Objective

Be the player who completes the race or circuit in the shortest amount of time.

Gameplay

The players have the option of racing on a single map (Quick Race) or completing a set of four or more maps in a row (Circuit Race) . Once the race, or circuit, begins the players must race to the finish line. Both players must complete two laps.

Players must do anything they can to be the first to finish the race. Players can stomp on each other, bump each other off the map, and use special items against one another. Throughout each map are question boxes which give the players special items. Players can use these special items to either hurt their opponent or help themselves.

The player who completes two laps in the shortest time is the winner of that map. If the players are competing in a circuit race, a record of their total times will be kept. The player who completes the circuit in the shortest time is the winner.

Slowing Your Opponent Down

There are many ways to slow your opponent down. You and your opponent can collide with one another and try to bump each other off of the map. Since there is no way to die in Go! Kart, if you are knocked off, or if you fall off, of a map you will simply be dropped back into the map on the platform that is closest to where you fell off the map (but farthest from the finish line).

You and your opponent can also stomp on each other. Stomping on your opponent will stop him from moving for three seconds and will give you a chance to take the lead.

NOTE: Once a race begins, each player is given 3 seconds of invincibility. For these 3 seconds the players cannot bump or stomp on each other.

There are many special items that you can use on each other. Some special items are designed to help you while others are designed to hurt your opponent. Click here to read more about the special items.

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The Main Screen

The interface for Go! Kart allows you to keep track of many things all at one time. Each player has his own viewport. Player 1's viewport is located on the top half of the screen and Player 2's viewport is located on the bottom half. The middle portion of the screen is the player interface which shows information about each player.

Go! Kart in action.

The Player Interface

The player interface (the middle portion of the screen) is split into two parts so that each player has his own area. Player 1's information is shown on the left side of the interface area while Player 2's information is shown on the right. The middle section shows information about both players and their position on the map.

Click on the circled numbers in the above picture to read the corresponding description.

1. Special Item Slots

During a race you will gather special items by hitting question boxes. You can hold up to two special items at one time. Your first, or primary, special item is shown in the special item slot with the blue background. When you hit the use key your player will use his primary special item and his secondary special item will be brought into the primary special item slot. If you have two special items and you would like to use your secondary special item, simply hit the swap key to swap your primary and secondary special items.

2. Affecting Items Bar

While you are racing it is possible to have multiple special items affecting your player at one time. To make it easier for you to keep track of which special items are affecting your player, simply look at your player's affecting items bar which is located below your player's special item slots. For each item that is affecting your player the corresponding icon for that item will be displayed in the affecting items bar. In the above picture, Player 1 (Left) currently has a shield while Player 2 (Right) is currently being affected by the arrows and the ice block.

3. Lap & Time Information

This area of the interface gives you information about your lap status. The first line tells you which lap you are currently on. The second line (next to the clock icon) tells you the current elapsed time for the race. The third line (only visible after you have completed your first lap) tells you the elapsed time before you finished your first lap.

4. Progress Bar

The progress bar shows both players and their position on the map. The extreme left of the progress bar represents the beginning of the map while the extreme right represents the finish line for the map. You can get an idea of how far along your player is by looking at this bar.

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The Question Box

The only way to receive a special item is to hit a question box from underneath. Once you do this the "Slot Machine" will be activated (as long as you do not already have two special items). Once you have activated the "Slot Machine" you will notice that the first empty special item slot for your player will be cycling through all of the special items. This process will go on for several seconds before it finally slows down and stops on a special item. The "Slot Machine" acts just like an actual slot machine: once activated, the "Slot Machine" will cycle through all of the special items in order. After a few seconds the "Slot Machine" will enter its stopping phase where it will slow down to a stop.

NOTE: Pressing the use key will cause the "Slot Machine" to begin its stopping phase instantly.

Moon

Duration: 7 seconds
Affects: Opponent

The moon causes your opponent's screen to go completely black. The only things he will be able to see are you, the finish line, and a small circle of the map around him.

Bomb

Duration: 3 seconds
Affects: Opponent

The bomb explodes on your opponent flattening him. The bomb has the same effect as if you were to stomp on your opponent (except now you can do it from anywhere).

Star

Duration: 5 seconds
Affects: You

The star gives you the ability to move quicker. You will now be able to run twice as fast as you could before.

Magnet

Duration: 3 seconds
Affects: Opponent

When you use the magnet on your opponent he will not be able to jump. The best time to use this is right before your opponent is about to make a leap across a gap.

