Characters

Mario & Luigimario-luigi

Standard Performance: The Mario Brothers have pretty much the same abilities in cart driving. Mario and Luigi have had a friendly rivalry that goes back to their childhood. You can expect a heated contest between them. When Mario and Luigi are computer controlled, they try to block your path.

Princess & Yoshiprincess-yoshi

Fast Acceleration: At first, you might think that The Princess and Yoshi would have nothing in common (except their fondness for Mario). As it turns out, they have the same driving ability. Both of these racers have very fast acceleration. As enemies, the Princess will toss poison mushrooms in your path, and Yoshi will use eggs to hinder your progress.

Bowser & Donkey Kong Jr.bowser-dk

High Top Speed: These two drivers have long been Mario’s arch enemies. They are both rather hefty, so they have slow acceleration, but their top speed is great! As enemies, look out for Bowser’s fireballs and Donkey Kong Jr.’s banana peels. These two really throw their weight around. Stay clear of them!

Koopa Troopa & ToadKoopa-Toad

Fast Acceleration: Neither of these racers have qualities that make them stand out. They are, however, good all around racers with better than average control in corners – they do not skid as easy. These racers are good for beginners who are just learning to race. In the GP race as enemies, Koopa Troopa will drop shells and Toad will place poison mushrooms on the track.

Source: Character descriptions from the manual.

Performance Charts

The ‘x’ represent the ratings of the drivers in certain conditions.

Conditions/ Drivers Mario/ Luigi Princess/ Yoshi Bowser/ DK Jr. Koopa/ Toad
Acceleration x xxx xx
Top Speed xx x xxx
Choco Island xx x xxx
Vanilla Lake xxx xx x
Donut Plains x xxx xx
Koopa Beach xx xxx x
Battle Mode x xxx xx
Star Total 8 14 9 11

Source: These statistics are from the Super Mario Kart manual.

What is the best kart to use?

Nintendo confirmed that Toad has the best kart. Here is what Nintendo said:

“Which Kart is the best to use? The best all-around Kart is Toad. Each track can be completed in First Position with any of the drivers. It will take a lot of practice to be able to switch between drivers comfortably. Try experimenting with different Karts to see which ones you like best.”

Source: Official Nintendo Website