Mario Kart case study

Mario Kart case study:
Notes:
• Mario Kart is a series of driving games using fictional characters.
• All 8 Mario Kart games have been produced on Nintendo consoles.
• First game in 1992 on the ‘SNES’
• 8 playable characters in 1992. 25 in the latest version released in 2008.
• A very different audience to the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Aimed at children, the view is if children play a game exclusive to Nintendo they might sway towards buying Nintendo products and consoles in later life.
• First game was in 2D with a basic SNES controller.
• Latest game is in full 3D boasting impressive graphics. Also a ‘wii remote’ is used. Moving the remote in a certain direction moves the ‘kart’. This new innovative controller system is what makes Nintendo so unique.
• The image of the character was a result of the technology when the first Mario Kart game was made in 1992. The hair, hat and clothing all contrast so it was clear on the low graphics SNES system.
• Mario is widely considered the most iconic character in the gaming world.
• Because of the tremendous success of the Mario Kart franchise, Guinness World Records awarded the series with 5 world records in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008. These awards include, "First Console Kart Racing Game", "Best Selling Handheld Racing Game", and a mention of Mario Kart Arcade GP as the only Mario Kart game to feature guest appearances by non-Nintendo characters, with Pac-Man, Blinky, and Ms. Pac-Man available as playable characters. Guinness World Records also named the original Super Mario Kart number 1 on the list of top 50 console games of all time based on initial impact and lasting legacy.
• GTA was widely controversial, Mario Kart was at a child-based audience and was not controversial in the slightest, the strange characters, Mario (an Italian Plumber), attracted the children to the game.

Production:
• Who made it? Nintendo EAD Designer(s) Shigeru Miyamoto (general producer) Hideki Konno (producer) Satoru Iwata (executive producer)
• How was it funded? It was not the first game in the Nintendo/Mario franchise. SuperMarioWorld on the NES and SNES were first released. And the revenue created from these funded the manufacturing of MarioKart.
• For what console, why? Only Nintendo consoles and handheld consoles (GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS) These consoles aim the majority of their games at children.
• What technologies were used:


Marketing:
• What strategy was used: Aim at a different target audience to the xBox and PS3 consoles. This was because they didn’t want to compete with these consoles as a result of inferior graphics etc.
• What sort of audience did they want to attract: Child based audiences, however the new games appeal to adults and families.
• Analyse adverts for game, what aspects did they cover: Showed images of families together as well as clear visuals of the characters which the children may find entertaining.


Distribution:
• How could you get hold of the game: In retail shops such as ‘Game’ and ‘Gamestation’
• How did you pay for it? With money at a retail store.
• Any downloadable content: New racecourses and game modes are available via wii wi-fi connection.


Consumption:
• Online: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Mode also includes a "friends roster" which allows a player to play with a group of people he or she knows. Wi-Fi gameplay follows the same scoring as multiplayer VS matches, except with a limit of 4 players instead of 8. Also, only half of the courses available in vs matches are available in Wi-fi.Mario Kart Wii also makes use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, in which up to twelve people can race online via Wi-Fi.
• Multiplayer: One of the main selling points in the adverts shown for this game was the multiplayer aspect. Families together playing it. It showed an image of families bonding over playing this game.
• User created content: There is none available.

Exhibition: The demo's were played in shops whereas the full game was played in households.

GTA is very different however similar in one way, both games involve driving as this may be a reason for why they are so popular with young audiences, young audiences who are not allowed to drive so they do it on there.