Arrows

Duration: 5 seconds
Affects: Opponent

The arrows swap your opponent's left and right directions. Once you have used this item on your opponent the button (or joystick axis) that moves his player left will now move his player right, and vice versa.

Turtle Shell

Duration: 4 seconds
Affects: Opponent

The turtle shell will restrict you opponent's ability to run quickly, he will now run extremely slowly.

Springboard

Duration: 3 seconds
Affects: You

The springboard does two things to benefit you: it increases the maximum height your player can jump and it lowers the gravity affecting your player. Now you can jump higher and have more control on the way down so you can make sure you land where you want to.

Ice Block

Duration: 10 seconds
Affects: Opponent

The ice block will reduce the friction acting on your opponent. Now he will slip and slide around as if all ground he is standing on is made of ice. This is a great item to use as your opponent is approaching a difficult jump sequence.

Shield

Duration: N\A
Affects: You

The shield is a very interesting item. The main benefit of having the shield is that it will protect you from the next item your opponent tries to use on you. When your opponent uses an item on you and you have the shield active, the shield will disappear but you will remain unharmed.

Also, while the shield is active you cannot be stomped on by your opponent, nor can you stomp on him.

Feather

Duration: N\A
Affects: You

The feather is a item that should be used with caution. Once used, the feather will cause your player to be dropped back into the race as if he had fallen of the map. When you are dropped back into the race you are dropped from the top of the screen onto the platform which is closest from where you fell off the map (or in this case, used the feather) but farthest from the finish line.

There are two reasons why this is useful. If you are falling off the map and you have a feather you can use it as you are falling (so you don't have to wait for the player to fall all the way off the screen) to save you some time.

The second reason you may want to use the feather is a bit more complex. If there is a ledge above you that has a question box but there is no way for you to get up there, you could use the feather to drop you onto the ledge.

NOTE: Using the feather can be beneficial or hurtful, use it wisely. If you do not need the feather, simply discard it or keep it in your secondary special item slot for later.

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Left \ Right

The left and right keys (or joystick axes) move your player in the appropriate direction.

NOTE: The left and right arrow keys will be swapped when the "arrows" special item is affecting your player.

Jump

This causes your player to jump. The jump function is analog (the longer you hold the jump button, the higher your player will jump). In order to make some difficult jumps successfully you may need to vary the height of your jump.

Use

The use button will cause your primary special item (the item in the blue special item slot) to be used. If you have two special items, your secondary item will be automatically moved into the first special item slot.

Swap

The swap button will swap your primary special item with your secondary special item. This will have no effect if you do not have two special items.

Discard

This discard button will discard your primary special item (the item in the blue special item slot).

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The Main Menu

The main menu is the first thing you will see when you start Go! Kart. To navigate the menu simply use the ARROW KEYS along with the ENTER key.

Quick Race

Select this if you wish to race on one map and do not wish to race a complete circuit. One you choose Quick Race, you may then select which circuit you would like to select a map from. After you select the circuit you can choose the map you would like to race on and begin.

Custom Circuit

If you have created a level with the Go! Kart Level Editor and would like to race on it, select this option. A list of all the maps in the "Maps" directory will show up. Select the map you would like to race on and begin.

Circuit Race

If you would like to race in a complete circuit, select this option. Next you can select which circuit you would like to race in. Once you have selected a circuit, a preview of the circuit will be displayed for you. Select "Race" to begin the circuit.

Custom Circuit

If you have created some custom levels using the Go! Kart Level Editor, or if you would just like to create a circuit of your own, select this option.

Map Select Screen

You will be given a list of all the maps in the "Maps" directory. Pressing ENTER on a map's name will place a check mark next to it. Pressing ENTER again will remove it. Select all the maps you would like to include in your circuit and then select "Next" to edit the order of the maps in your circuit.

NOTE: You can use the "Select All" and "Deselect All" features at the bottom of the list to make things a little easier.

Edit Circuit Screen

Now that you have selected all the maps you would like to include in your custom circuit, you can change the order in which you will race in them. The map name listed at the top will be raced first.

To change the order, press the ENTER key on the map name you wish to move. A second menu will be displayed. Select the appropriate action from this menu to modify your circuit.

When you have made all the necessary changes, press the ENTER key on any map in the list and choose "Begin Circuit" to start the circuit.

