Mario Kart: Super Circuit - 150cc Special Cup (Game Boy Player Capture)

This is a capture of me playing through the 150cc Special Cup in Mario Kart: Super Circuit for the Game Boy Advance. This is not an emulator and was not played on the Wii U Virtual Console. This footage was recorded directly from my GameCube using my Game Boy Player with progressive scan mode enabled (you'll need the GameCube's component cables to do this and your model of GameCube must support component out as well). I'm using my favorite character in the game: Yoshi.Show more

I got this game either on its release date in 2001 or shortly thereafter. Super Circuit was interesting because of how it went back to the 2D, Mode 7 style of Super Mario Kart instead of the 3D style of Mario Kart 64. This was of course due to the Game Boy Advance's hardware limitations, but I didn't really mind. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. The Game Boy Advance was essentially a portable Super Nintendo, and that was what I loved about it.

I played this game quite a bit back in the day, but due to all the hardware requirements, I never got to do multiplayer aside from the single-cartridge VS. mode (at least not until a couple years ago), so the Battle Mode went unused. However, the Grand Prix was really good, and I liked that fact that I could now race on a single course against the AI for more than just 3 laps. I spent a lot of time doing 5 straight laps against the AI on Bowser's Castle 3 and 4, which were some of my favorite courses. That was an excellent feature for a handheld game, and certainly much better than a simple time trial mode.

Although this game takes much inspiration from Super Mario Kart, the controls aren't nearly as tight. Super Circuit could arguably be the second-hardest Mario Kart game behind the original SNES title, especially if you're going for a 3-star rating, like I'm doing here.

I don't know all the requirements for obtaining a 3-star rating, but I do know that you have to get first on each race while racing incredibly fast.

Recorded with the Hauppauge HD PVR and the GameCube's component cables at 60 frames per second. I'm using an original model Game Boy Advance as a controller via a GameCube/Game Boy Advance Link Cable.