Cartoon Car Toons!

Before PlayStation, we learned to love the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  Ad one of the games I love to play with the system is Super Mario Kart.  During those days, the graphics of the game was a never-before-seen feature. Even before the PlayStation came out with good looking games, Nintendo has been doing it already. Anyway, back to the game, Super Mario Kart is a kart racing video game where players can choose from eight characters in the Mario Series.

One peculiar thing about the game though is that players are forced to play on a split-screen mode. On single player modes, one half of the screen shows the map.  There are two single player modes.  The first one is Mariokart GP.  Wikipedia explains:  “Engine classes of 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc are available (150cc is available upon acquiring gold in all the cups in 100cc). Larger engines result in faster vehicles and a greater level of difficulty. There are four cups to select: the Mushroom, Flower, Star, and Special Cups (100cc and 150cc only). Each cup consists of five tracks and the player must receive fourth place or better in any track to advance to the next.”

The second single player mode is Time Trial.  In this mode, players race around the tack without having to worry about other racers. This is for those who wants to set the fastest time in a course.  Personally, I like the Mariokart GP mode since I can beat computer controlled racers which kinda makes me feel good.

The character that I always wanted to play is the generic Koopa Troopa. Wondering what a Koopa Troopa is? Once again, Wikipedia explains:  “A Koopa Troopa is a creature of the fictional turtle species in the Mario video game series. Koopa Troopas (also sometimes just called “Koopas”) are collectively one of the most well-known Mario enemies, and have appeared in nearly every game.”

In the game Super Mario Kart, a Koopa Troopa has excellent traction, average acceleration but low top speed.  This makes it a good character to play on circuitous tracks where top speed does not really come to play as you end up slowing down as you make the turns.  As an opponent, I am kinda frustrated racing with the Koopa since it has unlimited ammo.  It can hurl turtle shells at its opponents. But while sometimes frustrating, it makes the game more exciting.   Actually, I think the Koopas are actually kinda cuter than Mario or his brother Luigi.

If you have been playing your heart out on your PlayStation in late 90s I am sure you have met Crash Bandicoot. I had a great time playing with the character through different levels. I especially liked the way he walks when he gets crushed.  LOL.  Back then, I was wondering why he was named Crash Bandicoot.  Soon, I found out the he is called Crash because that’s what he does for a living; crashing boxes.  And why bandicoot?  The makers of the game wanted something that everyone has heard of but does not really know what it is. That’s why they settled with bandicoot.

If you are still wondering what a bandicoot is, let us solicit some help from Wikipedia.  The online encyclopedia describes the bandicoot as “any of about 20 species of small to medium-sized, terrestrial marsupial omnivores in the order Peramelemorphia”.  Still fuzzy right? So why don’t you go ahead and read the full article here.

The makers of the game though have amusing answers for the questions: a) What is a bandicoot? (b) Why is “Crash” a bandicoot? and (c) Why is he named “Crash”?  Their answer: (a) Crash is a Parameles gunnii, of the order polyprotodonta, family Peramelidae, commonly known as the Eastern Barred Bandicoot. He is a marsupial, which means that he is born with a built in fanny pack. They live in Tasmania, a small island south of Australia, as well as on the Australian mainland. The Parameles gunnii is, on average, 320mm from head to rump, and has a 80mm tail. They weigh about 950g. Crash’s family, on the other hand, tend to be about a meter tall, orange, walk on their hind legs, and wear big shoes. They have, therefore, earned a good living in the Parameles gunnii circus sideshow spinning real fast and the like.  (b) Because both of his parents were.  (c) Because that is the name his parents gave him.

Aside from crashing boxes for a living, Crash also had a stint as a driver.  In the racing game Crash Team Racing, Crash once again takes center stage.  It was made by Naughty Dog and released in 1999 for the PlayStation.

The story revolves around the plot that an extraterrestrial named Nitros Oxide is claiming that he is the fastest racer in the Galaxy.  He saw Crash and the gang getting ready to join a kart racing tournament and decided to join.  Being the evil extraterrestrial that he is, he challenged racers from Earth to see who is the fastest.  In the said tournament, what’s at stake is the planet. If no one can beat Nitros Oxide, he will turn Earth into a concrete parking lot and will tae all of its inhabitants as slaves.  Since this is a game, the ending will be up to you.