible Games