Mario Kart 64 is one of the best multiplayer games available for the N64.
As in its predecessor for the Super Nintendo, in Mario Kart 64 you can race as a number of Nintendo avatars. Besides the title character, you can play as his brother, his nemesis, his alter-ego nemesis, his old-school barrel-chucking nemesis, his princess, her peon, and his steed. The one with the long tongue. Each character has pros and cons based on their weight that affect acceleration, cornering, and top speed. The race tracks are based on various locations from the Mario franchise, such as Donkey Kong's Jungle and the Mushroom Kingdom. You race against the other characters, using a number of power-ups such as red shells (which home in on the racer in front of you) and bananas (which drop behind you and cause your opponent to wipe out).
Graphics: Mario Kart 64 is no Perfect Dark, but the graphics shine nonetheless for a N64 cartridge. The level designs are well-laid out and suitably challenging, particularly in the later levels. Rainbow Road is colorfully decorated as a shining road composed of color in space, with constellations of various Mario characters. Every level has little flourishes that evoke a nod to the Mario universe, such as piranha plants on the sidelines and warp pipes in the grasslands.
Sound: The sound is suitably Mario, with whoops from the main characters (Toad is particularly entertaining when struck), explosions from the turbo boost, and a soundtrack befitting the Mario franchise.
Gameplay: Single-player Mario is borderline depressing. Other than polishing up your driving, there is no real incentive to get out there and race against the computer. However, Mario Kary 64 shines in multiplayer. With 2 or more people the game gets very intense, particularly as your friends and relatives usually know how to use those red and green shells better than the computer. The game will also give the players in the rear better powerups, effectively balancing the game for the poorer players. You can also enter "Battle Mode", where each player has three balloons. Each time a player is hit with an item they lose a balloon. These arenas can add tremendous replay value in a group.
While Mario Kart may not be a great game for one person, it more than compensates for this shortcoming as one of the greatest multiplayer games for the N64. Players looking for similar entertainment on a modern Nintendo console should consider the solid sequel, Mario Kart Double Dash.