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Stuff.tv
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Stuff.tv
Every Mario Kart game ranked in order of greatness
Nintendo has experimented with plenty of Mario-related spinoffs over the years, most of them extremely successful. Hand him a football, a tennis racket or even a stethoscope, and the world's most multi-talented plumber will be in his element. But he's never happier than when he's in a go-kart. The Mario Kart series has been going since 1992, and what might have looked like a shameless cash-grab at first has evolved over time to become one of Nintendo's most popular series. Nearly every Nintendo console to date has a Mario Kart entry in its library, and while advances in technology have enabled them to grow enormously in size and scale, the basic appeal of the series has never changed. It's simply very fun to race around colourful courses in a go-kart as your favourite Nintendo character, drifting and banana peel-dropping your way to the finish line. With the Switch 2 arriving in just a few weeks time, and with it the first brand new Mario Kart game in over a decade in Mario Kart World, now is the perfect time to reflect on the series as a whole. Here's every Mario Kart game ranked in order of greatness. 10. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (Switch) Play It's probably a bit unfair to even include Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit in this ranking. After all, how is your messy living room supposed to compete with the likes of Mount Wario and Hyrule Circuit? Home Circuit is less a proper Mario Kart game than it is another fine example of Nintendo showing off during its experimental phase of the Switch's lifespan. Only when your console is flying off shelves can you afford to invest time in making an AR/toy-driven spinoff of one of your most beloved series. The tech genuinely works, and at the time we called Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit the perfect Christmas present for Mario-loving kids. But as clever as Nintendo's typically innovative take on Scalextric was, it didn't really have the legs to leave its mark on the series. 9. Mario Kart Tour (Mobile) Play Given Nintendo's brief flirtation with mobile gaming, a (legal) Mario Kart game on your phone was probably inevitable. Mario Kart Tour is by no means a bad mobile offering, but it pales in comparison to its console and handheld counterparts. The touchscreen nature of gaming on your phone just isn't as precise or enjoyable as playing with a proper controller, and like many other mobile games, Mario Kart Tour is riddled with microtransactions that sour the overall experience, even if they aren't necessary to just play the game. There are some decent tracks in here, but you're best playing them in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Booster Course Pass. 8. Mario Kart: Super Circuit (Game Boy Advance) Play The SNES experience, but handheld. That was essentially the pitch for Mario Kart: Super Circuit, and like the home console version before it, the appeal of the Game Boy Advance game lies in its simplicity. The colourful courses and vibrant sprite designs leapt of the little GBA display (provided you could find an appropriate source of lighting that is), and while there's a twitchiness to the controls that was ironed out in later entries, there's a chaotic energy to Mario Kart: Super Circuit that ensure it remains fun(ish) to play today. Not the most memorable Mario Kart by any means, but it'll always be the first one that allowed you to take the game anywhere, and that counts for something alright. 7. Super Mario Kart (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) Play What's amazing about the very first Mario Kart game is the extent to which its spirit lives on in every subsequent entry (and pretty much every other kart-racing game to date, given that this one invented the genre). Fire it up today and the simplistic track design, flat visuals and overly sensitive handling admittedly make it a bit of a tough hang, but this is Mario Kart in its purest form. The basic premise of having all your favourite Mushroom Kingdom residents race each other across multiple courses in a GP was there from the start, the iconic Rainbow Road made its debut in the SNES game, and the power-slide mechanic felt pretty good from the off. The item system was introduced in the first entry too, although Super Mario Kart is notably the only game in the series that doesn't feature the Blue Shell, which for some would argue automatically makes it the best one. 6. Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64) Play If you're a child of the '90s there's a pretty good chance that Mario Kart 64 is not only your favourite Mario Kart, but your favourite racing game full stop, such was the impact of the first 3D entry. At the time, the jump up from the pretty barebones SNES offering was mind-blowing, with Mario Kart 64 building on everything that made its predecessor so much fun. Like a lot of early 3D games, it looks a bit bland in 2025, and was arguably one-upped by Diddy Kart Racing, which arrived a year later and was able to achieve almost fully-3D models, as opposed to the converted sprites in MK64. But there's a reason that courses like Toad's Turnpike and Kalimari Desert, both of which made their first appearance in the N64 game, return in a number of later entries – and as a multiplayer experience it's still very hard to beat. 5. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) Play The DS laid the groundwork for online Mario Kart, and Mario Kart Wii built on it, upping the player count from eight to 12 and offering a far more robust way to race against people from all over the world. Mario Kart Wii also added bikes for the first time, while the console's motion controls meant you could put your Wii Remote into the included wheel-shaped dock accessory and actually simulate driving. Some purists balked at this way of playing, but it was novel at the time and makes it a fun game to revisit, even if the game is famously unbalanced and a little too easy to exploit if you know what you're doing. As for the tracks, well, Coconut Mall was so good that it has returned in every entry since. 