I swear to God: I sold my Gameboy and 13 games to buy Mario Kart and Street Fighter 2 for the SNES months before I even got the console. By the time the generation was over, Mario Kart was possibly the most played game on my SNES (lots of other games got comparable attention, though). I learned every track's nuances and spent hours and hours on time trials alone. Don't get me started on GP and Battle Mode. I even sent envelope art to EGM with Mario in a Kart running over Sonic (a similar letter art got printed, but not mine).
I went straight from Super Nintendo to N64. Mario Kart was my fourth game (after Mario 64, Wave Race, and KI Gold). I was so disappointed. The controls were floaty, the characters were 2D, and the computer AI was broken, due to rubber band physics. I bought a third party controller and a friggin joystick (N64 controller shortage in 96) so that I could play 4-player. The battle mode was broken (huge, multi-tiered stages but only four players -no music). I had nothing to compare it to. I was enchanted by 3D graphics, and I was STILL let down.
Now, some of you were but wee babes at time. All you had was the N64. You were too young to know good games from bad. Mario Kart 64 WAS a pretty good game. And, as kids, with a few friends, you had a blast with it. Nostalgia blinds. I know. I've been there.
Crash Team Racing was better. If you get the chance, play both. Crash beat Mario Kart 64 in every single area except for characters. The speed, weapons, track design, boost mechanics, music (it WAS on CD), control, graphics, multi-player. CTR dominated. Now, if you haven't played both, do so. Don't pretend to play both -play both. You'll agree. If you disagree, fine. But you'll be in the minority (and I won't have sex with you anymore).
I'm a Mario fan above all others, especially lame ass Crash Bandicoot......but CTR is a better game.
