Mario Kart: Race Revolution (Nintendo Switch)

Mario Kart: Race Revolution is the latest installment in the popular Mario Kart series, and will be the second entry exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. A release date has been set for the 19th June, 2019. This game is the direct sequel of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, also for the Nintendo Switch. This game will become the ninth release in the main series. There are no new mechanics featured in this game, however, they do improve the "anti-gravity" and "underwater" mechanics, explained later. This game will also be compatible with Amiibo Figurines just like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, from the 21st October, 2019, due to technical difficulties with the Nintendo Switch system. A sequel was announced on 2nd November, 2018, and a DLC was announced for the 18th December, 2019, the 'Donkey Kong DLC Pack'.
== Gameplay ==
The gameplay is revitalized from previous Mario Kart games in the series. Tricks, and stunts, return from Mario Kart Wii, the hang glider and underwater mechanics return from Mario Kart 7, as well as vehicle customisations. The anti-gravity mechanic returns from Mario Kart 8; as well as an upgraded version of Mario Kart TV, featuring many new features, such as the ability to merge race clips alongside each other. There are no two item slots (originally from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!), returning for another entry. Players collect coins to increase their speed marginally, just like in Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8 and the maximum amount has stayed intact as 10. However, you can no longer collect 'Coins' as an item. When hit by an item, or fallen into a pit, 2 coins are removed from your count. The anti-gravity mechanic has been widened, giving players a slight speed loss while in an anti-gravity zone, reflecting on real life circumstances. Underwater mechanics have also been improved slightly, making so when you drive underwater, you are inclosed with a glass hood, on your kart or bike. The information about the graphics of the game have not yet been released to the public, however, there have been speculations it has been using a paid version of the 'Unity' software. Mario Kart TV now features a 'livestream' feature, in which players can broadcast their games, and lobbies, like Twitch.TV or YouTube Live.
== Game Modes ==
The game modes are featured upon clicking on either Singleplayer or Multiplayer, available for choice, and can be played by up to 4 people at one time.
Grand Prix
Just like every Mario Kart game in the franchise, Mario Kart: Race Revolution has the Grand Prix as well and works similar to the past three installments. The player will race against 11 computer controlled opponents in 4 races in one of the eight cups in this game just like in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. There are 3 classes from the start: 50cc (easy opponent difficulty and slow speed), 100cc (normal opponent difficulty and average speed), and 150cc (hard opponent difficulty and fast speed). Mirror (same as 150cc but courses are flipped) is unlocked by completing all of the classes by winning in first place in every cup, 200cc (extreme opponent difficulty and extremely fast speed) is unlocked after winning in first place in every cup in Mirror and winning first place in every cup. Players can unlock new vehicle parts by collecting coins in each race and same with the other modes as well or using Amiibo. The point system works the same as it does in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Time Trial
Another returner, Time Trial mode means the player can complete any selected course as fast as possible and beat their own records. Players can now upload their records on Mario Kart TV; players will be able to race up to 7 ghosts at a time as well. Ghosts are downloaded data of other players' time trials, in which you can attempt to beat.
VS Race
This mode allows you to choose any amount of selected courses (3, 4, 5, 8, 16, or 32) and either have your console randomly select the courses for you, choose them yourself, or have you play each course in order of appearance in the Grand Prix. You can play as a solo, or in teams. Other variables include which items you can collect, the class, the computer opponent difficulty, and the number of opponents in your game.
Battle
Battle mode consists of multiple types of game modes, in which are all playable as a solo, or in teams. The battle game modes consist of: Balloon Battle, Coin Runners, and Standing Giants. The only new and original game mode is 'Standing Giants'.
* Balloon Battle - This classic mode once again returns works the same as it does in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Racers must use items to pop or steal their opponents balloons to gain points and if racers lose all their balloons, they'll start over and lose some points. At the end of the battle, whoever has the most points wins.
* Coin Runners - Originally from Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart: Race Revolution revives the battle mode for another appearance. You must collect coins that are spread around the map, if you get hit by an item, you will lose 4 coins, and the same goes for your opponents. The person with the most coins at the end of the round wins.
* Standing Giants - At the start of the game, each player starts out as a bigger player, with a bigger kart or bike. They must collect items from around the map, and hit other players to turn them small. Once the players are small, they must avoid being hit again, or they are out of the round. The last player standing wins.
