Most video games have specific sections that you either look forward to or dread. Whether you’re underwater, in the sky, or somewhere in between, these unique areas can be a high point or drag the experience down by putting you in a different situation than what you’re used to.
Minecart sequences can be especially divisive – some people love them while others would rather hand the controller off to someone else. Whether you’re jumping between platforms or attacking enemies, these joyrides are often exhilarating, and they appear in video games more often than you might think.
10
Banjo-Tooie
Banjo-Tooie
Action-Adventure
Platformer
- Released
-
November 20, 2000
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- ESRB
-
e
- How Long To Beat
-
17 Hours
Between searching for collectibles and discovering new secrets, it’s easy to forget that Banjo-Tooie even has a minecart sequence. While exploring Glitter Gulch Mine, you can rescue Canary Mary from a cage, who will then challenge you to a series of races for you to obtain Jiggies and Cheato Pages.
There are two separate races you can participate in while you’re in Glitter Gulch Mine before Canary Mary flies off to wait for you in Cloud Cuckooland for the final rematch. They might not be as exciting or dangerous as other minecart sections, but it’s still a fun challenge that helps you free the canary in the coal mine.
9
Yooka Laylee
Yooka-Layle was developed by former Rare employees who created games like Banjo-Tooie and Donkey Kong 64, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that there are a handful of minecart segments to master. There are five different courses hidden throughout the game, each run by a talking cart called Kartos.
While each one has different obstacles to overcome, the track at Capital Cashino is a highlight. The colorful and playful background makes the ride feel like a high-stakes adventure with everything on the line. To complete the challenge, you’ll need to collect 150 gems before reaching the finish line.
8
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
Nearly two decades after Sonic & Knuckles concluded Sega’s trilogy of platformers, the publisher decided it was time for another mainline entry. Available as a digital download for consoles and mobile devices, only the first two episodes of the project launched before the reboot was canceled.
There were plenty of great ideas in Sonic 4, including the use of gyro controls in the mobile versions of the game. Instead of controlling a minecart directly, you would tilt your phone to move the stage itself to push or pull Sonic in a certain direction. The physics were great, but the level was never included in the console versions of the game, which makes it almost impossible to experience today.
7
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Released
-
February 29, 2024
- Developer(s)
-
Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
-
Square Enix
- ESRB
-
T for Teen
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth takes everything from the middle section of the original game and turns the most insignificant moments into jaw-dropping journeys. On the first trip through Mt. Corel, you needed to walk across tracks that took up a couple of screens, but in Rebirth, the minecart has turned into a mini-game that can affect your relationships with certain party members.
The group splits up for this section, and you’ll take on the minecart portion as a party of Tifa, Barret, and Yuffie. While Tifa is impartial about the path they take, Barret wants to take a dangerous shortcut, while the motion-sick Yuffie prefers to take it slow and easy. Between your big decision of which path to take and breaking boxes during the ride as either Barret or Yuffie, it’s a minecart sequence worth playing at least twice for the full experience.
6
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Released
-
December 5, 2014
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EAD
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Multiplayer
-
Online Multiplayer
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone due to Mild Cartoon Violence
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
When Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was ported from the Wii U to the Switch, it was expanded with cooperative multiplayer and more levels to master. Some of these new levels were inspired by Super Mario Odyssey, and allow you to view familiar worlds from a fresh perspective.
One of the highlights of this extended expedition is a first-person minecart ride through the Cascade Kingdom. You aim to earn 320 coins by throwing turnips at them as well as enemies throughout the course. There are also three hidden Super Gems that might require more trips to uncover.
5
Gears Of War
Gears of War
- Released
-
November 7, 2006
- Publisher(s)
-
Microsoft Game Studios
- ESRB
-
m
- How Long To Beat
-
9 Hours
- Metascore
-
94
The original Gears of War set a new standard for third-person shooters with the quality of its story and gameplay. One of the most memorable sequences is the voyage into the Lethia Imulsion Facility, which requires Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago to ride minecarts past dozens of enemies.
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The ride is tense in the best ways possible. Being confined to a small space on rails is exhilarating, and the possibility of being ambushed keeps you on your toes. This is also one of the few minecart levels you can play with a friend if you’re tackling the campaign cooperatively.
4
Super Mario RPG
- Franchise
-
Super Mario
- Platform(s)
-
Switch
- Released
-
November 17, 2023
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
- How Long To Beat
-
11 Hours
Mario’s first foray into the RPG genre originally launched on the SNES and was eventually remastered for the Nintendo Switch in 2023. It’s full of everything you would expect from an RPG, like building a party and completing activities like side quests and mini-games.
After exploring the mines in Moleville, Mario and his comrades find the missing children by a minecart, which they all hop into for a quick exit. Afterwards, Mario can turn around and replay the mini-game to earn coins. If you’re looking to shave some time off your run, you’ll need to time your boosts perfectly as misusing them can take you off the track.
3
Stardew Valley
There’s something for everyone in Stardew Valley, whether you’re looking for a charming farming simulator, an RPG, or a game that never ends. There are even a couple of playable arcade machines in the Stardrop Saloon with mini-games so good they could be sold as a standalone product.
To unlock the Junimo Kart arcade machine, you’ll need to acquire the Skull Key from the 120th floor of the mines. It’ll take some time before you can get to that point, but once you unlock this mini-game, you’ll instantly see the appeal. Simply press a button to jump over obstacles and gaps and see if you can get a high score.
2
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 already feels like a rollercoaster ride, but it takes things a step further by including two back-to-back minecart sections. After you’re finished fighting Dos Gigante in the furnace area, Leon and Luis must hop in a cart and take a ride through dangerous tunnels full of obstacles and enemies.
The first minecart sequence shows you the ropes of what you need to do, teaching you how to keep the cart from falling off the tracks as well as the best way to handle waves of foes. The second round increases the difficulty by throwing even more enemies at you, including some tougher Chainsaw Villagers who can easily destroy your ride.
1
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country
- Released
-
November 24, 1994
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- ESRB
-
e
- How Long To Beat
-
4 Hours
- Metascore
-
78 (GBA)
While there were certainly minecart stages before Donkey Kong Country, this SNES platformer can be credited as the game that popularized it. The first minecart level in the game, Mine Cart Carnage, is often either one of your favorite levels in the series or possibly the reason why you don’t like Donkey Kong Country.
Equally challenging and fun, Mine Cart Carnage sets the bar for what makes a great minecart sequence. Atmospheric lighting, haunting music, and thrilling speed work together to create an unforgettable ride. There are plenty of other minecart stages in the series, but this is one worth going back to over and over again.
