Mario Kart: Platinum

Mario Kart: Platinum

Developer(s)

Button Studios

Publisher(s)

Button Studios

Distributor(s)

Button Studios

Platform(s)

Nymbus

Genre(s)

Action, Racing

Series

Mario Kart

Predecessor

Mario Kart: Gold

Release Date(s)

May 3rd 2020

Mode(s)

1-12 players (LAN multiplayer, internet multiplayer)

Age Rating(s)

Media Included

Cartridge, Nymbus Store

Available Input

Nymbus

Storage Needed

8.49GB

Mario Kart: Platinum is a 2020 Mario Kart game for the Nymbus that was released on May 3rd 2020 worldwide. The game is a full remaster of Mario Kart: Gold that was released two years prior on the Nintendo Switch, and includes all of the original game's base and downloadable content as well as new features that weren't present in the original.

Gameplay[]

Changes from Mario Kart: Gold[]

16 tracks, 4 battle courses and 10 playable characters have been added to the game.
5 new cups. These are the Platinum Shell, Platinum Banana, Platinum Leaf, Platinum Lightning and All-Cup Tour Ultra Cups.
34 stamps have been added. All stamps are now acquired as rewards via various means, such as winning cups, defeating Staff Ghosts or collecting coins.
Change to the item pool. The Super Horn and Warp Pipe are removed in favour of the brand new Propeller Mushroom.
Alternate costumes are now all automatically unlocked, with the exception of the costumes of characters that are not yet unlocked.
New race modes, namely Item Rain, Cup Knockout.
Elimination Circuit has been removed in favour of Cup Knockout.
A new engine class, 300cc.
All Cup Tour Ultra, a new race mode which sees players race across all 64 tracks in the game.
Waluigi's Slot Machine has been removed. Stamps are acquired via other means, and alternate costumes are all available from the get-go
amiibo are no longer functional with the game.
Mii was removed as a playable character as Miis do not exist on the Nymbus.

New Features[]

Plasma Gauge[]

For more information: Mario Kart: Gold#Plasma Gauge

The Plasma Gauge is a point-based mechanic that rewards players with a short speed boost when the gauge fills, earned by performing tricks, drifting, or hitting players with items.

Stamps[]

Mario Kart: Platinum features 201 collectible stamps that can be collected via multiple means:

Character stamps are unlocked by winning any Grand Prix using that character.
Track stamps are unlocked by defeating that track's Staff Ghost in Time Trials.
Battle stage stamps are unlocked by winning 10 battles on that stage.
Item stamps are unlocked by using that item in races a total of 100 times.
Enemy stamps are unlocked randomly after collecting 100 coins in a race.
The Mario Kart: Gold stamp is unlocked after getting Bronze, Silver or Gold in all 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, 200cc and 300cc cups.
The Mario Kart: Platinum stamp is unlocked after getting a 3-star rank in all 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, 200cc and 300cc cups.

List of Stamps in Mario Kart: Platinum

Stamps have no real functionality other than being collectible and viewable in the Stamp Album.

Game Modes[]

Every game mode in Mario Kart: Platinum has a host character, which is a differently-coloured Shy Guy.

Grand Prix[]

Hosted by Blue Shy Guy

Grand Prix is one of the main game modes available from the start of the game. Unlike in Mario Kart: Gold where players only have access to only the Mushroom, Flower, Shell and Banana Cups, all cups are available from the beginning. There are six modes in Grand Prix.

50cc - Vehicles move somewhat slowly.
100cc - Vehicles move at a moderate speed.
150cc - Vehicles move quickly.
Mirror - Vehicles move quickly. All courses are flipped.
200cc - Vehicles move very quickly.
300cc - Vehicles move extremely quickly.

All of these are available by default with the exception of Mirror Mode, which is unlocked after winning all 150cc cups.

All Cup Tour also returns from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, wherein players race through all 32 tracks from the Mushroom, Flower, Star, Special, Shell, Banana, Leaf and Lightning cups. The order is randomised but always begins with Rosalina Circuit and ends with Wii Rainbow Road. Available by default.

All Cup Tour Ultra makes its debut in this game, where players race through all 64 tracks in the game, from the Mushroom, Flower, Star, Special, Shell, Banana, Leaf, Lightning, Falcon, Egg, Arwing, Super Bell, Platinum Shell, Platinum Banana, Platinum Leaf and Platinum Lightning cups. The order is randomised but it always begins with Rosalina Circuit and ends with GCN Rainbow Road. It is unlocked by completing All Cup Tour on any engine class.

VS Race[]

Hosted by Green Shy Guy

VS Races are essentially free-play. All sorts of settings are customisable by the user, including number of CPU opponents, item frequency, Engine Class, Vehicle Restrictions, item restrictions. Items can even be turned off to make for competitive races. Team Races are also possible, with up to 4 teams of three; Blue, Red, Yellow and Green teams.

Results points awarded are somewhat more harsh than in recent iterations of the franchise, as positions 9th - 12th will recieve no points at all:

Games	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th
Super Mario Kart Mario Kart 64 Mario Kart: Super Circuit	9	6	3	1	0	0	0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Mario Kart DS	10	8	6	4	3	2	1	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mario Kart Wii	15	12	10	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
Mario Kart 7	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mario Kart 8 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe	15	12	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
Mario Kart: Gold Mario Kart: Platinum	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1	0	0	0	0

A green background indicates that the character displays a strongly positive reaction to winning the race.
A light green background indicates that the character displays a mildly positive reaction to their high finishing position.
A white background indicates that the character displays a negative reaction to their low finishing position.

