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[[Image:MichaelFried.jpg|thumb|Michael Fried]]

[[Image:MichaelFried.jpg|thumb|Michael Fried]]

'''Michael Fried''' is one of the most well known members of the [[mariokart64.com|kart community]].  He plays all 5 Mario Karts, and has consistently been an active poster on the [http://www.mariokart64.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl Mario Kart forum] since 2003.  He has worked on various kart-related projects, most notably creating the [http://www.mariokart64.com/mkds/standards.php MKDS standards], and creating and updating [http://wrvids.com wrvids.com], the largest online collection of videos for all 5 Mario Kart games, as well as F-Zero, Diddy Kong Racing, and some other games.  Michael is also an MKDS proof moderator.

'''Michael Fried''' is one of the most well known members of the [[mariokart64.com|Kart community]].  He plays all 5 Mario Karts, and has consistently been an active poster on the [http://www.mariokart64.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl Mario Kart forum] since 2003.  He has worked on various kart-related projects, most notably creating the [http://www.mariokart64.com/mkds/standards.php MKDS standards], and creating and updating [http://wrvids.com wrvids.com], the largest online collection of videos for all 5 Mario Kart games, as well as F-Zero, Diddy Kong Racing, and several other games.  Michael is also an MKDS proof moderator.

Michael is naturally very competitive, but is never selfish about sharing strategies, because he is a strong advocate of improving the overall strength of times in the game, and enjoys seeing people improve their times.  For this reason, he often explains strategies to people through AIM, MSN, and on the forum, and he sometimes analyzes videos to identify mistakes, to help people improve.  Michael is also one of the most trustworthy karters, and has a very good history of providing plenty of video proof in all 5 Mario Karts.

Michael is naturally very competitive, but is never selfish about sharing strategies, because he is a strong advocate of improving the overall strength of times in the game, and enjoys seeing people improve their times.  For this reason, he often explains strategies to people through AIM, MSN, and on the forum, and he sometimes analyzes videos to identify mistakes, to help people improve.  Michael is also one of the most trustworthy karters, and has a very good history of providing plenty of video proof in all 5 Mario Karts.

Michael is among the best in the world in [[MK64]] and is also considerably skilled in [[MKDS]], [[SMK]], [[MKDD]], and [[MKSC]], and has thereby earned the title of [http://www.mariokart64.com/combinedranks/ best all-round karter].  He lost his title once for a short time when MKSC was added to the rankings.  He was passed by [[Sami Cetin]], but then started playing [[MKSC]] (August 2006) and quickly reclaimed his title.

Michael is among the best in the world in [[MK64]] and is also considerably skilled in [[MKDS]], [[SMK]], [[MKDD]], and [[MKSC]], and has thereby earned the title of [http://www.mariokart64.com/combinedranks/ best all-round karter].  He lost his title once for a short time when MKSC was added to the rankings; he was passed by [[Sami Cetin]], but then started playing [[MKSC]] (August 2006) and quickly reclaimed his title.  He is currently ranked 5th, and has several world records.  He plans on returning to MKSC eventually to try out ZZMTing with a modified GBA SP.

After Michael started playing MKSC, he slowed down in MKDS and eventually quit.  Recently the only MKDS he has been competing in is [http://www.mariokart64.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1169541320 Non-MT], in which he currently holds more than 50 world records.  Michael is a former world champion in MKDS, and held the title continuously for the first 99 days after the game's release, a feat never before accomplished in any Kart.  At one time he even held all 64 world records at once.  He finally lost his title to [[Miguel Rodriguez]] for awhile, and then eventually reclaimed the title for 2 weeks in June before losing it for good to [[Thomas Bolton]].  Since then he has fallen all the way to 13th.

