Story Mode
Story Mode is the main mode in SuperTuxKart, alongside online gameplay, splitscreen multiplayer and singleplayer. Completing it is an achievement, and it is also used in the most important speedrun in SuperTuxKart.
Gameplay
In Story Mode, there are different challenges, containing all official tracks, in Normal race, Time Trial and Grand Prix gamemodes. In old Story Mode, there also was a Follow the Leader challenge, and in Add-Ons mod there is an Egg Hunt challenge. All challenges can be played in all difficulties. When a new challenge level is beaten, the player receives points and cups. Challenges need you to get a particular rank in the race (mostly 1st) and/or a particular time to be beaten. Also, there are two nitro challenges in which you have to collect a particular number of nitro within a particular time instead of racing bots. After beating all other challenges, the big door will open and the end race against Nolok in Fort Magma can be played.
Winning challenges unlocks other challenges (which require a certain number of points written near its entry), karts and tracks.
Story
At the beginning, Gnu is kidnapped by Nolok who then visits Tux to tell him his friend got kidnapped and if Tux and his friends cannot beat Nolok, the "King of Karts", in racing, Gnu would become his supper.
After the final challenge against Nolok has been won, a scene of Tux rescuing Gnu from his prison appears.
Useful notes
- The game starts with SuperTux locked, but as soon as you score 250 points (pretty much) or complete 5 challenges at another difficulty with requirements for SuperTux satisfied too, it is unlocked. This is done for speedrunning purposes, however, SuperTux requirements are not shown in the game while it is locked.
- If only a certain rank in a race/Grand Prix is required, you can be several ranks lower but still complete the challenge, but it will be counted as the corresponding lower difficulty (e.g. 1 position worse = 1 difficulty worse) if applicable.
- Grand Prix skip is a bug, present since version 1.0, allows to skip several final races of Grand Prix pressing the Continue button immediately, before the GP intermediate results screen appears. This way, a player can be first after one or two races, then skip all the remaining races, and still be first.
- Gate Skip is a bug, present before version 1.0, allowed to enter the final Fort Magma challenge after scoring the required number of points only and without all challenges completed. For that, a player needed to exploit the Overworld 3D model holes and get to the other side of closed gate. Gate skip is removed since version 1.0 but is present in Add-Ons mod.
Points
There are two major types of challenges: single track challenges and Grands Prix. Points earned for completing the challenges at different difficulties are listed below. Points for the same challenge completed at several difficulties do not sum up, instead, the greatest value is taken.
| Difficulty | Single track | Grand Prix |
|---|---|---|
| SuperTux | 10 | 30 |
| Expert | 8 | 24 |
| Intermediate | 7 | 21 |
| Novice | 6 | 18 |
List of requirements
The table below lists the requirements to complete all the challenges at any difficulty. For the sake of compactness, there are some shortenings:
- P2/8 means at least 2nd position of 8 karts (including you) is required;
- 15 means you need to collect the equivalent of 15 small nitro cans;
- 1'52 means you need to do it in at most 1 minute 52 seconds.
| Challenge | Points | Laps | Mode | Novice | Intermediate | Expert | SuperTux |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antediluvian Abyss | 0 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/4 | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7, 2'10 |
| Cornfield Crossing | 0 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8, 2'08 |
| Hacienda | 0 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/4 | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7, 2'04 |
| Nessie's Pond | 0 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/4 | P1/5 | P1/6, 2'30 | P1/7, 2'05 |
| Ravenbridge Mansion | 0 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8, 2'10 |
| Shifting Sands | 0 | 3 | Time Trial + Nitro | 10, 4'20 | 15, 3'10 | 18, 2'35 | 20, 2'08 |
| Snow Peak | 0 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8, 1'45 |
| Volcan Island | 0 | 2 | Normal Race | P1/4 | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7, 2'18 |
| GP: Penguin Playground | 30 | - | Normal Race | P1/4 | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7 |
| Zen Garden | 35 | 4 | Time Trial | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8, 1'45 |
| Cocoa Temple | 45 | 3 | Time Trial* | 3'52.108 | 2'33.749 | 2'01.931 | 1'46.906 |
| GP: Off the Beaten Track | 70 | - | Normal Race | P1/5 | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8 |
| Oliver's Math Class | 75 | 5 | Normal Race | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9, 1'17 |
| Gran Paradiso Island | 80 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9, 2'14 |
| Candela City | 90 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9, 1'52 |
| Around the Lighthouse | 95 | 4 | Normal Race | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9, 2'00 |
| Northern Resort | 105 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9, 1'50 |
| GP: To the Moon and Back | 120 | - | Time Trial | P1/6 | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9 |
| Minigolf | 125 | 4 | Normal Race | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9 | P1/10, 1'56 |
| Black Forest | 130 | 2 | Normal Race | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9 | P1/10, 2'50 |
| Old Mine | 140 | 3 | Normal Race | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9 | P1/10, 2'02 |
| STK Enterprise | 145 | 3 | Time Trial | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9 | P1/10, 2'12 |
| XR591 | 150 | 2 | Time Trial + Nitro | 12, 3'00 | 15, 2'15 | 18, 1'52 | 20, 1'32 |
| GP: At World's End | 165 | - | Normal Race | P1/7 | P1/8 | P1/9 | P1/10 |
| Fort Magma | 190* | 3 | Normal Race | P1/2 | P1/2 | P1/2 | P1/2 |
- Cocoa Temple challenge is Time Trial but competing against a pre-recorded Ghost Replay. You can see the gap for example.
- Fort Magma challenge opens only after all other challenges are completed.
- Suzanne is unlocked when any Cocoa Temple challenge is completed.
- Amanda is unlocked at 190 points.
- Sara the Wizard is unlocked at 280 points.
