Do the difficulty of the computer players change depending on how you are doing?

Another illusion in MarioKart64 of my brother and me.

Is it just us or when you are doing really great, the computer players are always on your tail and seem to be able to skip you very easily, and when you are doing bad, the computer players seem to slow down so you can catchup.

Is any of this true or it it again my brother and me imaginating things?

Solution 1:

Yes, this is called the Rubber Band Effect

Generally, what is happening is the A.I is trying to present a challenge to you without seeming completely impossible to beat. When you are driving worse (or if you are a newer player not used to the ins and outs of the game) the A.I. players drive slower.

When you pick up your game and start racing faster, the A.I compensates by making the enemies faster as well.

The reason this is called 'Rubber Band' is because it is like having an invisible rubber band between you and the other racers. When you are slow, you drag on them, when you are fast, you drag them along.

You can also see this effect in the weapon pickups available to you - when you are winning, you'll mostly get banana skins and fake pickup boxes. when you are losing, you'll get homing shells etc.