Selling nearly 200 million units since it was first launched in 1992, Mario Kart is undoubtedly one of the most popular video games of all time. Even people who don't consider themselves "gamers" and would otherwise look down their noses at those who do are unable to resist the siren song of Mario Kart. The second someone suggests playing it, you know you're in for a whirlwind of fun.
The easiest explanation for Mario Kart's popularity 17 games later is that it's simply a good game. It's easy to play and easier to love with simple mechanics and low stakes. However, there a few other things that set Mario Kart ahead of the curve.
Simple and Rewarding
As we said, Mario Kart isn't overly complex, which makes it ideal for inexperienced players. There isn't the tense pacing of a first-person shooter, nor is there the complex lore of a fantasy game. You can talk over a round and not miss a beat—just be careful that you don't get too distracted by trash talking and hit a blue shell.
The mechanics can be explained in about a minute and are simple enough for even the clumsiest of fingers to master. For social gamers—i.e. people who don't game on their own but will play a party game with friends—this is a massive help. After all, struggling to pick up a game can be frustrating, and that's the last thing you want at a party.
Additionally, the stakes aren't high. You don't have to restart the game every time you careen off the road—another thing which can frustrate players and lead to tension in a group. The worst things that can happen to you in Mario Kart are driving off the road, after which you immediately respawn, and coming in last place, nothing major.
Nobody wants to be the weak link when playing games with friends. Mario Kart's every-player-for-themselves mentality breeds healthy competition. You don't have to worry about dragging your team down, you only need concern yourself with sabotaging your friends at every opportunity.
At its heart, Mario Kart is about having fun, which includes trash talking and jokes. If you have more players than controls, the peanut gallery is free to treat the game like the stands at a Formula 1 race, cheering for their faves and rooting for the downfall of others. And, the second someone's thumb cramps up after too many rounds of Rainbow Road, you can always swap out one player for another.
Endless Customization
Another aspect of Mario Kart's popularity that we don't see discussed as much is its customization. For starters, there are a ton of different courses that feel like full-fledged worlds on their own with eye-catching designs and infectious music. Mario Kart World literally makes the world more expansive than ever, allowing players to see familiar courses in new light.
And, of course, we can't talk about Mario Kart's customization without mentioning the fantastic array of characters and vehicles. The latest game not only gives you a total of 24 player characters, but you can unlock different outfits for your favorite character! The amount of choices means that there's truly something for everyone.
Maybe you want to keep it classic with Mario or Luigi. Or, you can rain chaos down on your opponents by using Walugi or Bowser a your driver. Or, perhaps you're a fan of criminally underrated characters like Birdo or King Boo. You don't have to feel shackled to a single character either, you can switch things up between rounds.
Of course, the fact that the characters in Mario Kart are among the most recognizable in the world doesn't hurt! While not everyone knows the characters in, say, Call of Duty or Final Fantasy, almost everyone on earth can recognize Mario or Peach. The fact that you don't need to know any background knowledge is an enormous boost to the game's popularity.
In short, Mario Kart is the universal language of video games. It's playable for everyone and enjoyed by all.