There are 3 different race modes in VS Race:

Regular Race - Race with no extra rules.
Item Rain - During the race, items will fall from the sky and litter the track, some helpful and some a hinderance.
Knockout - After each race, the player in last place is eliminated. This continues for 12 races until there is only 1 winner.

Time Trials[]

Hosted by Yellow Shy Guy

In Time Trials, players race to achieve the fastest possible time to complete 3 laps on a course. Players have the option of racing against Staff Ghosts, which are times set by Button Studios staff members, and beating these grants rewards. All Time Trials are recorded at 150cc.

Battle[]

Hosted by Pink Shy Guy

Battle mode in Mario Kart: Platinum is identical to how it was in Mario Kart: Gold. In these modes, players have a different objective than finishing a raise, be it collecting coins, bursting other player's balloons or collecting Power Moons. Most of these modes are playable either in teams or individually (with the exceptions of Renegade Roundup and Chomp Guardians which are only playable in teams).

	Every racer starts with five balloons. Whenever they are hit by an opponent's item, they will lose one balloon and the opponent will gain a point. If a player's balloons run out, they will despawn, only to respawn directly after with 3 more balloons. Additionally, extra balloons can be inflated by blowing into the system's microphone.
	Coins are scattered around the stage for racers to collect. Driving into a coin rewards the player with one, increasing their team's score for every coin gained. However, if hit by an item or hazard, players will lose half of the coins they have gained. Coin Runners also features blue coins, which are worth 5 coins for every one collected, however these are rare and only found in difficult-to-reach areas.
	One team, the Authority, is tasked with rounding up and catching members of the other team, the Renegades, using their Huckit Crabs that are permanently attached to their cars. When caught, Renegades will end up in one of three cells located across the stage, where they can later be freed by other members of their own team. If all Renegades are caught, the Authority will win, however if the Renegades can survive, they will win.
	Moon Thief works the same as Shine Thief from previous iterations of the franchise. There is one Power Moon placed on the map, which can be picked up by a player. When in possession of a Power Moon, that player or team's timer will decrease, and when it reaches 0, that player or team wins. However it's possible to steal the Power Moon from a player by hitting them with items.
	An altered ruleset of Balloon Battle, however in this game mode, players will not respawn when all of their balloons have popped and are thus eliminated from the game. Additionally, it is not possible to blow up additional balloons. Over time, a force field will shrink over the stage, forcing players to the centre to fight it out. The last player remaining wins.
	Each time starts the battle with one giant Chain Chomp each, that moves around the stage. Each team's objective is to deplete the health of the other team's Chain Chomp using items. The first team to do this wins. Players should be mindful that both team's Chain Chomps are able to hit them.

.

Online[]

Hosted by Light Blue Shy Guy

In online, players race against others from around the world. Players can enter 'Regional' or 'Global' leagues. Regional leagues are exclusive to the user's country, while in Global leagues, players from all over the world can play together. The user also has the option to set up rooms to play with their friends, either exclusively with friends, or against strangers with friends.

Missions[]

Hosted by White Shy Guy

For more information: Mario Kart: Gold#Missions

Missions return from Mario Kart: Gold, practically unchanged from how they appear in that game.

Characters[]

Playable Characters[]

Mario Kart: Platinum features a total of 71 unique playable characters, including the 61 characters from Mario Kart: Gold and 10 new ones. Of these characters, 30 are available from the start of the game, while 41 must be unlocked by completing Grand Prixes.

Default[]

Baby Mario Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Baby Luigi Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Baby Peach Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Baby Daisy Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Toad Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Shy Guy Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Peach Weight: Light Frame: Medium

Daisy Weight: Light Frame: Medium

Kamek Weight: Light Frame: Small

Koopa Troopa Weight: Light Frame: Small

Dry Bones Weight: Light Frame: Small

Bowser Jr Weight: Light Frame: Medium

Mario Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Luigi Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Yoshi Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Birdetta Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Pauline Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Hammer Bro Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Wario Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Waluigi Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Pianta Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Rosalina Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Wiggler Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

King Boo Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Bowser Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Dry Bowser Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Donkey Kong Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Honey Queen Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Metal Mario Weight: Heavy Frame: Medium

Pink Gold Peach Weight: Heavy Frame: Medium

Unlockable[]

Toadette (Win the Mirror Star Cup.) Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Toadsworth (Win the Mirror Special Cup.) Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Baby Rosalina (Win the Mirror Leaf Cup.) Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Baby Yoshi (Win the Mirror Lightning Cup.) Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Lakitu (Win the Mirror Falcon Cup.) Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Olimar (Win the Mirror Egg Cup.) Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Diddy Kong (Win the Mirror Arwing Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Medium

Dixie Kong (Win the Mirror Super Bell Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Medium

Monty Mole (Win the Mirror Platinum Shell Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Small

Baby Wario (Win the Mirror Platinum Banana Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Small

Nabbit (Win the Mirror Platinum Leaf Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Small

Penguin (Win the Mirror Platinum Lightning Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Medium

Topper (Win the 200cc Star Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Spewart (Win the 200cc Special Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Hariet (Win the 200cc Leaf Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Prof E Gadd (Win the 200cc Lightning Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Fox (Win the 200cc Falcon Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Large

Falco (Win the 200cc Arwing Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Large

Rango (Win the 200cc Platinum Shell Cup.) Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Donkey Kong Jr (Win the 200cc Platinum Banana Cup.) Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Boom Boom (Win the 200cc Platinum Leaf Cup.) Weight: Cruiser Frame: Medium

