Top 5 Mario Kart Games Of All Time: From SNES To 8 Deluxe

If you have owned a Nintendo console at any point, you have probably lost a friendship, a controller, or at least your temper on a Mario Kart track.

The wild part is how different each game actually feels once you go back. Some still crush it on a Friday night. Some are better left as nostalgia clips on YouTube.

This is a ranking of the top 5 Mario Kart games from Super Mario Kart on SNES up to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch, based on how good they are to play right now, not how mind blowing they were at launch.

How These Mario Kart Games Are Ranked

Before the salt starts, here is what this ranking is actually using as criteria:

• How fun they are to play today
  If you plug the game in right now, does it still feel good to race for hours, or does it fall apart after one cup?

• Track design and variety
  Iconic courses, interesting layouts, shortcuts that feel rewarding when you nail them, and a good mix of chill tracks and disaster tracks.

• Multiplayer and chaos factor
  Local couch play, online options where they exist, and how good the item balance feels when you are fighting for 1st.

• Handling and mechanics
  Drifting, items, rubber banding, weird tech like snaking or wheelie management – everything that makes the kart actually feel nice to control.

• Content and replay value
  Character roster, kart options, number of tracks, side modes like Mission Mode or Battle.

• Nostalgia… but not too much
  Older games get respect for starting the series, but they do not get a free pass if they feel rough now.

There are eight mainline console and handheld Mario Kart games from the SNES era up through 8 Deluxe on Switch.

Here we cut that list down to the top 5 that still feel the best to play right now.

Top Mario Kart Games Of All Time (SNES To 8 Deluxe) – Ranked Table

Ranked from best to worst for playing today, with a quick snapshot of why they land where they do.

This ranking is not “objectively correct.” It is built around how these games actually feel to play now, factoring in both community sentiment and how much they hold up once you get past nostalgia.

Why These Mario Kart Entries Stand Out Today

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch)

If you just want one Mario Kart to live in forever, it is this one.

Why it is on top:

• Huge track count with all the extra cups from DLC, including a ton of retro favorites.

• Character roster that lets you run everything from standard Mario mains to weird picks like Dry Bones or the Koopalings.

• Multiple control options so anyone can join: Joy‑Cons, Pro Controller, tilt, assists for newer players.

• Battle Mode that finally feels like an actual mode again with real arenas instead of hacked‑together tracks.

• Online that lets you grind races for hours without touching single‑player.

It feels like every good idea from past games got refined into one package. If you are ranking Mario Kart by “which one should I buy right now,” 8 Deluxe is the easy answer.

2. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)

Mario Kart Wii is chaos in disc form. Bikes, wheelies, massive shortcuts, and item spam. If 8 Deluxe is the polished all‑rounder, Wii is the messy older cousin who teaches you bad habits but you love them anyway.

Why it still holds up:

• Tracks like Coconut Mall, Koopa Cape, DK Summit, Maple Treeway, and that brutal Rainbow Road.

• Bikes and wheelies add tech and depth once you get serious.

• The game is still alive through fan servers and custom tracks if you want to go deep.

• Perfect for motion control nights where everyone uses the Wii Wheel and screams at the TV.

The downside is that it can feel unbalanced and random if you are used to 8 Deluxe. But if you want a game that leans into maximum nonsense, Wii is still near the top.

3. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GameCube)

Double Dash is the weird experimental one that never got repeated.

What makes it special:

• Two characters per kart so you can pair drivers and swap mid‑race.

• Character‑specific special items, like Chain Chomp, Bowser Shell, and Yoshi Eggs, that change how you plan your loadout.

• Tracks like DK Mountain, Baby Park, and Daisy Cruiser that still hit in modern versions when they are brought back.

• Local co‑op where one player drives and the other throws items, which feels incredible on a couch with friends.

Going back, the controls take a bit of adjustment compared to later games, but once you settle in, it has a different rhythm that nothing else in the series really copies.

4. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS)

Mario Kart DS was the first time a lot of players could grind the game anywhere, and it packed a surprising amount of content into a small cartridge.

Why it is still worth playing:

• Mission Mode gives you structured challenges instead of just repeating Grand Prix.

• Strong Nitro and Retro cups with tracks that still show up in later games.

• Drifting feels sharp and rewarding, especially if you are into time trials.

• Local multiplayer with one cartridge play was a huge deal and still works for quick sessions.

Online for DS is gone outside of fan workarounds, so it is more of a single‑player and local title now. For that, it holds up better than you might expect.

5. Mario Kart 7 (3DS)

Mario Kart 7 quietly set up a lot of what 8 and 8 Deluxe built on.

What it did right:

• Introduced gliding and underwater sections which opened up vertical track design.

• Solid track list with standouts like Music Park, Wuhu Island tracks, and Neo Bowser City.

• Customizable karts with bodies, wheels, and gliders affecting stats.

• Portable online races that let you sink hours into the game away from a TV.

The big drawback is that it is stuck on 3DS, and later games do almost everything it does but bigger. Still, if you own the system, it is absolutely worth keeping installed.

Final Lap

If you only care about what to play today, the short version is:

• Just want one game? Go with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

• Want peak chaos and motion controls? Fire up Mario Kart Wii.

• Want something older that still feels different? Try Double Dash or DS.

The nice part is that none of these games are outright bad. Some just feel like prototypes next to what 8 Deluxe pulls off. If you grew up on one of the lower‑ranked entries and it is still your favorite, that is completely valid.