The Game Boy Advance has done nothing but impress me since it was released. The games have looked great and have been just as fun to play. The latest effort from Nintendo comes in the form of Mario Kart: Super Circuit-the third title in the Mario Kart series. Skepticism that a kart game based on two console counterparts could be just as good on a portable was a big thought on my mind. Thankfully, Mario Kart: Super Circuit has been translated well from the console and offers all of the things that made the first two installments so great.

The setup of Mario Kart: Super Circuit follows that of the other two. The main area of the game is the Mario Grand Prix, where players can race in one of five cups against seven other racers. Each cup contains four tracks to race on, the objective being, here's the shocker, to win. Points are given out according to which place you finish and at the end of the four races, the top three are given trophies-gold, silver or bronze-based on the points they've earned. Players are also given rankings which judge how many coins they've collected on each of the tracks. The Time Trial lets you race any available track in an attempt to get the best time. After the initial run, you can go back and race your own ghost to try to better your record. Players can trade their records in the Time Trial by using the Ghost Exchange. Choosing the Quick Run is basically a test race for the Grand Prix mode. It's exactly the same except there aren't any points or trophies awarded for placing.

Now here's the coolest part of this game, the multiplayer. By connecting three other GBA's you and your friends can take part in any of three different multi-player challenges. The VS. mode pits the four players against each other in a race for first. The Battle mode plays out like a deathmatch where each player has three balloons. Each time they get attacked, they lose a balloon. Once all their balloons are gone, so are they. This is the most enjoyable aspect of Mario Kart: Super Circuit and no doubt a core reason why people will buy the game. But what if only one of the players has the cartridge? Fear not because Nintendo has included a single cart race which is essentially the VS. mode with the exception that each player is represented by a Yoshi of a different color.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit has surprisingly smooth graphics for a portable. In my opinion, the images are much sharper than the SNES edition, and look just as good as the N64 racers. The tracks are also just as solid, although they aren't quite as deep or extensive as the ones found in the prior games. As mentioned before, the graphics run really smoothly and don't add any unnecessary strain to the eyes (which are trying to focus because of no backlight). The tracks are also nicely animated with various moving obstacles such as fireballs, cannonballs, and small creatures. The racers also have good effects to them - smoke from the wheels, dirt kicked up when spinning out...small details that make Mario Kart: Super Circuit stand out amongst other kart racers. The visuals are just a furthering compliment of this great game.

Trying to configure a game like Mario Kart: Super Circuit to a four-button layout may seem like a tough challenge, but somehow Nintendo has pulled it off without sacrificing any gameplay at all. I was a little timid about using the trigger buttons at first, but after playing for awhile, it becomes almost second nature. The A and B buttons act as the accelerator and the brake, respectively. The L1 button is used to initiate whatever attack is pictured in the window onscreen and the R1 button makes the kart jump. The D-Pad is astonishingly responsive and allows for near-perfect control of the karts without a whole lot of practice. A few techniques such as the Power Slide and the Spinning Turn make a comeback from the N64 game and are actually quite useful. Bowser cutting you off? Give him a honk with the select button. I am really impressed with how nicely this game handles, especially since this game is geared towards the young ones. The kiddies should have no problem picking up these controls.

The same music and sounds from the other two games are back, but sound really good despite coming from the GBA's tiny speaker. All the characters have their signature voices and the sound effects are nice and clear. The music will probably go unnoticed since players will be pretty much locked in on the races, but the simple tunes are nice and catchy. It's pretty amazing to see how well the game sounds considering that most music and sound on portable systems of the past were whiny and annoying. Chalk up another one for Nintendo in the plus column.

Nintendo has done well to protect one of it's best franchises in it's trip over to the GBA. The playability of this game is one the main reasons why I like it so much. Forget that the graphics are nice or that the sounds are great. If a game, especially a racing game, isn't playable then it's just a wasted effort. Luckily, fans of the Mario Kart series won't have to worry about this. Thus far, Mario Kart: Super Circuit has got to the be the best game the Game Boy Advance currently available. I would seriously recommend that anyone with a penchant for kart racers pick this one up for sure.

· · · Space Cowboy