Mario Kart Rules Packages

This article details the ever-changing rule packages of Mario Kart Competitions 1992-Present.

1992-1995
For the first four seasons of Mario Kart competition, the rules went as so:
 * All racers had to drive identical vehicles, allowing for little differentiation aside from randomly-assigned colors; their performance, however, differed based on the character's physique
 * All cups had five races
 * All tracks had to be flat with no changes in elevation due to transmission issues discovered during several test sessions in 1991
 * Racers could use whatever items they have at their disposal, in addition to items found in the panels on the track

1996-2000
Sweeping changes came to the series in 1996 in the form of a brand-new rules package. They were as so:
 * All karts still had to be identical; however, this was pared down to the pipe frame bodies and tires having to be identical; racers could now paint their karts however they wish and use their own engines
 * All cups now have four races instead of five following concerns over attrition
 * The repretoire of tracks changed; they became longer and now had elevation thanks to the new engine rules; due to their length, races were shortened from five to three laps
 * The Feather item was banned from competiton following the controversial finish at the 1995 150cc Mario Circuit 3 race where Bowser jumped over a Red Shell to take the win; accusations of cheating flew left and right between Bowser and Yoshi
 * Coins were eliminated from competiton since they also constituted as cheating
 * Triple Mushrooms, Triple Shells, Blue Shells, Banana Bunches, Boos, Fake Item Boxes, and Golden Mushrooms were introduced
 * The item panels embedded in the track were replaced with floating, regenerative item boxes
 * Racers could no longer use whatever items they brought with them; therefore, Poison Mushrooms, Yoshi Eggs, and Fireballs were banned

2001-2002
A short-lived rules package was introduced in 2001. It was relatively unpopular and replaced in 2003. These rules were:
 * Return to flat tracks
 * Return of coins
 * The tracks from the 1992-1995 rules package returned as part of the Extra Cups
 * Strict regulatory action was introduced as part of the rules package; the most notable incident was when Wario was found stockpiling stolen stars to use at the 150cc Rainbow Road race

2003-2004
Perhaps the most popular rules package to date, both with racers and fans. Among the rule changes included:
 * Racers now raced in teams of two on one kart
 * Kart design was deregulated; they could now be of any design and personalized to fit a racer
 * Coins were removed once again
 * Entry was allowed to more racers from all around the world; many made their debut in the 2003 season and have been regulars to the series since; a few, namely Daisy, Waluigi, and Birdo, are fan-favorites
 * Racers could now use items exclusive to them, such as Fireballs for Mario and Luigi, Bob-ombs for Wario and Waluigi, and Eggs for Yoshi and Birdo
 * Return to tracks with elevation

2005 Mario Kart Classic
This event, held before the 2005 season, had several special rules:
 * All karts once again had to be identical; colors and engines could still be personalized, though
 * Coins could be collected once again
 * Only three items for all racers per race
 * Entry was permitted to anyone; Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and Blinky were the only ones to answer the call
 * All races were 100cc

2005-2007
This new package included the following changes:
 * All racers now race solo once again
 * Introduction of Bullet Bills and Bloopers
 * As part of realignment, tracks from previous rules packages were re-introduced under the Retro Grand Prix banner; new tracks were under the Nitro Grand Prix banner
 * A new uniform kart template based on the Toad Kart from the 2004 season was introduced; it was mandatory for battles, but optional for actual races, as racers could continue using personalized karts they designed themselves

2007 Mario Kart Classic
The rules package for this event was unchanged from the 2005 event.

2008-2010
This rules package brought sweeping revisions to the series, including:
 * Introduction of bikes; which were tested at Luigi Raceway in 2004
 * Battle events could no longer be all-for-one
 * The spin turn was unbanned
 * Racers no longer created their karts; rather, a series of pre-made karts and bikes were provided for racers
 * Introduction of POW Block, Lightning Cloud, and Mega Mushroom
 * Racers were now allowed to do mid-air stunts; special boost panels were even introduced allowing stunts

2011-2013
This season brought several major changes, including:
 * Bikes were banned for reasons never made public, though many believe it was because the wheelies were labelled cheating by several racers
 * Racers now customize their own karts in whatever way they want
 * Introduction of hang gliders and underwater sections
 * Reintroduction of coins
 * Introduction of Lucky Seven, Fire Flower, and Super Leaf

2014-Present
The current rules package, it combines some of the best elements of previous rules packages and adds many new rules, including:
 * Bikes were unbanned after regulatory action regarding wheelies were put into effect
 * ATVs were introduced
 * Anti-gravity sections were introduced
 * Introduction of Piranha Plant, Super 8, Boomerang Flower, and Super Horn