There's no denying that Mario Kart is the definitive series of kart racing games. Nearly every Mario Kart title has featured stellar gameplay, visuals, and music that makes it a perfect party game for the whole family.
This top-tier status is well-earned but has come at the price of overshadowing others. There is a multitude of kart racer games out there, many deserve more chances to shine in the spot like as much as Mario Kart. Even the ones that straight-up copy Mario Kart's formula can still be addictive and fun to play! So, what are the best in this genre?
10 Nickelodeon Kart Racers
There have been multiple attempts at giant videogame crossovers featuring animated Nickelodeon stars. A few of them were racers as well; most of them were not that good until 2018 with the release of Nickelodeon: Kart Racers.
The name is uninspired and it plays nearly identical to Mario Kart 8. So one could easily be turned off by that but it's a fun enough clone to keep one entertained. Plus, being able to play as characters like SpongeBob and any of the Ninja Turtles is undeniably fun. The game is even getting a sequel!
9 ModNation Racers
ModNation Racers is, essentially, the LittleBigPlanet of kart racers. Nearly everything is customizable and has allowed people to create racers based on Marvel, Star Wars, and other video game franchises.
Combined with fun gameplay and still gorgeous visuals, ModNation Racers is an underrated gem for the PS3 and PSP. It is a title that deserves a revamp on newer consoles or a sequel.
8 Toy Story Racer
While most kart racers attempt to feel like a kart, Toy Story Racer goes for a different feel. The characters all feel more akin to Micro Machines that are more floaty. It allows for a different grasp on the controls that's similar to Crash Team Racing.
Unlike most kart racers as well, Toy Story Racer provides a lot of difficulties. The tracks are tricky, the controls take a while to learn, and all the opponents are nearly perfect.
7 Cars 3: Driven To Win
The Cars franchise is a divisive one but at least it allowed for some decent videogame tie-ins. Some were better than others but surprisingly, Cars 3's tie-in was the best of them all! The controls are very tight and responsive, the tracks are all gorgeous, and the racers are all fun to use.
It's basically if Disney made their own version of Need For Speed but for the family. Maybe the Cars franchise should have been videogames in the first place?
6 Blur
Ah, Blur, the game that should have been a franchise. While every racing game was trying to be a copy of Need For Speed or Mario Kart, Blur came along to provide something different.
There's racing, power-ups, and boss fights. The neon UI is eye-popping and the locations are beautiful recreations of real places. Blur was the closest thing to a racing arcade game brought to consoles. A shame that the planned sequel was canceled.
5 LEGO Racers
With LEGO games getting bigger and better over the years, it's surprising they never brought this back. LEGO Racers was one of the biggest games of their early days. It allowed players to use LEGO bricks to create and customize cars of their own.
While this never affects gameplay, different LEGO powerups are in the game. The more LEGO bricks of that color stacked lead to more powerful versions of those powerups. The more opponents beat, the more LEGO pieces to customize. LEGO Racers is also extremely hard with tight controls.
4 Diddy Kong Racing
Just like how Rare took on the collect-athon genre with Donkey Kong 64, they took on the kart racer with Diddy Kong Racing. However, Diddy Kong Racing pushed things by adding other vehicle types including hovercars and airplanes.
Diddy Kong Racing also took on an adventure-style racer with an open hub-world and story. So in many ways, it was a perfect hybrid of Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing. Over the years, Diddy Kong Racing has become a cult-classic for the Nintendo 64.
3 Jak X: Combat Racing
Even fans of the Jak & Daxter series are likely surprised by the fact this game exists. For reasons unknown, Jak X went under the radar for a lot of gamers. This is a shame because Jak X is one of the most adrenaline-pumping racing games for the PlayStation 2
Every racer is unique, the story is fun, and the gameplay is buttery smooth. Jak X also provides a wide variety of race/mission types along with an insane amount of tracks. Jak X is available on the PSN store for PlayStation 4. For anyone wanting Crash Team Racing meets Twisted Metal, it is sure to satisfy.
2 Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled
For years, the only Crash Team Racing worth playing was the original; the sequels would disappoint over the years despite great visuals. Well, CTR: Nitro-Fueled came along and took the tracks and ideas of every Crash Team Racing game and combines them.
Mix in an even more refined version of the original CTR control scheme and a vast amount of customization. The result is an instant hit that is sure to spark a new series of Crash Team Racing games. For fans, it is considered the perfect CTR game.
1 Team Sonic Racing
Over the years, Sega kept refining the idea and experimenting to figure out what works. The last couple of racing games were actually pretty good but then Sega finally hit a home run. Team Sonic Racing is easily the best of the Sonic racers. It takes on many mechanics from Mario Kart but it also takes on elements of Sonic Heroes, as well as its own.
Online: friends and teammates really have to work together to make sure the whole team wins; it allows even more challenges for the player. As a bonus, Team Sonic Racing features a fun story mode and tons of content.