20 Gaming Facts That Will RUIN Your Favourite Franchise
7. Cheating Is Encouraged - Mario Kart
First arriving on the SNES in 1992, Mario Kart has become one of gaming's most successful franchises, with Mario Kart 8 being recognised as one of the best-selling games of all time. As exhilarating as it is to seize first place at the last second, Mario Kart is also the ultimate test of friendship.
Although strategically holding on to that blue shell to deploy at the right moment can be tactically advantageous, using this dreaded item on a friend, sibling, or loved one will understandably cause tension and frustration.
To alleviate some of this friction, players have long adhered to unwritten rules of gaming etiquette. Alongside agreeing upon who gets to play as what character, one of the most important rules is not watching your opponent's side of the screen.
While screen-watching is widely considered to be an unforgivable act of cheating, the developers of Super Mario Kart had a different view. Not only does the game's manual encourage players to "Always keep an eye on your opponent's screen" as a tip to win Battle Mode, but it also recommends using the colour of the barriers to determine their location.
Screen-watching is officially allowed in Mario Kart.