Mario Kart Arcade GP plays and controls similarly to most entries in the Mario Kart series,[1] except for the differing input methods: instead of joystick and buttons to steer, accelerate, and brake, the arcade cabinets control with a steering wheel, gas pedal, and brake pedal.

[2] The goal of the game remains the same; players must drive their go-kart through a given course in hopes of completing it faster than competing racers.

[2] Despite many similarities to the mainline Mario Kart titles, some key differences were implemented into Arcade GP.

[6] The game also uses Namco's "NamCam" system; once a player sits down in the arcade booth, it takes a photo of one's face.

[8] The original "NamCam" system was improved in both image quality and expanded to have further alterations and effects added.

[6][4] Entirely new features include an announcer that provides play-by-play commentary on the race, and the ability for advanced players to unlock alternate hidden karts.

[11] The fourth title, Mario Kart Arcade GP VR, represented a major change in direction and gameplay.

[12] Racing is done from a first person perspective,[13] and through a Vive Tracker, has motion control aspects, such as actually moving one's hand to pick up items and throw them at other players.

With its announcement occurring so close to the launch of Nintendo's then-upcoming Wii home console, some publications expected the game to release on updated an updated arcade board, but it was later revealed to run on the same Triforce arcade hardware of its predecessor.

IGN, GameSpot, and Nintendo World Report all generally praised Namco's translation of the Mario Kart formula to an arcade game format.

[6][3][29] IGN named it their most enjoyable game of the Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association (JAMMA) expo, asserting that "Namco certainly got the Mario Kart feel right, and it didn't have too much trouble with the look, either.

The tracks in Mario Kart Arcade GP are bright and colorful, fitting in perfectly with the visual look Nintendo tends to go for with the series.

Nintendo World Report found the pedals for gas and brakes "get the job done but aren’t overly interesting" and complained that the steering "feel[s] much looser than their console counterparts" and that due to "a much more sensitive analog wheel" the result was "over-steering constantly.

[31][32][33] Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 was praised by GamesRadar for being a fun improvement over the original Arcade GP, but was criticized as being closer to a minor upgrade seen in series like Capcom's updated versions of Street Fighter 2 rather than a full-fledged numbered sequel as its title suggested.

[34] IGN singled it out as a stand-out title to play in Japanese arcades,[35] and praised the announcer giving play-by-play commentary of the race as a feature they hoped would be moved into future home console iterations of the game.