Mario Kart: Super Circuit

Prerelease Info Notes Bugs

Unused Tracks#

SNES Battle Courses#

Tilemaps and minimaps exist for all four of the Battle Courses from Super Mario Kart. These could have been used as placeholders before the new ones were completed, or it may have been possible to unlock these courses just like the tracks at one point. Unlike all other tracks and battle courses in the game, which are stored in chunks, these are each stored in one piece, the same way Super Mario Kart stores its battle courses. All of them use Super Circuit battle mode theme for their music.

They occupy track IDs 0x34 to 0x37 and can be played using the GameShark code 33003621 00XX.

Award Ceremony#

This is the track seen during the Award Ceremony sequence after finishing a cup. It reuses the music, tileset and minimap from Peach Circuit; some sprites for the trees are also loaded but aren't present in the scene proper, since most of the track can not be seen during the sequence. The AI route was not programmed for other characters. Its ID slot is 0x1C.

Removed Tracks#

The slots 0x0 to 0x3 and 0x1D to 0x1F are not assigned any track. Trying to load them will crash the game.

Unused Items#

Watch on YouTube

The Bob-omb icon may have been intended for when a player becomes one in Battle Mode, as instead the player's portrait is crossed out, or for something similar to the Bob-omb item in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Along with the other used items, the Banana Bunch, and Fake Item Box from Mario Kart 64 were likely also supposed to make a reappearance, but did not appear in the retail game. The Golden Mushroom was cut from the game due to it not working well with the size of the tracks.²

These items can be accessed using the item modifier GameShark code 83003D12 10XX, not including the Bob-omb.

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page. Specifically: How does the Golden Mushroom handle its timer? More specifically, what address does it use, and how long does it last exactly? The Bob-Omb icon seems to have a unique palette, but is it used for anything else?

ID	Icon	Description	Notes
0x6		Triple Banana	This does nothing when used. It would have presumably functioned like Triple Bananas from other Mario Kart titles.
0x9		Golden Mushroom	Works as expected. Once used, it becomes item 0xE. Has been scrapped due to the small size of the game's tracks.
0xD		Fake Item Box	Places a single Banana Peel behind the kart.
0xE		Golden Mushroom (In-use)	When the Gold Mushroom (item 0x9) is used, this item will be forced into your item slot. Grants unlimited boosts for a limited amount of time. Once that time passes, it's removed from your item slot.

Unused Graphics#

SNES Tracks#

All#

Each SNES track's graphic set includes a unique, revamped oil slick graphic, as well as an earlier version of the coin (Rainbow Road is the exception, as it is identical to Mario Circuit's save for a corrupted palette). Not only are Mario Circuits 2, 3, and 4 the only Super Mario Kart tracks to use oil slicks, but said oil slicks are absent from the versions present here.

Above tilesets are in this order: Mario Circuit, Donut Plains, Ghost Valley, Bowser's Castle, Choco Island, Koopa Beach, and Vanilla Lake.

Interestingly enough, Super Mario Kart's original oil slick graphic contains unseen detail and color palettes to match any course theme besides Mario Circuit, where they are also obviously unused.

Mario Circuit#

The unused multicolored block from the original can be found here as well, this time with an incorrect palette.

Donut Plains#

Despite the removal of Monty Moles from Donut Plains 2 and 3, the holes they pop out of were still given a graphical update in the track's tileset.

Ghost Valley#

There are unused frames for an animation for the frail blocks falling like it was done in Super Mario Kart, but it strangely isn't used in here. Instead, the blocks just instantly disappear.

This graphic can also be found in Boo Lake's and Broken Pier's tileset.

Vanilla Lake#

Just like the frail blocks, the breakable ice blocks also have an animation for getting destroyed, but it simply disappears in-game.

Choco Island#

Another Super Mario Kart leftover. This time, it's unused in both games.

Rainbow Road#

The mysterious unused coin makes a comeback, albeit with an incorrect palette, again.

