Proto:Super Mario Kart/kart *

This is a sub-page of Proto:Super Mario Kart.

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

To do: Everything Info on debug mode (accessed by pressing Start+Select on the title screen, seems to be similar if not identical to the one found in mario-kart-*)

A later build than mkart, and very similar to the unreleased prototype, though it still has some differences. The ROM has a timestamp of May 18, 1992.

The build is actually split into two files: kart_01 and kart_02. To get the build working, append kart_02 to the end of kart_01 and then correct the header.

General Differences

• The logo is still based on the Japanese version. The background already got updated to the international version, by removing the Japanese text.
• The cup selection screen lacks an orange border as well as showing which cc you've chosen.
• Course Select is misspelt as Course Selct in the course selection screen.
• During the result/score tally screen, the CPU that don't manage to finish in time get an "OUT" instead of their time like the final.
• When having 0 coins, the coin UI doesn't flash like the final. You still spin out when touching racers while having 0 coins, however.
• Before receiving your first item the item roulette space shows 1p and 2p, which was changed to just 1 and 2 in the final.

Gameplay Differences

• You start with 4 coins instead of 5 in the final.
• Falling into the lava, water, or of the map doesn't give a coin penalty. Oddly enough this is present in the earlier mkart prototype from April 13, 1992.
• Moles do not attach on you; instead, you just spin out.
• You can still lose coins after you've finished and bonk into someone.
• You do not get an extra life after you've finished first three times.
• The CPU appears to not be able to get hit by dropped bananas, as well as items fired by other CPU's. As a result, you never see other CPU players getting hit on the minimap way behind you while playing, unlike the final.

Item Differences

• Lightning does not really cause the AI to slow down.
• Characters made small by Lightning cannot be squished.
• Touching bananas put you on full stop like green shells.
• Going over an obstacle like pipes and Piranha Plants with a star make you feather jump instead of destroying it.
• Bananas can't be thrown forward and shells can't be dropped.

Sound Differences

• Going over a bump with a Mushroom causes no sound. In the final, it causes a higher-pitched bump sound.
• Using Lightning plays no sound.
• Getting stomped by a Thwomp plays a different sound.
• Going the wrong way plays a slightly different Lakitu sound.
• Hitting an enemy with an item plays a slightly lower-pitched sound
• The sound effects of driving on terrain tiles such as the Donut Plain's grass or Bowser's Castle tiles are different or missing.
• Going over the bridge in Donut Plains plays a slightly different sound
• On the final lap when you are 5th or below a different sound plays, which is different than the one Lakitu plays when going backwards.
• Using a ghost gives a 'proceed menu' sound when you steal an item and a 'go back to previous menu' sound when stealing no item. Likely placeholder sounds.
• Finishing does not give the finished sound. Instead, the victory jingle (or defeat) will immediately start playing, proceeded with the character's victory theme.

Bugs / Issues

• Rainbow Road has the graphics missing for the position counter, thus crashes when the final lap is reached, making it incompletable. This makes completing 100cc currently impossible.
• In Battle Mode, going out of bounds using a feather causes you to become permanently stuck, similar to the undumped prototype. Oddly enough this works completely fine in the earlier prototype from April 13, 1992.
• When Lakitu pulls you over the finish line, the lap won't count.
• When racers finish before you do they often don't cheer or have their position flashing, due to unknown reasons. This once again works fine in the earlier April 13, 1992, build, however, where it flashes normally until position 5 at all times, like the final.

Battle Mode

The Battle Mode track order is different.

Course	Name (Prototype)	Name (Final)
Donut Plains	N/A	Battle Course 1
Koopa Beach	Battle Course 4	Battle Course 2
Choco Island	Battle Course 3	N/A
Vanilla Lake	Battle Course 2	Battle Course 3
Mario Circuit	Battle Course 1	Battle Course 4