What is the greatest Kart Racing Game of All Time?

I only really played Mario Kart 64 (which I loved) and Diddy Kong Racing, so I don't really have enough of a sample to vote. I would have voted MK64, but later Mario Karts look really cool, so I abstained.

I'm gonna say Speed Punks just to be contrarian.

If we're speaking objectively without rose tinted glasses, MK8D is the pinnacle of kart racers.

I have a lot of fondness towards Crash Team Racing, but my favorite still is Mario Kart Wii. There are a lot of questionable parts, like the rubber band AI, but I spend a good summer or two playing that game with friends and online back in late middle school. I think the point of where I noticed I played that game quite a bit was when I joined a community game day on another site and ended up getting first place consistently. There are better Mario Karts out there, but I suppose on a nostalgic point of view I have a certain fondness for Wii.

@m2thek: but there 3 crash bandicoot Kart games. 4 if you include the mobile versions

CTR was the most fun I had in a Kart racer with friends. I was a ps1 kid with no access Mario Kart 64. I've played them both as I now own an N64 and CTR is much better to me. Each to their own as I like all Kart Racers.

Let me tell you about Mario Kart: Double Dash. You get twice as many drivers on your kart so it's twice as good as any other kart game. I ran the numbers, and this checks out so I think we can shut this poll down.

Sonic All-Star Racing Transformed is like absurdly good and way better than a kart racer about fucking Sega properties has any right to be. Because of the amount of fanservice, it's clear a lot of love and care went into that game. I've talked about it before, but I honestly teared up when I loaded up the Burning Rangers stage, the music kicked in, and Chris' voice came over the speakers and she started giving your directions. I rarely lose my shit when playing a game. I lost my shit playing that game on multiple occasions. It was, for me, a genuinely touching experience getting to "revisit" all those old, forgotten franchises

I haven't played Mario Kart 8 so I honestly can't say how Sonic compares, but from the little I've seen, while it seems like a great kart racer, I could not fathom it moving me in the same way.

At some point I need someone to explain to me why Crash Team Racing is so beloved. Granted, I only ever played about 10 minutes of it at a friend's house back in the 90s, but I still don't get it.

Of the options in the poll, Mario Kart 8 is the best, but really Diddy Kong Racing is the best. THE BEST.

Motor Toon Grand Prix (US)

Before there was Gran Turismo there was this little know producer called Kazunori Yamauchi. He became the president of Polyphony Digital after designing his first game Motor Toon Grand Prix, a cartoon-inspired racing title similar to Mario Kart. Motor Toon Grand Prix later spawned a sequel, Motor Toon Grand Prix 2, which was the only game in the franchise released outside Japan...in teh US that game is called Motor Toon Grand Prix.

The characters (toons) in the game are not already developed characters, but they are decent caricatures of "video game style" characters. And, for a PSX game it is surprising solid in the rendering, it is not full of flickering or pop-in.

I picked up Sonic Racers Transformed for Steam and was very impressed with it. I later picked up a clearance copy at Target for my PS3 and again found it to be a lot of fun. I also have Mario Kart 8 and other Mario Kart's and will always love Mario Kart but I think Sega did an amazing job with Sonic Racers Transformed. If you don't have Sonic Racers Transformed I think you should get a copy. The graphics are top notch and the game runs nice and smooth. Also a very good variety of stages from classic Sega games. Honestly owning this and Mario Kart 8 the quality of Sonic Racers Transformed is equal and deserves credit for giving us a great arcade racer that isn't generic.

Great game that really needs some love. I'm hoping Sega doesn't abandon it and does give us another one for the newer systems.

Mario Kart 64. Koopa Troopa Beach has not been and will not ever be surpassed as a course. It is excellence. Honorable mention: Super Mario Kart and Ghost Valley 2

Tough call but it's between MK8, Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed, and Mario Kart DS for me. I gave DS some love on the poll.

I second this. The absence of Street Racer is a no vote from me.

Twist Answer:

R.I.P. Bizarre Creations

+1 for Diddy Kong Racing. I've owned a lot of kart racers in my life, but my time with DKR dwarfs all of them easily.

I do like Mario Kart 8 though. Maybe the best Mario Kart? Maybe?

I'll never understand why people love Double Dash so much. The stages were so lacking.

I only really played CTR so in keeping with standard methodology in answering these sorts of questions I'm gonna say it's better than all those other games.

Blur is sort of a kart racer, no?

If I had to pick a Mario Kart it would be Double Dash because it was my first. I'm not a huge fan of the Mario Kart series though as they all punish good play and are more party oriented games. Blur is hands down the best kart racer. It is a balanced, competitive and fun game that also has STYLE.

Not big on Kart racers these days. I felt empty playing Mario Kart 8, like in a Mario Party kind of way where you can only nudge yourself to better your chances.

The last one I really enjoyed was Mario Kart DS.