5 Kart Racers That You Forgot Were Awesome

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Most people immediately think of Mario Kart when they hear “kart racing games.” But the genre actually has a lot of other excellent titles available on many different systems. While games like Crash Team Racing, Nickelodeon Kart Racers, and Team Sonic Racing are well-known, there are actually tons of hidden gems that many players have forgotten. The good news is, a lot of these older games are still easy to pick up and play today.

Here are five great kart racers you probably forgot about.

5) Konami Krazy Racers

Released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance, Konami Krazy Racers is a kart racing game featuring characters from classic Konami titles. Players can race as iconic figures like Dracula from Castlevania, Goemon from Legend of the Mystical Ninja, and Gray Fox from Metal Gear.

The game has a surprisingly diverse selection of characters, some of which are quite obscure, but what really made it popular was its exciting racing. Some reviewers even preferred it to Mario Kart: Super Circuit on the Game Boy Advance, though I’m not sure I agree. It was a fun and accessible racing game that was available on the Wii U’s Virtual Console in 2015. Now it’s a little harder to find, but still obtainable.

4) Chocobo Racing

By 1999, the Final Fantasy series was incredibly popular. Final Fantasy VII had been a massive global hit, and even though Final Fantasy VIII didn’t reach quite the same heights, it was still a successful game. The creators then decided to try something different with a kart racing game, and they made it unique by featuring Chocobos.

While it’s not quite the same as racing karts, the speedy Chocobos feel very similar! Like all great kart racers, this game features beloved characters like Mog and Cid. It’s true that Chocobo Racing seems inspired by the popularity of Mario Kart 64, but it’s a fun racing game, especially for fans of Final Fantasy. The developers revisited the idea in 2022 with Chocobo GP, but it didn’t succeed due to its focus on in-game purchases.

3) Wacky Wheels

Inspired by the popular Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo, Beavis Soft created a similar racing game for PCs. Players choose from a variety of animals and compete on tracks, using items like bombs and hedgehogs to disrupt their rivals.

This game has all the features you could ask for, offering multiplayer options through split-screen, modem, or a direct connection. It even includes a fun Battle Mode similar to the one in Super Mario Kart. Luckily, the original Wacky Wheels is still available – it was re-released on GOG and Steam in the 2010s as part of the 3D Realms Anthology. Just be careful not to download Wacky Wheels HD, as it’s a poorly made update to the original.

2) ModNation Racers

United Front Games and San Diego Studio teamed up in 2010 to create ModNation Racers for PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. This kart racing game combines the track-building creativity players enjoyed in LittleBigPlanet with fast-paced racing action.

ModNation Racers offered a huge variety of racing experiences. Although the online servers shut down in 2018, it’s still a fun game to play. You can’t download tracks created by other players anymore, but you can still design and enjoy your own levels. A sequel, Road Trip, was released for the PlayStation Vita, but it didn’t perform as well. Currently, the development team at San Diego Studios is primarily focused on the MLB The Show series.

1) Speed Freaks

Speed Freaks (known as Speed Punks in North America) is a PlayStation racing game developed by Funcom. While it doesn’t have as many racers as some other games – only nine in total – the different karts handle so uniquely that you won’t miss a larger roster.

Speed Freaks is a typical kart racing game. It handles well and is fun to play, but it doesn’t offer much innovation in terms of game modes – you’ll find tournaments, single races, and a few multiplayer options. It’s worth mentioning because it was a very solid racing game that gave PlayStation owners a Mario Kart 64-like experience. While it doesn’t quite reach the legendary status of Mario Kart 64, it was one of the best options available for PlayStation fans who didn’t have a Nintendo 64.

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2026-04-09 23:42