While Nintendo is best known for franchises like "Super Mario Bros.," "Pokémon," and "The Legend of Zelda," "Mario Kart" is actually the company's best-selling franchise.
The game offers a wonderful balance between casual and competitive racing, with each race offering a few minutes of frantic fun for multiple players.
"Super Mario Kart" was the first game in the series and one of the earliest racing games to let two players play at once by splitting the screen. The game used a special graphics style that made the two-dimensional sprites seem as though they were driving in 3D; the effect was considered ground-breaking at the time.