addictive... to be found on the SNES console". Retrospective reviews of the game have been positive with perfect scores given by review sites including Thunderbolt and HonestGamers. The use of the style and characters from the Mario franchise was also praised as well as the individual characteristics of each racer. Mean Machines described the game as having "struck gold" in a way that no other – not even its sequels – has matched and GameSpot named the game as one of the greatest games of all time for its innovation, gameplay and visual style. Entertainment Weekly wrote that although the game might appear to be a "cynical attempt by Nintendo to cash in on its Super Mario franchise" the review concluded that "plunking the familiar characters down in souped-up go-carts actually makes for a delightful racing game." GamePro said the game "does an excellent job of capturing the thrill of Go-cart racing, and wraps it up in the familiar, fun, Mario-land atmosphere." The reviewer also praised the use of Mode 7 and challenging CPU-controlled opponents. Super Mario Kart has been listed among the best games ever made several times. In 1995, Total! rated the game 16th on its "Top 100 SNES Games." In 1996, Next Generation listed it as number 37 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time", commenting that the controls are elegantly designed to offer "supreme fun". In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the game 16th on their "Top 100 Games of All Time". In 1999, Next Generation listed Super Mario Kart as number 7 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that, "Imitated a thousand times, but never, ever, equalled, Mario Kart changed the rules for the driving game and gave the world one of the most engrossing and addictive two-player experiences ever". Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked it as the 15th best console video game of all time, attributing its higher ranking than Mario Kart 64 (which came in 49th) to its superior track design and powerups. IGN ranked it as the 15th best game ever in 2005, describing it as "the original karting masterpiece" and as the 23rd best game ever in 2007, discussing its originality at time of release. The Age placed it at number 19 on their list of the 50 best games in 2005 and in 2007 Edge ranked Super Mario Kart at number 14 on a list of their 100 best