Pom Pom (Win the 200cc Platinum Lightning Cup.) Weight: Cruiser Frame: Medium

Lubba (Win the 300cc Star Cup.) Weight: Cruiser Frame: Medium

Captain Falcon (Win the 300cc Special Cup.) Weight: Cruiser Frame: Large

Petey Piranha (Win the 300cc Leaf Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Blue Silver Luigi (Win the 300cc Lightning Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Medium

Funky Kong (Win the 300cc Falcon Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

King K Rool (Win the 300cc Egg Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Big Bob-Omb (Win the 300cc Arwing Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Cookatiel (Win the 300cc Super Bell Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Starlow (Win the Mirror Platinum Shell Cup.) Weight: Feather Frame: Small

Fawful (Win the Mirror Platinum Banana Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Small

Parakoopa (Win the Mirror Platinum Leaf Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Small

Shroob (Win the Mirror Platinum Lighting Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Small

Mallow (Win the 200cc Platinum Shell Cup.) Weight: Light Frame: Medium

Geno (Win the 200cc Platinum Banana Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Popple (Win the 200cc Platinum Leaf Cup.) Weight: Medium Frame: Medium

Antasma (Win the 200cc Platinum Lightning Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

Midbus (Win the 300cc Platinum Leaf Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Large

R.O.B. (Win the 300cc Platinum Lightning Cup.) Weight: Heavy Frame: Medium

Vehicle Frame Sizes[]

All playable characters in the game have a vehicle frame size which is independent, although often correlating to, their weight. Frame size determines which vehicles characters can select. Additionally, for universal vehicles, frame size determines the size of the vehicle's hitbox.

Small
Medium
Large

Alternate Costumes[]

Some characters in the game have alternate costumes that, once unlocked, can be selected after choosing the character on the character select screen. Although not all characters have alternate costumes, and some characters have more than others, they are all unlocked via similar means by winning races.

CPU characters will not use alternate costumes unless in VS Race, 200cc or 300cc. In these modes, when a CPU character is selected, they have a 50% chance to use the default character costume, and a 50% chance to use a randomly-selected alternate costume (out of ones that have been unlocked by the player). This can be changed in the game settings.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Toad Default Blue Toad Win 5 races as Toad. Yellow Toad Win 10 races as Toad. Green Toad Win 15 races as Toad. Purple Toad Win 20 races as Toad. Pink Toad Win 25 races as Toad. Pit Crew Outfit Win 30 races as Toad.	1 2 3 4 5 6 Shy Guy Default Yellow Shy Guy Win 10 races as Shy Guy. Green Shy Guy Win 15 races as Shy Guy. Blue Shy Guy Win 20 races as Shy Guy. Pink Shy Guy Win 25 races as Shy Guy. Black Shy Guy Win 30 races as Shy Guy.	1 2 3 Peach Default Wedding Outfit Win 15 races as Peach. Cat Peach Win 30 races as Peach.	1 2 3 4 Kamek Default Red Magikoopa Win 10 races as Kamek Green Magikoopa Win 20 races as Kamek Yellow Magikoopa Win 30 races as Kamek
1 2 Koopa Troopa Default Red Shell Win 20 races as Koopa Troopa.	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mario Default Dr. Mario Win 5 races as Mario. Wedding Outfit Win 10 races as Mario. Classic Colors Win 15 races as Mario. Tanooki Suit Win 20 races as Mario. Musician Outfit Win 25 races as Mario. Builder Costume Win 30 races as Mario.	1 2 3 4 5 Mario Default Dr. Luigi Win 5 races as Luigi. Penguin Suit Win 10 races as Luigi. Classic Colors Win 20 races as Luigi. Builder Costume Win 30 races as Luigi.	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Yoshi Default Red Yoshi Win 5 races as Yoshi. Yellow Yoshi Win 10 races as Yoshi. Cyan Yoshi Win 15 races as Yoshi. Blue Yoshi Win 20 races as Yoshi. Pink Yoshi Win 25 races as Yoshi. Yarn Yoshi Win 30 races as Yoshi.
1 2 3 Birdetta Default Yellow Birdo Win 15 races as Birdetta. Blue Birdo Win 30 races as Birdetta.	1 2 3 4 Hammer Bro. Default Boomerang Bro. Win 10 races as Hammer Bro. Fire Bro. Win 20 races as Hammer Bro. Ice Bro. Win 10 races as Ice Bro.	1 2 3 Wario Default Biker Outfit Win 15 races as Wario. Hiker Outfit Win 30 races as Wario.	1 2 Waluigi Default Bus Driver Outfit Win 20 races as Waluigi.
1 2 Rosalina Default Aurora Outfit Win 20 races as Rosalina.	1 2 King Boo Default Luigi's Mansion Outfit Win 20 races as King Boo.	1 2 Bowser Default Wedding Outfit Win 20 races as Bowser.	1 2 3 Metal Mario Default Ice Mario Win 20 races as Metal Mario. Gold Mario Win all cups in an engine class.
1 2 3 4 Baby Yoshi Default Yellow Baby Yoshi Win 10 races as Baby Yoshi. Blue Baby Yoshi Win 20 races as Baby Yoshi. Pink Baby Yoshi Win 30 races as Baby Yoshi.	1 2 Lakitu Default Green Shell Win 20 races as Lakitu.	1 2 King K. Rool Default Alternate Clothes Win 20 races as King K. Rool.	1 2 Parakoopa Default Green Shell Win 20 races as Parakoopa.
1 2 R.O.B. Default North American Colors Win 20 races as R.O.B.

Tracks[]

Mario Kart: Platinum features a total of 16 cups with 4 tracks each, for a grand total of 64 tracks. Out of these, 4 cups are 'Nitro' cups, meaning they have entirely new tracks. 8 are 'Retro' cups, which are made up of tracks from past Mario Kart games. There are also 4 'Mixed' cups containing both Nitro and Retro courses.