Before MKSC, Michael played MKDS.  Michael is a former world champion in MKDS, and held the title continuously for the first 99 days after the game's release, a feat never before accomplished in any Kart.  At one time he even held all 64 world records at once.  He finally lost his title to [[Miguel Rodriguez]] for awhile, and then eventually reclaimed the title for 2 weeks in June 2006 before losing it for good to [[Thomas Bolton]].  Since then he has fallen out of the top 20.  Michael also spent a considerable amount of time competing in [http://www.mariokart64.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1169541320 Non-MT], in which he currently holds more than 50 world records, and in mission mode, in which he used to hold many world records on [http://cyberscore.net/group-1506.php Cyberscore].

In August 2006, Michael created and updated an [http://z9.invisionfree.com/MKDSWifiRatings/index.php?act=idx MKDS Wifi ranking site], where people could play rated Wifi games and receive a rating, based on a rating system similar to the one used in chess.  It was fun for a short time, but didn't hold peoples' interest for long, so the idea was given up a few weeks later.  Surprisingly, Michael didn't do very well in these rankings, mostly due to his n00bish item skills; he was much worse at Wifi than he was at time trials.  Michael is good at mission mode, however, and is currently ranked 1st in missions on [http://cyberscore.net/group-1506.php Cyberscore].

In August 2006, Michael created and updated an [http://z9.invisionfree.com/MKDSWifiRatings/index.php?act=idx MKDS Wifi ranking site], where people could play rated Wifi games and receive a rating, based on a rating system similar to the ELO system.  It was fun for a short time, but didn't hold peoples' interest for long, so the idea was given up a few weeks later.  Surprisingly, Michael didn't do very well in these rankings, mostly due to his poor item skills; he was never known as much of a Wifi player, and did not spent much time practicing Wifi.

The Kart Michael has spent the most time on and considers himself most skilled at is Mario Kart 64, even though he was never world champion in this game, as he was in MKDS.  He holds one world record: [[Yoshi Valley]] fastlap ([http://wrvids.com/Mario%20Kart/MK64/Fastest%20Available%20Vids/yv-2618-Fried.mpg video]).  He is also the first person to land the [[Rainbow Road (MK64)|Rainbow Road]] spiral shortcut on all 3 laps, and he discovered a new strategy that saves .1 in Frappe Snowland.  He is currently ranked 7th in non-shortcut (4th NTSC), 11th in shortcut, and 3rd in [http://www.mariokart64.com/top100/universal.html universal].

Despite never having been world champion, Michael's best Mario Kart is Mario Kart 64; he considers himself more skilled in this game than in MKDS.  He currently holds one world record, [[Yoshi Valley]] fastlap ([http://wrvids.com/Mario%20Kart/MK64/Fastest%20Available%20Vids/yv-2618-Fried.mpg video]).  He is also the first person to land the [[Rainbow Road (MK64)|Rainbow Road]] spiral shortcut on all 3 laps, and he discovered a new strategy that saves .1 in Frappe Snowland.  He is currently ranked 7th in non-shortcut (4th NTSC), 11th in shortcut, and 3rd in [http://www.mariokart64.com/top100/universal.html universal].

Michael played Super Mario Kart for 2-3 months in late 2005.  He didn't get near the top before retiring, but he did manage to reach God (by the [http://www.geocities.com/MarioKart64Legend/ntscstan.htm old standards]).  He holds one world record: [[KB1]] trick flap ([http://wrvids.com/Mario%20Kart/SMK/Fastest%20Available%20Vids/Trick/kb1trick-ntsc-333-Fried.MOV video]).  He is currently ranked 34th (NTSC).

Michael played Super Mario Kart for 2-3 months in late 2005.  He didn't get near the top before retiring, but he did manage to reach God (by the [http://www.geocities.com/MarioKart64Legend/ntscstan.htm old standards]).  He holds one world record: [[KB1]] trick flap ([http://wrvids.com/Mario%20Kart/SMK/Fastest%20Available%20Vids/Trick/kb1trick-ntsc-333-Fried.MOV video]).  He is currently ranked 34th (NTSC).