Variables before the game starts consist of: which battle modes will be played, which items you can collect, the class, the computer opponent difficulty, and the number of opponents in your game.
Online
This mode gives you the ability to play online with, or without your friends. You can play either Race of Battle mode, and can gain or lose 'rating' per loss or win. Each player starts out with 1000 rating on both Race and Battle mode. Furthermore, each player can create their own tournaments, if they would like, accompanied with many variables in which the tournament hosts can turn on or off. You can add your own tracks from the 'Track Customizer' to the roster of tracks you already have lined up in your personal tournament lobby.
Track Customizer
A long awaited feature of many Mario Kart fans, the track customizer gives players the ability to edit any track in the roster of 32 tracks, that they want, with a set amount of items, obstacles, and much more to add to the tracks. Furthermore, players can create separate cups for their tracks, of up to 4 tracks in 1 cup. Tracks can be shared online, and also played in some players' own online lobbies.
== Characters ==
Like all racing games, the roster of characters has to be iconic, and strong, so Mario Kart: Race Revolution team put all their effort into making the roster of characters exactly how fans would like them. The game includes a total of 28 characters, 14 from the start, 11 to unlock, and 3 in the DLC expansion pack.
Starting Characters:
* Mario
* Luigi
* Peach
* Daisy
* Baby Mario
* Baby Luigi
* Toad
* Yoshi
* Bowser
* Donkey Kong
* Koopa Troopa
* Shy Guy
* Wario
* Waluigi
Unlockable Characters:
* Rosalina
* Toadette
* Dry Bowser
* King Boo
* Diddy Kong
* Dry Bones
* Bowser Jr.
* Nabbit (New)
* Kamek (New)
* Petey Piranha
* Lakitu
DLC Characters:
* Funky Kong
* Cranky Kong (New)
* Dixie Kong (New)
These characters are from the 'Donkey Kong DLC Pack'.
Weight Classes:
Small
* Baby Mario
* Baby Luigi
* Toad
* Koopa Troopa
* Shy Guy
* Toadette
* Dry Bones
* Bowser Jr.
* Kamek
* Lakitu
* Dixie Kong
Medium
* Mario
* Luigi
* Peach
* Daisy
* Yoshi
* Waluigi
* Rosalina
* King Boo
* Diddy Kong
* Nabbit
Heavy
* Bowser
* Donkey Kong
* Wario
* Dry Bowser
* Petey Piranha
* Funky Kong
* Cranky Kong
Miis were deleted from this game as the 'Nintendo Switch' is not designed as a Wii or Wii U sequel, but a separate console, and Miis are designed for Wii consoles.
== Items ==
Items are objects that you can find via running over an 'Item Box', which are blue and pink boxes on the road. You can find a variety of items in all places, with the more useful items becoming more frequent the lower the place you are.
Returning Items:
* Banana - The classic, useful for blocking incoming shells, but mostly used as an obstacle to make other players slip and slide.
* Triple Banana - Three bananas, classically used as extra protection.
* Green Shell - A shell that can be used to defend yourself, but also used to hit other players from a distance.
* Triple Green Shell - Three green shells, classically used as extra protection.
* Red Shell - A version of a green shell that homes in on the person infront, or behind you.
* Triple Red Shell - Three red shells.
* Bob-Omb - A throwable object, when nears a player will explode, or explode by itself after 5 seconds of waiting.
* Fire Flower - Fireballs shoot from this object, a maximum of 15.
* Mushroom - A small boost, used to drive over offroad areas or shortcuts.
* Triple Mushroom - Three mushrooms.
* Golden Mushroom - Virtually only a mushroom in which can be used as many times as the holder likes until the timer runs out.
* Mega Mushroom (Mario Kart Wii) - A mushroom in which increases your size, gives you a slight speed boost and the ability to squash other competitors.
* Spiny Shell - The dastardly flying blue shell, in which homes in on whomever is in 1st place.
* Lightning - A bolt of lightning in which shrinks everyone who is infront of the user for a limited amount of time.
* Star - The star can be used for a speed boost, and also the ability to knock other players flying and drive offroad.
* Bullet Bill - Naturally an item for last place, when the bullet bill is activated, the player using it gets a major speed boost, and is taken into autopilot mode.
* Super Horn - The Super Horn can kill all incoming shells (including the Spiny Shell) and send players flying if they are near after use.
* Piranha Plant - A pot containing a piranha plant, this item will eat up any item boxes, coins or players on the track, and also give slight speed boosts when used.
