Mario Kart 8 Koopa Troopa/Circuit Special

       

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Made By:
Hot Wheels
Scale:
1/64
MSRP:
US$8.99
Overview:
Packaging (Design):9/10
Packaging (Durability):8/10
Casting (Body):9/10
Casting (Interior):N/A
Casting (Chassis):N/A
Casting (Engine):9/10
Paint (Exterior):9/10
Paint (Interior):8/10
Paint (Trim/Graphics):8/10
Overall Panel Fit:9/10
Total Score:8.6/10

 
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Hot Wheels Mario Kart Koopa Troopa Circuit Special
Mario Kart Koopa Troopa Circuit Special packaging Mario Kart Koopa Troopa Circuit Special rear detail Mario Kart Koopa Troopa Circuit Special side detail Mario Kart Koopa Troopa Circuit Special figure Mario Kart Koopa Troopa Circuit Special front detail Mario Kart Koopa Troopa Circuit Special rear

 
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Background

The Circuit Special debuted in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as an homage to the classic Nintendo Famicom game F1 Race. It made a return in Mario Kart Tour, where it was classified as a High-End Kart. Four primary colors were avialble for the Circuit Special, each with a different set of accent colors and sponsors: blue, orange, black, and as seen here, green.

 

Packaging

This is the same base blister card as we saw for Toad, with the portrait, name, and color band changed for Koopa Troopa. As this was released as a different wave, it also lacks the TOTY 2020 badge and the reverse side has a different set of co-sells (Diddy Kong, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Koopa Troopa, Yoshi, Toad, and Princess Peach).

 

Casting/Paint

This is a wholly unique casting, primarily cast in green plastic with a diecast metal base. The engine and rear wing are separate pieces, and everything fits together tightly with no sign of ugly edges or misalignment. The lines are clean and sharp, with some nice fine detail work like the vents over the front wheels and the panel line around the symbol.

The Circuit Special has a much more involved paint scheme than the Standard Kart, and Mattel pulled it off nicely. The tips of the nose and wheel nacelles, side skirts, and rear axle assembly are white; the nacelle supports and center area of the rear wing are metallic gray; the engine is a slightly lighter metallic gray with gold exhaust pipes; the wheels are blue with chrome centers; and the seat and windshield are black. A dark blue Galaxy Air text logo is centered at the front of the car, with Koopa Troopa's symbol behind it and a yellow Propeller Toad Transport logo on each side of the symbol; the headlights are printed just above the white areas on the nacelles; white 1 Up Racing logos are printed on each side and the rear wing; a full color GXA logo is printed on the tip of each side skirt just ahead of the rear wheels; the top of each rocker cover is painted blue with three simulated spark plugs across the black band in the middle and "Mushroom Piston" printed in silver; the full-color Mushroom Piston logos are on the sides of the forward nacelles; and red, yellow, and blue stripes rise from just behind the GXA logos and fade as they reach the cockpit. While there are a few nitpicks one could make - the white areas aren't quite as stark as the white base thanks to being printed over the metallic gray - the overall look is excellent and the fact that every logo is fully legible despite their tiny size is incredible. The GXA logo on the nose is just 2mm across, and the "Mushroom" text on the rocker cover is 0.5mm in height.

Koopa Troopa may be the best looking figure so far. He still has the usual seams, but they're cleaner than we've seen elsewhere and the bright yellow plastic hides a multitude of sins. The eyes are clean and sharp, and the shell and shoes are a nice bright green with white trim. The steering wheel could still use an extra paint app, but the yellow here is less troublesome than what we saw with Toad.

 

Features/Accessories

Nada.

 

Accuracy

Given the size constraints, there's little Mattel could have done to make this more accurate. The shape and markings are a dead-on match to the game car, and the colors all match up perfectly. Although listed as 1/64, that's the track size not the Kart size - Koopa Troopa would be about 36mm tall standing outside of the Kart.

 

Overall

Maybe not as well known as the Standard Kart, but the Circuit Special is a fantastic looking Kart and Mattel has done an admirable job translating the design to the real world. It's just excellent work all around.

 

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