5 Best Mario Kart Games, Ranked

July 27, 2026 - 12:19

For decades, "Mario Kart" has been the gold standard for chaotic, item-fueled racing. From the Super Nintendo to the Nintendo Switch, each entry has tried to balance tight controls with pure, joyful mayhem. But which games truly deserve the checkered flag? We have ranked the five best entries in the series, leaving the rest to eat their dust.

At number five is "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe." While the original Wii U version was a technical marvel, the Switch port perfected the formula. The anti-gravity sections added a new layer of strategy, and the massive roster of characters and tracks from past games makes it the ultimate collection. It is the most polished and content-rich game in the series, even if it lacks some of the raw charm of earlier titles.

Number four belongs to "Mario Kart: Double Dash!!" for the GameCube. This was a bold experiment that paid off. Two characters per kart meant one drove while the other held items, allowing for team-based strategies like holding a giant banana behind your kart while your partner launched a red shell. The unique partner system and the iconic, hub-based menu screen gave it a personality no other game has matched.

Taking the bronze medal is "Mario Kart 7" for the Nintendo 3DS. This game introduced hang gliders and underwater driving, which added verticality to the tracks without breaking the core gameplay. It also brought back the beloved coin system from "Super Mario Kart" to boost speed. The online community was incredibly active, and the custom kart parts allowed for deep personalization.

The runner-up is "Mario Kart Wii." This game is legendary for its chaotic online play and the introduction of motorbikes, which could perform wheelies for a speed boost. The track design was aggressive, with wide courses perfect for the powerful Blue Shell to ruin a first-place run. Its massive popularity and the sheer insanity of 12-player races make it a fan favorite that still has a dedicated online community today.

And the number one spot goes to the game that started it all: "Super Mario Kart" for the Super Nintendo. While it is primitive by modern standards, its influence is undeniable. The tight, slide-heavy drifting mechanics, the simple but effective weapon system, and the iconic tracks like Rainbow Road set the template for everything that followed. It is the purest, most challenging version of the concept, where one mistake could cost you the race. No other game in the series has captured that perfect, tense balance of skill and luck quite like the original.