Super Mario Kart and the Bonneville Salt Flats

This episode of "The Anthropocene Reviewed" reviews Super Mario Kart and the Bonneville Salt Flats. John Green discusses the game's evolution, highlighting the role of luck versus skill in gameplay and contrasting it with real-life inequalities. He then shares a personal anecdote about visiting the Bonneville Salt Flats, connecting the vast emptiness to feelings of childhood vulnerability and the limitations of adult reassurance. The episode concludes with a 4-star rating for Super Mario Kart and a 3-star rating for the Salt Flats, emphasizing the nuanced perspective of the reviews. A key takeaway is the reflection on how luck and skill interact in both games and life, and how the game's inherent randomness can offer a temporary escape from real-world inequalities.