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Super Mario Kart - Horizons

Original game : Super Mario Kart

Platform : SNES

Author : gridatttack

Release date : 05 June 2024

Category : Complete

Patch version : 1.3

Modifications : G, S, L, T, P, O

Downloads : 3823

ROM Information

Database match: Super Mario Kart (USA)
Database: No-Intro: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (v. 20210222-050638)
File/ROM SHA-1: 47E103D8398CF5B7CBB42B95DF3A3C270691163B
File/ROM CRC32: CD80DB86

Hack description

Welcome to Super Mario Kart - Horizons!


Race across new courses in brand new custom locations! Drive along serene grassy plains, treacherous abandoned mines, forgotten jungle ruins, against the sunrise from a mountaintop and more! These beautiful themes and tracks have been crafted with an emphasis on aesthetics and ambience along a custom soundtrack to set the mood just right.


SMK - Horizons features:


* 8 custom themes. These breathtaking locations take place across the mushroom kingdom and neighboring lands!

* 20 well designed race tracks. Tracks have been made to be unique as possible, as well as being completely drive-able with any character at 150cc!

* 4 battle tracks. Enjoy a friendly competition in new battle maps that take advantage of new themes and new ideas!

* Unique Ambience. All tracks each have their own color in their respective themes, meaning no tracks look entirely the same!

* Brand new soundtrack. Enjoy catchy compositions for the main course themes, menu themes, credits, character victory tunes & more!

* Modified Menu Screens. Featuring a new Title Screen, Cup Selection, Driver Select, Results, Podium & Credits sequence!

* Revamped Sprites. Drivers, items, obstacles and more have been updated with a more modern look.

* Unlock new content. Mirror Mode is available to be unlocked for all difficulties and in Time Trials. Think the game is too easy? Try out the unlockable hard mode to enhance your experience!

* Modified Mechanics. Advance to the next round by placing 7th or higher! Points distribution have been updated as well.

* Works on original hardware.

* Extra Assets Available. Main Artwork created to represent the hack. Enjoy an official release of the new soundtrack to listen on your platform of choice, check out the custom instruction booklet, or print and build out a custom box & cart label! (Links available in the README)


And many more changes!

Screenshots

Contributions

ContributorType of contributionDescription
gridatttackHackingMain Director, Track Designer, Custom Themes & Palettes
DJ GrisnerMusicNew Soundtrack & custom gaphics assistance
CocatrizLevelsTrack Design tester & Hard Mode values tuning

Reviews

A really great effortSupergamerguy2024-05-28Version 1.1

This hack is truly stunning; easily one of the greatest hacks on the SNES. The visuals on display here are some of the best this console has to offer, especially with this hack's excellent art-style and color use. The music is great too, evocative of the original game's soundtrack while still feeling fresh. Most of the tracks are good too, with solid pathing and somewhat more challenging design than the original game. One big flaw I noticed, however, is with the tracks in the Moon Cup. Most of them have too many obstacles and rough terrain sections to be fun with low-acceleration characters, which makes for a frustrating experience in the mid-game. It should also be mentioned that the track on water levels and a couple of the offroad races can be a little confusing to navigate, but it's doable on repeat laps.

Despite this, Horizons feels like a true sequel to Super Mario Kart (as others have said), and it is a must-play for longtime fans.

A truly remarkable hack!Kejick862024-05-27Version 1.0

The creators should be proud of themselves for this hack, it truly is remarkable. The passion that went into this project really shows and it just feels so unique. The romhack community never ceases to amaze me.

Feels like a lost BS-X sequel !ChrisRemixLongplays2024-05-26Version 1.0

Let's just cut to the chase and say right away this is by far the most polished SMK hack I've played so far.

The graphical enhancements are great. Characters and items were subtly touched up, just enough to make them look better without going overboard with the changes.

I really loved the new track themes, this is by far the best SMK hack I've played in that regard, the tracks are really gorgeous and it feels like an official sequel/expansion. I'm a fan of the color palette choices, I loved the changes between tracks of the same theme (day/sunset/night cycles for instance), and the SMB3 references in Sparkle Oasis 1 was a highlight to me.

The track order felt refreshing, without feeling out of place. I mean, finishing a cup with a water-themed track is a nice change from the usual fare, but it worked for me.

This hack also does the tour-de-force of changing the music, and doing it right. It fits the hack very well, some loops are a maybe bit short but that was also the case in the original game.

Difficulty is a bit harder than vanilla SMK, but nothing a veteran player can't handle. It felt just right to me, and consistent with the "official sequel/expansion" general setting. Think of something like Super Mario Galaxy 2. Tracks are extremely well designed and were obviously crafted with a lot of care.

If I had to make one complaint, it would be that while the new tracks look really amazing, they can bit a bit confusing to navigate at times because of all the additional details, especially the Jungle Ruins tracks that can get quite narrow and labyrinthine on top of that. But it's really not that much of issue once you know the tracks. Rice Terrace 1 is also a bit too obstacle-heavy for my taste.

Outstanding work, go try this one right now !

My playthrough : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYJQvvnH_p4

You can feel the passion!aorin12024-05-25Version 1.0

Feels very polished. The visuals are appealing and have a very different ambiance to them, the new jingles and soundtrack are catchy as well. I'd recommend it for the passion and effort put into it alone, but any Super Mario Kart player should enjoy it, I'd even argue that it feels like a 16-bit sequel or Remix to the original.