Konami Krazy Racers, known in Japan as Konami Wai Wai Racing Advance, and as Krazy Kart Racing for the mobile version, is a kart racing video game published and developed by Konami for the Game Boy Advancehandheld video game console, iOS and Android. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America and some PAL regions. It was also re-released for Wii U Virtual Console on October 15, 2015 in Europe. It was a launch game for the system. Konami Krazy Racers makes use of a variety of characters and concepts from several of Konami's franchises, including Castlevania, Metal Gear, and Gradius. It plays similarly to the Mario Kart series, with eight characters per circuit and offensive/defensive items placed at predetermined points in the tracks. Konami Krazy Racers received mostly positive reviews.
Gameplay
Konami Krazy Racers plays similarly to other kart racing games, most notably Mario Kart Super Circuit. Each race begins at the starting line, where eight racers are lined up in certain positions. Each of the seven computers are placed in the closest seven positions to the starting line, but the player character always starts a circuit in eighth place. This placement may change in the next race of the circuit depending on how well the racers do. If the player places first, he or she will be in the first position, as the placement in the following races is based on how the racers did in the previous race. The race is seen from behind the player, and uses Mode 7 effects to simulate the three dimensions. A timer will count down to indicate the beginning of the race, and the player must hold down a button to accelerate at the beginning. The player can pick up coins off of the track which may be spent on items in a shop, and depending on the character the player controls, he or she may try to cause another player to spin-out. The player may use other buttons to do such actions as jump and brake, which aides in maneuverability. Placed throughout the races are red and blue bells. The red bells contain any variety of items, while the blue bell contains a speed-boosting item.
Characters
Konami Krazy Racers features a total of 12 characters, each with unique features, including weight, speed, and acceleration.
Goemon - The player character from the Legend of the Mystical Ninja series.
Takosuke - A player character from the Parodius series.
Dracula - The most significant antagonist of the Castlevania series.
Vic Viper - The player character in the Gradius series.
Ebisumaru - A character from the Legend of the Mystical Ninja series.
Reception
The Game Boy Advance version received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 25 out of 40. The GBA version was ranked #10 on a top ten list of the best Game Boy Advance games in Electronic Gaming Monthly, beating , another Game Boy Advance kart racing game.
Sequel
Krazy Kart Racing is a sequel to the title for iOS and Android, featuring a total of 12 characters from Konami franchises, including new ones not in the previous game.