New Tracks#

Most new graphics for new courses were used, but some bit the big one at the hands of Nintendo.

Mario Circuit#

Along with the used tree, a pipe and mushroom can be found in Mario Circuit's sprite graphics. Pipes were a feature in several Super Mario Kart tracks, and a big Mushroom appeared in Mario Kart 64's Mario Raceway.

Cheese Land#

An unused Satellite is found in Cheese Land's graphics, although it looks very similar to the ones in the background of Luigi Circuit.

Sky Garden#

Likewise, Fuzzies from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island appear with Sky Garden's beanstalk graphics, implying they were intended to appear in the course at some point.

Ribbon Road#

A spinning, smiling star and a strange UFO toy(?) appear near the gift box sprite graphics for Ribbon Road. The UFO has no palette of its own, so a modified version of the present box palette (with white replacing the darkest shade of blue) was applied to it. Perhaps they were meant for Rainbow Road and took a wrong turn...

Changed Graphics#

Every track tileset in the game has an early, static version of the zipper and jump panel graphics, which are overwritten with the animated versions in-game.

Early	Final

On the early version of the zippers, the arrows do not flash, and the arrow and yellow square are outlined. The shade of red used is darker in the final sprite.

Early	Final

The jump panels lost a great deal of detail, partially due to the fact that darkest shade of yellow is overwritten with the flashing red color used on the final version of the zipper above.

Early	Final

The ranks originally used SSS, SS and S instead of stars. The early ranks also use an earlier version of the palette, as shown with the A, B and C ranks, otherwise the early rank icons are perfectly identical to the used ones.

Unused Font#

Found among the HUD graphics is this small and detailed font. The game uses a bigger font instead. Interestingly, the L, apostrophe and quotation marks have different coloring and are used to denote lap times at the end of racing on an Extra track in either the Grand Prix or Time Trial modes, where the tracks are 5 laps in length.

Unused Colors#

SNES Rainbow Road#

Just like in the SNES original, there are 3 colors for each of the colorful tiles from Rainbow Road, but they only use 2 colors.

Luigi Circuit#

Two palette rows for objects go unused.

Unused Objects#

There is a considerable number of objects that Intelligent Systems have left trapped in the ROM, never to be seen again.
Note: Some objects have the mention "in (track)": that means that the object doesn't have an unique object ID that works in all courses and the following ID will only work in the specified track.

General#

Graphic:

197 198
199 200

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: 91, among others
What seems to be a default object, present in every track. Stays on the ground and has no collision. Has either graphics made out of jumbled tiles or no graphic at all depending on the course it's placed in.

Shy Guy Beach#

Cannonballs#

Graphic:

2x2	1x1	In-game
224 225 226 227	228

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: 9A
The cannon balls from Shy Guy Beach have 4 different timings (moments where it can land), and they're treated as separate objects, but the third timing went unused. Acts like the used cannon balls.

Bowser Castles#

Thwomps#

Graphic:

8x8	4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
000 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 016 017 018 019 020 021 022 023 024 025 026 027 028 029 030 031 032 033 034 035 036 037 038 039 040 041 042 043 044 045 046 047 048 049 050 051 052 053 054 055 056 057 058 059 060 061 062 063	064 065 066 067 068 069 070 071 072 073 074 075 076 077 078 079	080 081 082 083	084

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: A9
One of the Thwomp timings goes unused.

Object ID: AE
Note: all directions are in relation to the track map
A Thwomp that goes west, east, south, north in an inverted L pattern, pounding between every movement.

Object ID: AF
A Thwomp that goes north, south, east, west in an L pattern, pounding between every movement.

Object ID: B2
A Thwomp that goes east, west, north, south in an L pattern, pounding between every movement.

Fire Balls#

Graphic:

4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
085 086 087 088 089 090 091 092 093 094 095 096 097 098 099 100 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121	101 102 103 104 122 123 124 125	105 126

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: B8
One of the thirteen fireball timings goes unused.