Unlike in Mario Kart: Gold, track names are standardised across all versions, with tracks that had multiple names now using their North American names.

Mushroom Cup

Rosalina Circuit	Starfall Lake	New Donk Junction	Gloom-Gloom Jungle
Flower Cup

Mario Circuit	Bubble Pier	Toad's Farm	Starlight Summit
Star Cup

Peach Park	King Boo's Mansion	The Bulletworks	Rabbit Ridge
Special Cup

Koopa Cave	Wildfire Woods	Bowser's Castle	Rainbow Road
Shell Cup

SNES Choco Island 1	3DS Daisy Hills	GBA Cheep Cheep Island	U Sunshine Airport
Banana Cup

DS Mario Circuit	3DS Shy Guy Bazaar	Wii DK Summit	GCN Mushroom City
Leaf Cup

Wii Dry Dry Ruins	SNES Vanilla Lake 2	U Cloudtop Cruise	DS Shroom Ridge
Lightning Cup

GBA Lakeside Park	N64 Wario Stadium	GCN Bowser's Castle	Wii Rainbow Road
Falcon Cup

Cosmo Terminal	Vibrant Volcano	SNES Ghost Valley 3	Bulborb Gardens
Egg Cup

DS Figure-8 Circuit	Sparkling Lagoon	Spewart's Swamp	3DS Rock Rock Mountain
Arwing Cup

Wii Toad's Factory	Mt. Buzzy	GBA Sunset Wilds	Space Gate Assault
Super Bell Cup

SNES Mario Circuit 4	Phanto Temple	U Electrodrome	Super Mario Driftway
Platinum Shell Cup

Wii Luigi Circuit	U Sweet Sweet Canyon	SNES Koopa Beach 1	GCN Baby Park
Platinum Banana Cup

U Excitebike Arena	DS Waluigi Pinball	3DS Cheep Cheep Lagoon	N64 Choco Mountain
Platinum Leaf Cup

GBA Yoshi Desert	N64 Frappe Snowland	SNES Bowser Castle 3	GCN Wario Colosseum
Platinum Lightning Cup

Wii Moonview Highway	3DS Rosalina's Ice World	U Big Blue	GCN Rainbow Road

Out of the 64 tracks in Mario Kart: Platinum, 39 are 'Retro' tracks, meaning they have been previously featured in another Mario Kart game, but have been re-added with several new features and aesthetic changes to make them feel both fresh and nostalgic at the same time.

A list of changes to these Retro tracks can be found here:

Retro Track Changes in Mario Kart: Platinum

The whole track is much more sloped than it was in Mario Kart: Super Circuit and takes place in a mountainous valley surrounded by scenery such as giant chocolate bars and cupcakes.
There are many [[[Goomba]]s added to the track for the first half of the track.
The final U-turn of the track takes place underwater in a lake of melted chocolate.
The race takes place in the evening with an orange sky and sunset.

Instead of goats, there are cows crossing parts of the track.
The final turn before the glider section now has an optional anti-gravity section on the outside of the turn (on the wooden platform). Several boost panels have been added here as well.

Crabs have been added as obstacles on the beach sections of the track.
There is a Shy Guy Pirate Ship in the backdrop which fires exploding cannonballs onto parts of the track periodically.
Racers can go off the main path of the track to explore shallow underwater sections. These are also littered with Crabs and Cheep Cheeps which can obstruct the racers.

The floating metal platform near the end of the track is no longer in anti-gravity and has boost panels and Spinies in place of anti-gravity boosters.

The first part of the track that goes around the lake has fewer turns and now goes directly through the lake as an underwater section. There are Cheep Cheeps here as track hazards.
Towards the end of the lap, where the track crosses over, there is now a bouncy mushroom above the pipe tunnel.
Overall, there are fewer Piranha Plants around track. However there are also a few Goombas placed towards the end of the track near the 180-degree turn.

Phantos will appear in the market section to stall racers that hit them.
An optional anti-gravity section was added in the U-turn halfway through the track, where racers are able to drive on the walls where there are boost panels.

The cannon now activates drivers' gliders.
Before the section with bumps in the snow, there is a glider ramp.
Guard rails have been added to the chasm sections to prevent players from skipping parts of the track.
The half-pipe section is now a full-pipe with anti gravity on the ceiling and walls.

There are now three road lanes instead of two, meaning there is more traffic.

The oasis has been extended and the bridge has been removed, meaning players must drive through the lake underwater.
The interior of the ruins has been drastically changed. There is a split path at the entrance with anti-gravity on the left and right walls. The floor of the ruins has been removed, with a dark abyss in its place.
There is a glider ramp at the outside of the ruins, with several Pokeys on the path leading up to the finish line.

The track more closely resembles an iceberg in an arctic ocean than a frozen lake, with large amounts of water around the outside of the track.
The first half of the track no longer has blocks of ice blocking the racers' paths. Instead, there are Cooligans sliding across the ice.
Several trick ramps have been added to the first half of the track.
The second half of the track has become fully detached from the first and has been tilted to 45-degrees.
The race now takes place at night.

The airship section is no longer a split path but rather a wider, more open area where there are now Rocky Wrenches.
The thunderstorm section is no longer in anti-gravity, but has several Spinies added.

The road has much busier traffic than in the original, however players can now race on the sides of the mountain in anti-gravity to avoid traffic while taking a slightly slower route.
There is also a portion after the tunnel where racers can go off the side of the mountain over a series of bouncy mushrooms, with the last one activating the racers' gliders.
The race now takes place at sunset.

