<Tr> <Th> Genre (s) </Th> <Td> Kart racing </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mode (s) </Th> <Td> Single - player, multiplayer </Td> </Tr> <P> Super Mario Kart is a 1992 kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console . The first game of the Mario Kart series, it was released in Japan and North America in 1992, and in Europe the following year . Selling nine million copies worldwide, the game went on to become the fourth best selling SNES game of all time . Super Mario Kart was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2009, and on the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2013 . Nintendo re-released Super Mario Kart in the United States in September 2017 as part of the company's Super NES Classic Edition . </P> <P> In Super Mario Kart, the player takes control of one of eight Mario series characters, each with differing capabilities . In single player mode players can race against computer - controlled characters in multi-race cups over three difficulty levels . During the races, offensive and speed boosting power - ups can be used to gain an advantage . Alternatively players can race against the clock in a Time Trial mode . In multi-player mode two players can simultaneously take part in the cups or can race against each other one - on - one in Match Race mode . In a third multiplayer mode--Battle Mode--the aim is to defeat the other players by attacking them with power - ups, destroying balloons which surround each kart . </P>

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