Luigi Circuit#

Force field#

096 097 098 099
100 101 102 103
104 105 106 107
108 109 110 111

144 145
146 147

156

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: C5
Some sort of force field with no graphics: acts like a wall but you can easily pass through it with enough speed.

Blue Tree#

8x8	4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
000 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015 016 017 018 019 020 021 022 023 024 025 026 027 028 029 030 031 032 033 034 035 036 037 038 039 040 041 042 043 044 045 046 047 048 049 050 051 052 053 054 055 056 057 058 059 060 061 062 063	064 065 066 067 068 069 070 071 072 073 074 075 076 077 078 079	080 081 082 083	084

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: C6, C7
Two duplicates of the tree, using palette 00 instead of palette 02, making it appear blue.

Riverside Park#

Intangible object 1#

160 161
162 163

164

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: CA
An object with no graphics or collision.

Intangible object 2#

154 155
156 157

158

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: CB
Another object with no graphics or collision.

Invisible tree#

128 129 130 131
132 133 134 135
136 137 138 139
140 141 142 143

144 145
146 147

148

Palette ID: 02

Object ID: CD
An object with no graphics and the same collision as a tree.

Intangible object 3#

149 150
151 152

153

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: CE
Yet another object with no graphics or collision.

Yoshi Desert#

Glitched rock#

2x2	1x1	In-game
043 044 045 046	047

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: D8
An object made out of jumbled rock graphics without any collision.

Mario Circuit#

Pipe#

4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
064 065 066 067 068 069 070 071 072 073 074 075 076 077 078 079	080 081 082 083	084

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: DC
A pipe with working collision.

Mushroom#

4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
043 044 045 046 047 048 049 050 051 052 053 054 055 056 057 058	059 060 061 062	063

Palette ID: 02

Object ID: DD
A mushroom with working collision.

Ribbon Road#

Star#

4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204	122 123 124 125 143 144 145 146 164 165 166 167 185 186 187 188 205 206 207 208	126 147 168 147 209

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: E6
A perfectly functional star object, slightly above ground moving up and down. The player can pass under it but can also collide with it by hopping towards it.

UFO#

4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225	226 227 228 229	230

Palette ID: 00
Note: A modified version of the palette with white replacing the darkest shade of blue was used.

Object ID: E9
An UFO on the ground without collision.

Object ID: EB
The same UFO, but in midair, and moving up and down.

Intangible object#

231 232 233 234
235 236 237 238
239 240 241 242
243 244 245 246

247 248
249 250

251

Palette ID: 01


Object ID: EA
An object without collisions using a duplicate of the smallest UFO graphic for its sprite.

Boo Lake#

Invisible tree#

000 001 002 003 004 005 006 007
008 009 010 011 012 013 014 015
016 017 018 019 020 021 022 023
024 025 026 027 028 029 030 031
032 033 034 035 036 037 038 039
040 041 042 043 044 045 046 047
048 049 050 051 052 053 054 055
056 057 058 059 060 061 062 063

064 065 066 067
068 069 070 071
072 073 074 075
076 077 078 079

080 081
082 083

084

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: F9
An object without proper graphics, having the same collision as a tree.

Intangible object#

064 065
066 067

069 070
071 072

074 075
076 077

068

073

078

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: FA
Cycles through animation frames 2, 1, 2, 3. An object moving up and down in midair without collisions.

Broken Pier Pillar#

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: FB
A duplicate of Broken Pier's pillar, which use palette 01 instead of 00. Here, the palette is incorrect, as Boo Lake and Broken Pier don't use the same palette set.

Broken Pier Boo#

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: FC
A duplicate of Broken Pier's Boos, stealing your coins. Has an incorrect palette and incorrect graphics as Boo Lake and Broken Pier don't use the same graphic and palette set.

Cheese Land#

Satellite#

149 150 151 152
153 154 155 156
157 158 159 160
161 162 163 164

165 166
167 168

169

Palette ID: 00


Object ID: FF
A satellite with some missing graphics but working collision.