Fireballs produced by the volcano in the backgroudn will frequently crash into the road leaving behind fire, similarly to Wii Grumble Volcano.
The jump across the road around halfway through the lap now has a glider ramp.
The bridge near the start of the lap has collapsed, forcing racers to drive through the water.

The track has been downscaled with several turns removed in order to make laps shorter.
Additionally, there are many trick ramps and boost pads on the track to speed up the time it takes to complete a lap of the circuit.
Two glider ramps have been added. One around halfway through the track at a long stretch of straight road, and another where the racers jump over a portion of the track later on.
The final stretch is filled with Goombas.
The race now takes place in the daytime with the sun in the sky visible.

The spiral section after the lava room is now in anti-gravity, and racers drive along the walls. Additionally, there are several Firebars here.
The section with the animatronic Bowser statue is now in anti-gravity with a corkscrew-like layout looping around the path of the fireballs.
The final jump across the poison lake now has a glider ramp.

Most of the track is in anti-gravity, including the steep slope at the start, the tight bends before the cannon, and the split path area.
A bouncy mushroom has been added after the steep slope.
There are two glider ramps added - one at the end of the wavy path before the half-pipe area, and another in the area with split paths. Furthermore, the cannon will activate the racers' gliders.
There are four Rainbow Goombas around the last turn before the finish line.

When driving through the holes in the middle of the track, racers will be able to drive on the track's underside in anti-gravity, where there are added boost pads.
A glider ramp has been added after the first turn.

The first bend takes place in anti-gravity, with racers driving over a waterfall feature with boost pads, similar to Mount Wario's power plant.
There is a glider ramp around halfway through the course where the track loops over itself.
The race now takes place at night. Helicopters and fireworks can be seen in the sky.

The forest section after the first glider ramp now has two large Wigglers walking up and down the track.
The final stretch leading up the mountain is now much steeper and in anti-gravity. Boulders will now fall here more frequently than in the original.

The first stretch inside the factory with conveyor belts has a split path in anti-gravity, where racers can drive on either the left or right walls.
Three glider ramps have been added. The first one is after the second turn in the moving platform area over the lake. The second one is before the muddy half-pipe section, and the third is at the end of the muddy half-pipe section.

The road is much more sloped than in the original, taking place in a dry desert at sunset.
The three sharpest turns are now anti-gravity sections taking place on a large rock formation in the middle of the track that extends over the road at points.

The sharpest turn in the track has been elevated and tilted to become an anti-gravity section, now wrapping around a giant Metal Mario statue in the centre of the course.
Goombas and Piranha Plants have been added to the final stretch.

More Piranha Plants have been added, specifically to the anti-gravity section halfway through the course.

The ramp shortcut now has a glider ramp, and is possible to perform without a Mushroom.
The outside of the last turn with the boost panels is now much steeper and in anti-gravity.

Several Goombas have been added to the spiral section after the cannon.

The off-road water sections of the track are now underwater and can be driven through normally.
Overall, the track is less flat and more bumpy than it was in Super Mario Kart.
Before the last turn, there is a shipwreck in the water with a glider pad leading to the finish line.

The track is on a steeper slant than it was in Mario Kart 8 and there are several added boost panels around the outside turns.

A glider ramp has been added before the finish line.

Most of the first half of the track takes place in anti-gravity, with the pinball track being nearly vertical with many corkscrews and loops.
The end of the lap with the pinball section has a glider ramp added at the start, allowing racers to avoid the numerous hazards there.

The cave section is now fully underwater with a few extra boost panels and ramps.
Crabs have been added to the underwater section.

The part of the track by the lake now goes through the lake, forcing drivers to drive underwater.
Several Whomps exist on the track and can flatten racers.

Part of the track (around halfway through the first lap) now drives over a pyramid, which anti-gravity allowing racers to drive across its steep sides.
There is another, smaller pyramid near the end of the track, also in anti-gravity, which has a glider ramp at the end.
Several cacti exist on the track which can cause racers to spin out if they touch them.

The ramp before the bridge is now a glider ramp.
The end of the lap that takes place among the snow drifts now has an optional anti-gravity section along the walls with boost panels.

The large 180 degree turn in the centre of the track is elevated and tilted at a 45% angle and takes place in anti-gravity.
Parts of the track are now made of metal and have lava geysers appearing underneath them.
After the last turn there is a glider ramp.

Most of the track takes place in anti-gravity, including the many twists and turns of the metal track. Only the central arena and the track through the colosseum walls remain in normal gravity.
There is a glider ramp across the large jump in the centre of the track.

Optional anti-gravity sections exist at the start of the track in the hillsides of the forest area.
A glider ramp has been added at the end of the hilltop section at the start of the lap.
Mushroom Cars and Wiggler Buses can appear.

Freezies now appear on the icy section above the lake, and racers will freeze and spin out if they touch them like in GCN Sherbet Land.

The end of the anti-gravity section now leads underwater, with the track briefly spiralling under the surface of the ocean before looping back up into normal gravity for the final stretch.

A glider ramp has been added to the first jump.
The spiral leading up to the rainbow pipe is now in anti-gravity with more boost panels.
After being shot out of the pipe, racers' gliders will be activated for the wavy road section.
There is another glider ramp at the end of the wavy road, leading towards the final spiral and the finish line.

Battle Courses[]

There are a total of 16 Battle Courses in Mario Kart: Platinum. Of these, 8 are Nitro courses and 8 are Retro courses which have previously appeared in another Mario Kart game. All courses are available from the start by default.

