First vs Last 01 - Super Mario Kart vs Mario Kart 8

First vs Last

We're pleased to announce our newest show: FIRST VS LAST! FIRST VS LAST covers long-running music and videogame franchises by discussing at length the first and most recent entries of the series.

FIRST VS LAST seeks to answer questions like: How have characters, storytelling techniques, and plot points changed over the years? Did the series change focus over its sequels? What series mainstays were there from the beginning, and what was added over later entries?

Our first episode covers the long-running Mario Kart videogame series. Vince and special guest Cody start with 1992's Super Mario Kart (for the Super Nintendo) and compare it to 2014's Mario Kart 8 (for the Wii U).

Listen as Vince and Cody are surprised to see how much of the Mario Kart formula was right there from the start (like the lightning bolt, Lakitu saving you when you fall off a cliff, and freaking Rainbow Road), and what things went away and came back (picking up coins on the track)!

Along the way, they cover when the pesky blue shell was added, when the battle mode stopped being a major focus, and the rise of online gaming. Also, they talk about their favorite kart racing games that sprung up in the Mario Kart wake (Diddy Kong Racing: Yay! / Star Wars Super Bombad Racing: Boo!)!

Next time: Raiders of the Lost Ark vs Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!