Rainbow Road#

Intangible object#

2x2	1x1	In-game
043 044 045 046	047

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: 03 (in Rainbow Road)
An object without collisions and jumbled graphics.

Lightning Cloud#

Palette ID: 01

Object ID: 04 (in Rainbow Road)
A duplicate of the Lightning Cloud that uses palette 01 instead of palette 02. As a result, its palette isn't animated, unlike other lightning clouds.

Sky Garden#

Fuzzy#

4x4	2x2	1x1	In-game
043 044 045 046 047 048 049 050 051 052 053 054 055 056 057 058	059 060 061 062	063

Palette ID: 01


Object ID: 03 (in Sky Garden)
A Fuzzy moving up and down in midair. Cannot be collided with.

Broken Pier#

Invisible tree#

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: 02 (in Broken Pier)
A duplicate of Boo Lake's invisible tree, id F9. Uses different graphics and palette as the graphic and palette set between both tracks is different.

Intangible object#

Palette ID: 00

Object ID: 03 (in Broken Pier)
A duplicate of Boo Lake's intangible animated object. Again, the graphic and palette set between both track is different so they'll look different based on which track they're placed in.

Unused Behaviors#

Coins#

Coins laying on the track will not be collected anymore when the coin count reaches 99 coins, even though the maximum amount of coins obtainable by normal means is 60.

Unused Spawn Points#

All four battle mode maps have spawn points programmed for 8 players, but as battle mode is for up to only 4 players, half of the spawn points go unused. They can be seen by using the track modifier code above to load a battle course in Grand Prix or Quick Run.

Regional Differences#

Title Screen#

Japan	International	China (unreleased)

The game is known as Mario Kart Advance in Japan. The international version added another TM next to Super Circuit on the logo. The unreleased Chinese version's title just translates the International version title into Chinese, and there is no copyright information at the bottom, presumably because it still needed to be replaced by iQue's own.

Graphics Changes#

Japan	International

Japan	International

In the Japanese version, the Shy Guys in Sunset Wilds wear Native American war bonnets. These were removed in the international release, most likely out of sensitivity towards indigenous cultures. Interestingly, while the face paint was removed in the preview image in the International versions, the sprites themselves were not altered to compensate.

Japan	International

In the Japanese version, the Settings text stays on-screen when you open the menu.

China	International

Like in Mario Kart 64, the Special Cup was changed to iQue Cup in the unreleased Chinese version.

China	International

The Luigi Blimp from Luigi Circuit was edited to use Luigi's chinese spelling and simpler shading. Oddly, the Luigi Blimp present in Sky Garden wasn't changed.

Courses#

Koopa Beach 2#

Japan	International

It seems like some checkpoints in Koopa Beach 2 have been changed in the international version, possibly to prevent lap-skipping exploits.

Battle Course 2#

Japan	International

Battle Course 2 was changed for the international releases, changing the jumps' placement and making the course smaller in general. This was most likely done due to the original track layout pretty clearly resembling a Swastika.

Oddly, the track preview was not changed between releases.

Mobile System GB compatibility#

The Japanese version had online capabilities, which were done through connecting an adapter so that the GBA could hook up to a cell phone, presumably to allow ghost exchanging. The service was discontinued on December 14, 2002. The screen that showed when booting up the game was also removed in the international versions for the same reason, although it still remains in the ROM. The "Mobile Support" section of the staff roll was also removed, leaving Mitsunori Yamada, Kensuke Tanabe and Nobuto Koganezawa uncredited in international versions.

Miscellaneous#

• Most of the preloaded Time Trial records were changed. The 1st Place times and best lap records are the same for all versions, but 2nd-5th Places are different. In the Japanese version, 2nd-4th have a slightly slower time from the 1st Place record and 5th Place is always set to 3'00"00; in the international versions, times are all 30 seconds apart from the 1st Place record.

References#