New Courses

Skyview Stadium	Royal Gardens	Iceberg Beach	Tostarena Square

Boohemoth's Crypt	Rainbow Space Station	Beanbean Fields	Dream World
Retro Courses

N64 Double Deck	DS Tart Top	Wii Delfino Pier	3DS Honeybee Hive

GBA Battle Course 4	GCN Tilt-A-Kart	SNES Battle Course 2	U Battle Stadium

Out of the 16 Battle stages in Mario Kart: Platinum, 8 are 'Retro' stages, meanin, similarly to Retro tracks, they have been previously featured in another Mario Kart game, but have been re-added with several new features and aesthetic changes to make them feel both fresh and nostalgic at the same time.

A list of changes to these Retro stages can be found here:

Retro Stage Changes in Mario Kart: Platinum

The lower and upper decks are connected by steep staircases which also pose as small anti-gravity sections.
There is also the added option to drive on the glass ceiling of the upper deck using the anti-gravity sections built into the upper wall. There are several boost pads here in addition to bonus item boxes.

There are more pink cream bumpers around the outer edge of the track that will cover the player's screen in pink cream, obscuring their view, if they bump into them.
Several item boxes are located on the outer circumference of the course.
There are also several Magmatoes aroudn the course, that will melt into bubbling pools of lava if drivers get close, causing them to spin out and lose balloons or coins.

This course's rising water levels no longer pose a significant threat to the racers, as they can simply drive underwater when the lower areas flood.
The bridge opens up earlier and is now steeper, serving as a small anti-gravity section leading up to the upper area of the pier.

The course is significantly larger with two extra rooms added to the far left and far right of the hive.
The northernmost room is now completely covered with honey, meaning attempting to move through it will slow players to a crawl. However, there are many item boxes in here, making it worth the risk.
The air jets now enable the racers' gliders.

The corners of this stage feature tall, steep pyramids, the walls of which can be driven on with anti-gravity.
The track is sloped so that the center of the stage is lower than the outer perimeter. Several cacti exist on the stage which will cause racers to spin out if they touch them.
The pools of water can now be driven through, some of which contain item boxes and/or coins.

This stage has three presets - either a pixel art Mario, pixel art Luigi or pixel art Peach. All three versions have slightly different shapes but function identically, and a random preset is chosen each time.
The stage takes place fully in anti-gravity above a moonlit ocean, and tilts around much more frequently, even going upside down. Item boxes will tilt around as the stage does, even falling off completely if the stage is at 45-degrees or greater.

The water pools can now be driven through, some of the pools even containing item boxes and/or coins.
The stage is mostly flat with multicoloured blocks around its border.

The battle now takes place at night.
Most of the track is wider, allowing for more direct battle tactics.
The outer lanes of the stage will occasionally rotate around the centre, changing up the layout of the track. These parts of the track will always be in anti-gravity.

Vehicles[]

Vehicle customisation in Mario Kart: Platinum is much more simplified than in Mario Kart: Gold as propellers are no longer customisable. Instead, all karts have their own propeller. However, vehicles (both karts and bikes), tires and gliders still remain fully customisable.

All vehicle parts have 7 distinct stats that affect their ability to drive in different conditions, and these are:

Weight - How heavy the vehicle is. Heavier vehicles are less easily knocked around but can't stay airbourne for as long. The opposite goes for lighter vehicles.
Speed - A vehicle's maximum speed. Vehicles with a higher speed stat can reach a higher maximum speed than vehicles with a lower speed stat.
Acceleration - A vehicle's ability to change speed quickly. Vehicles with a high acceleration stat are easily able to change speed in a short amount of time.
Drift - A vehicle's turning ability while drifting. While all vehicles turn equally when not drifting, vehicles with a higher drift stat are able to make sharper turns when drifting.
Offroad - A vehicle's capability of driving off-road. Vehicles with a high off-road stat can drive in off-road sections such as grass, deep sand or mud, while losing little speed.
Mini Turbo - A vehicle's speed boost gained after performing a drift. Vehicles with a high mini turbo stat will have longer, faster mini turbos after drifting.
Traction - A vehicle's grip on the road surface. Vehicles with high traction won't slide around as easily on surfaces such as ice.

In Mario Kart: Platinum, there are 66 vehicles, 15 tires and 15 gliders for a grand total of 14,850 different vehicle combination options.

Vehicle Frames[]

At first, vehicle frames are specific to certain character size groups (as shown below), however once all vehicles are unlocked, this restriction no longer applies and any character can use any vehicle.

Out of the 66 vehicle frames in Mario Kart: Platinum, 28 are unlocked from the beginning while 38 are needed to be unlocked by winning cups before they can be used.

Default[]

Standard Kart Frame Size: Any

Standard Bike Frame Size: Any

Pipe Frame Frame Size: Any

Pipe Buggy Frame Size: Any

Goo Goo Buggy Frame Size: Small

Mushmellow Frame Size: Small

Booster Seat Frame Size: Small

Bullet Bike Frame Size: Small

Soda Jet Frame Size: Small

Kiddie Kart Frame Size: Small

Biddybuggy Frame Size: Small

Mr. Scooty Frame Size: Small

Red Fire Frame Size: Medium

Barrel Train Frame Size: Medium

Streamliner Frame Size: Medium

Mach Bike Frame Size: Medium

Sprinter Frame Size: Medium

Blue Seven Frame Size: Medium

Jet Bike Frame Size: Medium

Turbo Yoshi Frame Size: Medium

Koopa King Frame Size: Large

Flame Flyer Frame Size: Large

Flame Runner Frame Size: Large

Bruiser Frame Size: Large

Cact-X Frame Size: Large

Badwagon Frame Size: Large

The Duke Frame Size: Large

Mach 8 Frame Size: Large

Unlockable[]

