Crazy Kart, also known as Kart Crazy and Crazy Karts, is a racing game developed by Nice Code Software for 16-bit plug and play systems. It is currently only known to exist on a "Sports Game" 7 in 1 cartridge included with the extremely uncommon Wiii3 205 in 1 system produced by Qi Sheng Long and sold in PAL regions (i.e., the United Kingdom), which also contains other 16-bit games developed by Nice Code.
Overview[]
Gameplay.
Crazy Kart is a kart racing game loosely based on the online multiplayer game Crazyracing Kartrider by Nexon, with the designs of the racers in Crazy Kart in particular closely resembling characters from Nexon's game (which by extension, are from Crazy Arcade).
The game presents the player with seven different colored racers to play as when they start the game. When a selection for a racer is made, the game will then present five different tracks for the player to race in. All tracks have the player race against 6 computer controlled racers and appear to only have one lap, with each track being set in a different photorealistic locale. If the player gains enough speed while racing, a N2O meter will fill up, which can then be used to gain a temporary speed boost. Throughout each track, a set of two orbs with question marks will appear that will give racers an item when driven into. Most of these items are weapons, which can be used on any other nearby racer to impede their progress. When a weapon is used on a racer, an animated portrait of the targeted racer at a front-facing view will appear depicting how the weapon will affect them. Once the player finishes a lap, if they enter the top 3, then the game will show a screen with the top 3 racers (including the player) on a podium. Regardless of the player entering the top 3 or not, the game will then go back to the track select screen. If the player wins a race on a track, the track on that screen will have a ribbon on top of it.
Ending.
The game has an ending that is shown when the player places in the top 3 of all five tracks. It depicts a red racer driving in their kart on a rainbow ramping up above the racetrack while kissing a trophy and giving a peace sign (the racer chosen at the start of the game does not change this), along with the words "WIN" and "CONGRAULATION" (sic) on screen. The border of the racetrack also has the name "NATURE COLOR SOFTWARE" on it. Nature Color is an older name used by the Chinese company Nice Code Software, who used to develop video game software for various platforms. The presence of this name strongly suggests that Nice Code developed this game.
Music[]
The game only ever plays one song on the select screens and during races, which is a simple looping MIDI-like tune. The music that plays on the title screen and end screen is a short sample from the Valentino, Inc. production song "Sailing", which was composed by Walter Murphy. The win screen that is shown when the player places in the top 3 plays a different sampled song.
Items[]
Crazy Kart has a few items that the player and other racers in a race can use to put the odds in their favor, all of them based on items from the game it is based on, Crazyracing Kartrider.
| Icon | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
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N2O | Gives the user a temporary speed boost. Same effect as if the player used their N2O meter. Icon is based on the Boost item from Crazyracing Kartrider.[1] |
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Shield | Gives the user a force field that shields them from any oncoming attacks for a short period of time. Icon is based on the Shield item from Crazyracing Kartrider.[1] |
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Devil | Icon is based on the Devil item from Crazyracing Kartrider.[1] In the Nexon game, this item would reverse the left and right directions for all Riders for a short period of time. It is unclear what the item in Crazy Kart does. |
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Missile | Lets the user launch a missile at a racer, temporarily stunning them and allowing other racers to pass through them. The animated portrait that appears will depict the targeted racer being exploded. |
Handheld ports[]
This game would later receive direct ports to a set of dedicated 16-bit multigame handhelds, which were likely produced by Qi Sheng Long and were primarily sold in Japan under the Game U, Color Game Award, and PSV108 names in the early 2010s. These ports notably feature unique graphics with less graphical fidelity compared to the original game's graphics, which was a result of the handhelds the games were included on using small screens. The hardware the 16-bit handhelds that contain this game use is based on newer Sunplus technology, although which specific chipset is used is currently unknown. All variants of this port retain the in-game music from the original game.
F1 Race[]
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Title screen.[2]
Replaces the character-driven karts with racing cars. Unlike the original game, there is no ability to select a character or race track, and the only playable racer is a red racing car. This is possibly the original version of this port as the title screen music from the original game is intact.
Mary Karting[]
Title screen.
Variant of F1 Race that changes the playable racer to a girl with a red hat and pigtails. The status effect portraits that appear when an item is used on a racer show them from behind as opposed to the front-facing view used in the original Crazy Kart. The podium that would appear in that game after the end of a race is replaced with a trophy and 1-3 stars, which correspond to the player's ranking from 3rd place to 1st place respectively.
This version of the handheld Crazy Kart port contains three levels as opposed to the original game's five levels, with the backgrounds used in each level being unique to this game. The N2O and devil items from the original game are left intact, although the icons are redrawn to accommodate for the smaller screen of the handhelds they were designed for. It is unknown if the other items from the original game are included in this port. When all three levels are completed, the game goes back to the title screen.
Storm Motorcycle[]
Water Scooter[]
_Gameplay.jpg){kind=link}
Gameplay screenshot.[3]
Variant of F1 Race that replaces the racers with people on water scooters.
Trivia[]
- The Wiii3 205 in 1's 7 in 1 cartridge, which includes this game as well as Nice Code's other 16-bit games, is currently undumped. It is unknown what platform the games were programmed for, although Nice Code's website states that they developed their 16-bit games for Sunplus SPG hardware, a proprietary system-on-a-chip commonly used in plug and play systems throughout the 2000s.[4]
- A digital flyer from 2010 on Qi Sheng Long's old website advertises two 16-bit TV game consoles only referred to as the C-21A and 9942B, which both have screenshots of games they presumably contain. Both consoles include a screenshot of Crazy Kart's title screen, implying that they contain the game.[5] Screenshots of other games are shown for both consoles as well, which are presumably other 16-bit Nice Code games yet to be documented. The consoles themselves are not confirmed to have been sold or produced as of writing, though
See also[]
References[]
External links[]
| Games by Nice Code Software |
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