5 Best Kart Racers That Aren’t Mario Kart

by

It’s clear that Mario Kart is the most successful kart racing series, having essentially created the genre with its 1992 release on the Super Nintendo. While Power Drift was an earlier arcade racer, Mario Kart was the first of its kind on consoles. Many other kart racers have emerged since then, so we’ve compiled a list of the five best that aren’t part of the Mario Kart franchise, presented in order of their release dates.

1) Crash Team Racing

Released in 1999 for the PlayStation, Crash Team Racing quickly became a popular racing game, offering a fun alternative to the Mario Kart series. Players loved its sleek design, the 15 characters from the Crash Bandicoot games, and the many power-ups that kept the racing exciting. While clearly inspired by Mario Kart, Crash Team Racing established itself as a unique and successful title. It has been followed by two sequels: Crash Nitro Kart and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, which is a remastered version of the original game with content from the second installment.

2) Diddy Kong Racing

If you asked most gamers to name a kart racing game from the 1990s besides Mario Kart, many would probably say Diddy Kong Racing. Released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997, the game starred Diddy Kong. Players could choose from ten different characters and drive one of three types of vehicles – cars, planes, or hovercrafts. Diddy Kong Racing was a huge success when it came out, selling almost 5 million copies. It was remade for the Nintendo DS, but surprisingly, it’s still one of the few incredibly popular games that hasn’t gotten a follow-up.

3) Muppet RaceMania

Released in 2000 for the PlayStation, Muppet RaceMania is a kart racing game starring only characters from The Muppets. It features a large cast of 25 playable Muppets, 25 different vehicles, and 34 unique tracks inspired by various Muppets films. The game arrived during a surge in popularity for kart racers following the genre’s rise in the 1990s, but it’s become somewhat forgotten over time. Fans of The Muppets likely had a blast with it, and while it might not have appealed to everyone, it’s a genuinely fun game packed with Muppet references and details.

4) ModNation Racers

Released in 2010 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable, ModNation Racers is a kart racing game that stands out for its strong emphasis on player creativity. Players can design and share their own tracks, kart customizations, and more with the community. The fast-paced racing features drifting to build up a boost, along with a variety of power-ups and attacks. A sequel, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, was released on the PlayStation Vita in 2012, but it ultimately proved to be the last game in the series.

5) Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

The Sonic Kart racing series has seen many games, but Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed from 2012 is widely considered the best. What sets it apart is the ability to transform your vehicle mid-race – switching between cars, planes, and boats. While Mario Kart 7 introduced this idea, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed really perfected it, and it’s become a staple of the genre. With over 20 playable characters from the Sonic universe, the game is packed with fan-favorite content, solidifying its place as the top kart racer in the series.

What’s your favorite racing game that isn’t Mario Kart? Share your pick in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/list/every-significant-innovation-in-racing-games-explained/embed/#

Read More

2026-02-05 16:14