Mercedes GLA Frame Size: Any (Win 50 online races)

Gold Kart Frame Size: Any (Star Rank in all Mirror Cups)

Tiny Tug Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Mushroom Cup)

Para-Wing Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Flower Cup)

Landship Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Star Cup)

Dry Bomber Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Special Cup)

ROB-LGS Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Shell Cup)

Cheep Charger Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Banana Cup)

Quacker Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Leaf Cup)

Cloud 9 Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Lightning Cup)

Blue Falcon Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Falcon Cup)

Macharon Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Egg Cup)

Carrot Kart Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Arwing Cup)

Apple Kart Frame Size: Small (Win the 50cc Super Bell Cup)

Birthday Girl Frame Size: Medium (Win 100cc Mushroom Cup)

Tea Coupe Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Flower Cup)

Super Blooper Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Star Cup)

Parade Kart Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Special Cup)

Bullet Blaster Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Shell Cup)

Poltergust 4000 Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Banana Cup)

Zucchini Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Leaf Cup)

Bumble V Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Lightning Cup)

Quickshaw Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Falcon Cup)

Egg 1 Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Egg Cup)

Snow Skimmer Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Arwing Cup)

Ghost Ride Frame Size: Medium (Win the 100cc Super Bell Cup)

Rambi Rider Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Mushroom Cup)

P-Wing Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Flower Cup)

Piranha Pipes Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Star Cup)

Wildlife Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Special Cup)

Gold Mantis Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Shell Cup)

Spear Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Banana Cup)

Phantom Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Leaf Cup)

Teddy Buggy Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Lightning Cup)

Comet Tail Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Falcon Cup)

Double-Decker Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Egg Cup)

Yellow Taxi Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Arwing Cup)

Trickster Frame Size: Large (Win the 150cc Super Bell Cup)

Tires[]

Out of the 15 tire types in Mario Kart: Platinum, 6 are unlocked from the beginning while 9 are needed to be unlocked by meeting specific criteria before they can be used.

Default[]

Standard Frame Size: Any

GLA Tires Frame Size: Any

Roller Frame Size: Any

Slim Frame Size: Any

Slick Frame Size: Any

Monster Frame Size: Any

Unlockable[]

Gold Frame Size: Any (Star Rank in all 200cc Cups)

Crimson Slim Frame Size: Any (Win Mirror Mushroom Cup)

Hot Monster Frame Size: Any (Win the Mirror Flower Cup)

Cyber Slick Frame Size: Any (Win the Mirror Shell Cup)

Sponge Frame Size: Any (Win the Mirror Banana Cup)

Mushroom Frame Size: Any (Win the 200cc Mushroom Cup)

Wood Frame Size: Any (Win the 200cc Flower Cup)

Button Frame Size: Any (Win the 200cc Shell Cup)

Cushion Frame Size: Any (Win the 200cc Banana Cup)

Gliders[]

Out of the 15 gliders in Mario Kart: Platinum, 10 are unlocked from the beginning while 5 are needed to be unlocked by meeting specific criteria before they can be used.

Default[]

Super Glider Frame Size: Any

Cloud Glider Frame Size: Any

Peach Parasol Frame Size: Any

Parafoil Frame Size: Any

Plane Glider Frame Size: Any

Flower Glider Frame Size: Any

Parachute Frame Size: Any

Paper Glider Frame Size: Any

Wario Wing Frame Size: Any

Waddle Wing Frame Size: Any

Unlockable[]

Gold Glider Frame Size: Any (Star Rank in all 300cc Cups)

Bowser Kite Frame Size: Any (Win the 300cc Mushroom Cup)

Starchute Frame Size: Any (Win the 300cc Flower Cup)

Beast Glider Frame Size: Any (Win the 300cc Shell Cup)

Swooper Frame Size: Any (Win the 300cc Banana Cup)

Items[]

Mario Kart: Platinum features a vast selection of both new and returning items. Items are obtained from item boxes, and the player's position when they collect the item box will strongly influence the item obtained. This game also features the re-introduction of double item boxes, which were not present in Mario Kart: Gold, and a new feature which allows the player to rotate between two items in their inventory.

Items are lost from the player's inventory if they are hit by lightning, hit by a player using a Super Star, Bullet Bill or Mega Mushroom, or if the player falls of the track. When this happens, there is a chance for these items to fall on the ground, allowing them to be used by another player.

