Mario Kart: Super Circuit is the latest instalment in a long line of quality racing titles. Unfortunately though, that in itself is a bit of an overstatement. It's very nearly another port and bears more than a passing resemblance to the now famous Super Nintendo version. However, Nintendo have done an excellent job of bringing the popular racing franchise to the handheld and have found themselves with a very respectable game indeed - despite it being a launch title and somewhat unoriginal.

When you power up the cartridge, the first thing that will strike you is how detailed and well presented the game looks. Fortunately, this is not only apparent at the title screen but in every single aspect of the game. The characters are intricately modelled and scoot around brilliantly designed tracks with real depth that are host to some great touches such as weather effects and skid marks. To top it all off, the game moves at an incredible pace and some well programmed collision detection means a fun race every time.

Surprisingly, the sound is just as good, unlike other titles for this format. The music suits the tracks and instead of being annoying is actually quite relaxing and helps set the mood of the scene for each race. The sound effects are thoughtful and well executed - from the purr of engines to the various noises that come from driving your kart over different textures. All in all, Mario Kart Super Circuit remains one of the best presented Game Boy Advance games to date.

The gameplay is very good, although far from perfect. The concept remains simple - race seven other players around a track for so many laps and the first one to finish wins. To help you out are a selection of weapons, picked up by driving through systematically placed question mark boxes. Amongst the vast arsenal of weaponry are red shells (homing missiles) and mushrooms (speed boosts). This is all very nice, but it's disappointing to see that no new ideas have been included in this version.

On the plus side there's a wealth of options at your fingertips, including Mario Grand Prix, Time Trial and Quick Run. The Grand Prix presents you with a host of championships to choose from, each made up of four tracks. At the end you're given a grade that differs depending on your results and the amount of coins you collected. The Time Trial gives you an opportunity to beat your best times, and the Quick Run is more of a practice mode, in which you can experience all you've unlocked and watch replays.

In terms of lifespan, this game will keep you occupied for quite some time. There's a feast of tracks and championships on hand and you won't stop until you've perfected your grades for each or found all the shortcuts. The classic three difficulty levels make a welcome return (50cc, 100cc or 150cc) to add variation to the game and provide a nice learning curve. As well as the various game modes already mentioned, there's a multiplayer option and you only need one copy of the game to use it. Four players can go head to head on one of the many tracks available, which is very good fun and provides something worth returning for. As the icing on the cake there's also a multitude of extras to unlock, including secret tracks and tournaments to try your hand at.

Mario Kart Super Circuit is a top racing title that lacks a bit of polish where originality and gameplay is concerned. The graphics and sound are well executed and the game, on the whole, is engaging and fun - while managing to complete the package with a very respectable lifespan. Super Circuit is by no means a perfect or ground breaking racer, but it's still damn good fun and worth a place in anyone's collection.

READER REVIEW: by Ed Carter - AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).