Options

You can change the value of most of the options by using the left and right ARROW KEYS.

Sound

Turns the sound effects on or off

Sound Volume

Controls the volume of the sound effects.
Range: 0 - 255

Music

Turns the music on or off

Music Volume

Controls the volume of the music.
Range: 0 - 255

Controls

You can select the input device and customize the buttons or keys for each player here.

Select Player

Select the appropriate player to modify his control options.

Customize Controls

If the are additional joysticks connected, you may use the left and right ARROW KEYS the select the appropriate input device. Once selected you can then choose to modify either the keyboard or joystick controls.

NOTE: You will only be allowed to modify controls for the currently selected device. For example, if you have a joystick selected you will not be able to modify the keyboard controls for your player.

Choose the appropriate action you would like to change the button for by pressing ENTER. The original button will be replaced by a dash. You may now press the key or button you would like to set for this action.

NOTE: If you accidentally pressed ENTER on a control but do not want to modify it, simply press the ESCAPE key and the default button will be restored. Also, pressing an invalid key will restore the button to its default setting.

NOTE: If you are using a joystick, the x-axis of the joystick will always control the players movement. However, in the controls section you can also map a button to each direction if you would like.

Fullscreen

Switch between fullscreen and windowed mode.

Particles

Turns particles on or off. Particles in Go! Kart are basically anything used in a map to look like rain, snow, or any other falling objects. In fact, the falling items in the background of the main menu are particles.

NOTE: Turning particles off may increase the speed of the game. This should be turned off on slower machines.

Exit

Selecting this will cause Go! Kart to exit and you will be returned to windows.

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The In-Game Menu

You can bring up the in-game menu by pressing the ESCAPE key during a race. While the in-game menu is being displayed the game will be paused. Pressing the ESCAPE key again will resume gameplay.

Resume Game

This will close the in-game menu and resume gameplay.

Options

This will bring up the Main Menu's options menu.

Quit Race

If you select this option you will then be asked to verify that you do indeed wish to quit. If you select "Yes" then your current race or circuit will be terminated and you will return to the main menu.

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Command Line Arguments

There are several command line arguments that can be passed, in any order, into Go! Kart. In Microsoft Windows you can pass command line arguments to a program by first creating a shortcut to the program. Once created, right-click on the shortcut and select Properties from the context menu. Select the Shortcut tab. In the Target section you should see the path to Go! Kart's executable (.exe) file. For example, a common path you may see is "C:\Program Files\Go! Kart\Go! Kart.exe". After the final quotation mark you must add a space followed by any command line arguments you would like (all command line arguments must be separated by a space). For example, "C:\Program Files\Go! Kart\Go! Kart.exe" -arg1 -arg2 -arg3 would appear in the Target section. Below is a list of all command line arguments.

-window

The game will start in windowed mode.

-fps

Display the FPS (frames per second) counter in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

-screenshot

This command line argument allows you to take a screenshot by pressing the F5 KEY. All screenshots are saved to the Screenshots folder in the Go! Kart main directory. Screenshots are saved as bitmap files (.bmp) and take up a large amount of space so be sure to delete the files you don't need.

NOTE: The filename of a screenshot will be the time (in milliseconds) elapsed since the game started. If you save a screenshot at the EXACT same time as you did on a previous occasion, the older screenshot will be overwritten.

NOTE: If the Screenshot folder is not empty and you run the Go! Kart Uninstaller the Screenshot folder will not be removed. You will have to manually remove this folder.

-debug

This is equivalent to -debug3.

NOTE: If more than one debug argument is passed to Go! Kart only the first will be used.

NOTE: If you are running the game from a non-writable device, such as a CD, Go! Kart will not be able to create the debug.txt file and will give you an error.

-debug1

This enables debug level 1 and MINIMUM DEBUG OUTPUT. When Go! Kart is executed a file (debug.txt) will be created in the Go! Kart main directory. Only necessary debug information will be written to this file.

-debug2

This enables debug level 2 and MEDIUM DEBUG OUTPUT. When Go! Kart is executed a file (debug.txt) will be created in the Go! Kart main directory. All output from debug level 1 and some additional minor debug information will be written to this file.

-debug3

This enables debug level 3 and MAXIMUM DEBUG OUTPUT. When Go! Kart is executed a file (debug.txt) will be created in the Go! Kart main directory. All output from debug levels 1 & 2 and ALL additional debug information will be written to this file.

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