Mushroom	Gives the player a short speed boost. This allows them to go off-road for a short period of time without slowing down, or if timed correctly, allows them to dodge the impact of a Spiny Shell.
Triple Mushrooms	Gives the player three short speed boosts that can be used whenever they desire. These allows them to go off-road for a short period of time without slowing down.
Banana Peel	Can be thrown down on the track, or held behind the player. When thrown down, it will cause any racer who impacts it to spin out uncontrollably, losing speed.
Triple Banana Peels	Gives the player three Banana Peels. They can be thrown down on the track, or held behind the player. When thrown down, they will cause any racer who impacts one to spin out uncontrollably, losing speed.
Green Shell	Can be launched either forwards, backwards, or held behind the player. Green Shells will bounce off walls, but will not specifically target other racers.
Triple Green Shells	Gives the player three Green Shells. They can be launched either forwards or backwards. Green Shells will bounce off walls, but will not specifically target other racers.
Red Shell	Can be launched either forwards, backwards or held behind the player. If launched forwards, it will track down and hit the next racer. However, Red Shells are easily destroyed by walls and other obstacles.
Triple Red Shells	Gives the player three Red Shells. They can be launched either forwards or backwards. If launched forwards, it will track down and hit the next racer. However, Red Shells are easily destroyed by walls and other obstacles.
Super Star	When used, the user glows rainbow and becomes invincible. This renders them immune to all other hazards and projectiles, and allows them to plough through other racers while gaining a speed boost. These effects last for around 10 seconds.
Lightning Bolt	When used, all other racers are struck by lightning, causing them to shrink and lose a considerable amount of speed. After a short while, the racers will return to normal size and speed. The lightning bolt's effects will last longer for racers who are further ahead.
Spiny Shell	Can be thrown like any other shell. It will only target the racer who is in first place at the time the shell is thrown, but any other racers in its path will also take damage. On impact, it creates a large explosion.
Golden Mushroom	Gives the player an infinite number of short speed boosts that can be used whenever they desire. These allows them to go off-road without slowing down. Once activated, this item will disappear after around 10 seconds.
Bob-Omb	Can be thrown either directly forwards or backwards. Once on the ground, a short timer starts (around 5 seconds). At the end of the timer, the Bob-Omb will explode and damage all racers in a nearby radius. Additionally, if driven into, the Bob-Omb will explode, regardless of its timer.
Golden Mushroom	Once used, the player will become invisible and thus immune to projectiles, hazards and other racers. This effect lasts around 15 seconds. In the meantime, a Boo will steal another player's item before returning it to the summoner for their own use.
Bullet Bill	Transforms the user into an extremely fast Bullet Bill. During this time, the user will move extremely fast, knocking back any other racers they drive past, and the player's steering will be controlled automatically. After a certain number of places are passed or a certain amount of time has passed, the effects end.
Blooper	Once used, all racers in front of the summoner will be sprayed with ink, which blocks their view of the screen. After 10 seconds pass, the racer uses a Mushroom or goes over a boost panel, the ink will fade. In Mario Kart: Platinum, the Blooper item has a greater effect on CPU drivers.
Thunder Cloud	As long as the player has the Thunder Cloud, they will gain a speed boost. This effect can be transferred to other players by bumping into them, however at the end of the cloud's 10 second timer, the holder of the cloud will be zapped with lightning, causing them to shrink and lose speed.
Mega Mushroom	Turns the player giant, giving them a large amount of extra speed and immunity to most other items and hazards. During this time, they can run over other racers, flattening them and causing them to lose speed. After 8 seconds, the effects will end and the player will return to normal.
Ice Flower	New to Mario Kart: Gold and Mario Kart: Platinum Allows the user to fire a barrage of icy fireballs either forwards or backwards. These bounce along the ground, freezing any racer solid that they collide with. Frozen racers must wait 2 seconds to thaw and will lose a large amount of speed from freezing.
Cappy	New to Mario Kart: Gold and Mario Kart: Platinum Can be thrown, allowing the player to "capture" another racer's vehicle. This essentially gives them control of the target's vehicle for around 10 seconds, allowing them to drive backwards to stall the target. In the meantime, the summoner's vehicle is driven automatically.
Metal Box	New to Mario Kart: Gold and Mario Kart: Platinum When used, the player and their vehicle become metal, rendering them immune to shells, bombs and being knocked around while also greatly increasing their weight. After 10 seconds, the player's vehicle will return to normal.
Huckit Crab	New to Mario Kart: Gold and Mario Kart: Platinum When summoned, a Huckit Crab will appear on top of the player's vehicle, and will proceed to throw rocks at nearby racers in an attempt to slow them down, acting similarly to the Potted Piranha Plant, but with a greater range. After 15 seconds, the Huckit Crab disappears.
Propeller Mushroom	Brand new to Mario Kart: Platinum Once used, the Propeller Mushroom creates a strong updraft that launches the player into the sky, enabling their glider. This gives an advantage, allowing the player to glide over the opponents in front of them as they glide to the ground.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

Mario Kart: Platinum is Button Studios's first remake.
The game features all playable character from the Mario Kart series up until Mario Kart 8. As such, the only characters in the series not to be playable in Mario Kart: Platinum are the Koopalings, Link, male Villager, female Villager, Isabelle, male Inkling, female Inkling and Mii. (While Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach are technically not separate characters, they are available through alternate costumes of Mario and Peach respectively).
Mario Kart: Platinum is the first game for the Nymbus to include compatibility with the Wiimote Controller.
Despite the Mii character being removed from Mario Kart: Platinum, the character still has a stamp. The reason for this is unknown.
The image for Chocoomba was produced by Ziegs ^(t∣b∣c), not me.

Unused Features[]

A large amount of unused data from Mario Kart: Gold still exists in the game files, including:
- Two character slots, named "DX_KON_55" and "GR_WAR_58" (hypothesised to be Dixie Kong and a character from the Wario franchise.
- Image files depicting unused billboards that would have likely been used on New Donk Junction, GCN Mushroom City or Wii Moonview Highway.
- An unused sound track that sounds like a remix of N64 Frappe Snowland. Interestingly, it is a different remix to the one used in the final game.
Empty files in the game data suggest that Shy Guy was initially intended to have a seventh alternate costume, being Orange Shy Guy.
Wa Tokens still exist in the game, but since Waluigi's Slot Machine has been removed from Mario Kart: Gold they are useless and cannot be obtained.
8 track icons exist in the game's files that are not present in the final game. These are: N64 Yoshi Valley, GBA Ribbon Road, GBA Cheese Land, GCN Daisy Cruiser, DS Tick Tock Clock, Wii Mushroom Gorge, Wii Coconut Mall and 3DS Rainbow Road.