I always considered CTR to be Mario Kart's more refined and mature cousin. Difficulty is up more than a few ticks, and in doing so, it requires the player to learn and master the controls. There isn't no blue shell shenanigans or likewise power-up that is going to help you out here. The better player will win almost every time in Vs mode in this game.

The introduction of the Adventure Mode was a game changer for kart racers. The ability to play through a single player mode collecting trophies, relics, gems, CTR tokens, and even racing against boss characters were incredible additions.

Controls are super tight, and getting a handle on the power slide maneuver is key to becoming a successful racer.

Overall, this and its remastered Nitro-Fueled version, are the best the genre has to offer.