* Boo - This item will turn the user invisible, and also steal a nearby opponent's item.
New Items:
* Propeller Block (New) - Gives you the ability to fly in the area for 4 seconds, at normal speed, and then slowly use the glider to fly back down to the surface.
Scrapped Items:
* Boomerang Flower - Nintendo had confirmed the return of the Boomerang Flower, however the Director of Mario Kart: Race Revolution, Kosuke Yabuki told IGN that he had scrapped the idea soon after its confirmed return.
* POW Block - An unfavorite from Mario Kart Wii, when director Kosuke Yabuki had released the full list of returning and new items for this latest installment, the POW Block was in the mix, however Yabuki later confirmed that the POW Block was scrapped mid-production.
== Race Courses ==
A total of 36 race courses were included in this game, 16 nitro (new courses), 16 retro (returning courses), and 4 DLC courses, equaling a total of 9 cups.
Nitro Courses/Cups:
Mushroom Cup - 3/10 Difficulty
# Peach Circuit - As per all Mario Kart games, the first cup starts off with a circuit based off one of their most popular characters, other than Mario. This entry in the series is no different. Peach Circuit is a circuit hosted on the roads of the Mushroom Kingdom. Many Toad figures are seen in the stands as the racer leave the confetti-filled start line for their first lap. Much like Mario Kart 64's 'Royal Raceway', the track encounters Peach's Castle as the main section of the track, and, never before seen in the Mario Kart franchise, you enter Peach's Castle, briefly. 
# Pianta Bay - This is the first water-themed track we see in Mario Kart: Race Revolution. The course is covered in night sky, as you travel through the moonlit bay, a popular beach destination for many Pianta, go underwater, through caverns, and back up on the beach as you travel through this hotspot destination.
# Yoshi Plains - Drive round a giant Yoshi, tackle waddeling Goombas, what more could you want? Yoshi Plains is a straightforward course, with many obstacles along the way. Though at first the course seems easy to get around, make sure to keep an eye on the grass, as many sneaky shortcuts are plotted through the course. Drive through a small village at one point, miss the giant Yoshi's legs, and of course feel the satisfaction of hitting the 'Mario Kart' board once finishing the flight on the third lap!
# Sports Bike Stadium - Following the success of Mario Kart 8's 'Excitebike Arena' DLC track, Nintendo decided to add a remake in the first cup of the sequel! Sports Bike Stadium is a lot different to Excitebike, however. With platforms lifting up the track, many anti-gravity areas, and spots of water and mud, some say this track isn't meant to be in the harmless Mushroom Cup! The design and layout is similar to Excitebike Arena, but at the same time is very different when you start playing the course!
Flower Cup - 4/10 Difficulty
# Mario Circuit - Just as expected, the first race of the second cup is Mario Circuit. With more obstacles, more gliding, and an extra addition of water areas, Mario Kart: Race Revolution's version of the popular circuit exceeds all expectations. As you begin to race through this track, another race is going on beside you! You must weave and dodge through popular Nintendo characters racing your favorite karts and bikes (ex. Samus, Link, Ness and Professor E-Gadd). The anti-gravity on this track isn't as much as wanted, but the flight areas definitely make up for it!
# Racetime Theatre/Racetime Cinema - Like Mount Wario, this track is an all-in-one! You race through a deserted theatre, on the screens play all the other racers. Though not much of any other mechanics, Racetime Theatre incooperates many shortcuts, including unexpected underground areas.
# Piranha Plant Peak - Another mountainous-themed track in the world of Mario Kart, Piranha Plant Peak shows off a lot of aspects of the newest entry in the Mario Kart series, including underwater and flight. Start at the bottom of a long and tiering mountain, and begin making your way up the spiralling peak, whilst passing through the mountain itself, and more! Once at the top, prepare for the longest flight in Mario Kart history, and land right back on the start line!
# Koopa Dome - A community-made map, the original idea from TheKoopaCaptain, this map travels through a water park. Through the classic Mario pipes from the Super Mario Bros. series, you travel through a water park, and it is sort of like a maze, slightly similar to Yoshi Valley. Go through a lot of water (obviously) in this race track, and it is a strong end to the Flower Cup!
Category:Games
Category:Fan Games
Category:Mario (series)
Category:Mario Games
Category:Mario Kart (series)
Category:Mario Kart Games
Category:Racing Games
Category:2019
Category:Nintendo Switch Games