4. Mario Kart 7 (3DS) Play On paper, Mario Kart 7 is a step down from its DS predecessor in terms of content. For some reason, Nintendo dropped the excellent Mission Mode and even the basic single-player VS. mode that lets you race computer-controller racers with custom rules outside of the usual GP format. But if we're talking gameplay, the 3DS entry is arguably second only to Mario Kart 8. This was the game that introduced gliders, kart customisation and underwater sections, all of which were carried over to the home console follow-up. The improved hardware of the 3DS also meant Mario Kart 7 was a big visual step up from the DS game, and while other games on the system show off its stereoscopic 3D magic trick more dramatically, its subtle implementation here really does add something to the experience. Mario Kart 7 is also the only game in the series to feature a first-person mode, if that's your kind of thing. 3. Mario Kart DS (DS) Play Even in the age of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the DS entry still has a lot going for it. Firstly, the titular feature of Nintendo's outrageously successful dual-screen handheld meant you could have a real-time map of your race on the lower display, complete with moving character icons that let you know how precarious your lead was. Then there was Mission Mode, which took the focus away from traditional racing and instead tasked the player with completing objectives, such as collecting a certain amount of coins or going through numbered gates. It meant solo players had more to do than in other Mario Kart games, and when you factored in online play (a series first), Mario Kart DS was quite the package. Even if you weren't going to do very well in the latter unless you mastered the controversial snaking technique. We don't miss that. 2. Mario Kart: Double Dash (GameCube) Play With several home console outings, plus a handheld Mario Kart under its belt, Nintendo seemingly decided it needed a gimmick for the GameCube entry. Enter Mario Kart: Double Dash, which introduced two-character karts for the first (and to date, only) time. As well as looking hilarious, this also added a fresh layer of strategy to races, especially in the two-player co-op mode, in which one player would assume driving duties while the other focused on lobbing shells at rival racers. While perhaps not as flashy as flight or anti-grav, both of which would arrive later, Double Dash remains the only truly co-op Mario Kart game, and in DK Mountain it had an all-timer track. We sincerely hope this one shows up on Nintendo Switch Online on Switch 2. 1. Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Wii U / Switch) Play Where to even start. When you're ranking a series, there's often a fair bit of indecision and fretting that goes on before selecting the overall top dog. These are tough decisions we have to make. But not when it comes to Mario Kart. The original Mario Kart 8 rewarded the few people who bought a Wii U with the best-looking game in the series by far, perfect controls, and an incredible selection of tracks, many of which featured anti-gravity sections that meant they could loop and twist all over the place. Then came the Switch version, which initially just gave us an improved Battle Mode and added some extra characters, but eventually quite literally doubled the number of tracks with the Booster Course Pass DLC. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in its final form is a love letter to the entire series, probably the most purely fun racing game ever made, and somehow the Switch 2's upcoming Mario Kart World has to try and top it. Over to you, Nintendo.
The Herald Scotland
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Prepare yourself for a very dark Rebus novel
We have a rough idea that it involves giant mice galloping feverishly on running wheels that are attached to the national grid. Clearly the mice in Spain and Portugal have been enjoying too many siestas when they should have been breaking a sweat. How else to explain the recent blackouts in those countries? Edinburgh crime scribe Ian Rankin found himself in Portugal, celebrating a very special occasion when the blackout hit. 'A 65th birthday to remember,' he says. 'Power went out as we boarded an underground train. Stayed off around 10 hours. Top tip: always book a hotel with natural light in its corridors and stairwells. Ours was like the blitz…' On the plus side, this experience will surely give Ian some ideas for his next Rebus novel, which we're guessing will be titled… Dark Deeds in Dark Corridors. Cash and carry Reasonable reader Steve Graham says: 'Perhaps it's true that money can't buy happiness. But it's only fair that somebody gives me some and lets me learn that lesson for myself.' Hugh Dougherty wonders why the road crew who obliterated the craters on Glasgow's Merrylee Road left this mysterious slot. 'Could it be,' he wonders, 'to accommodate a giant Scalextric set?' (Image: Contributed) Stormy language Watching meteorologists pontificate on the telly isn't the most thrilling of activities. Your average weatherman or weatherwoman usually just points at an image of the UK covered with loads of clouds, then says: 'Heavy downfalls expected, with light showers interspersed between the heavy downfalls, and a smattering of drizzle between the light showers. Now back to the news.' Though occasionally something more unexpected happens during such broadcasts, as the Diary has been discussing. Peter Wright from West Kilbride says: 'Who can forget Michael Fish gesticulating as his arm highlighted the magnetic letters 'F O G' down the Pennines. Then the 'F' fell off, leading to the immortal apology: 'Sorry about the 'F' in FOG.'' Stoned again 'Would it kill the makers of avocados to put a different toy inside?' asks frustrated reader George Hackett. 'I have more than a hundred wooden balls already…' Fruity fella What happened to those halcyon days when teenage lads met to discuss the footy? Gone, it seems. Now they have more serious thoughts on their mind. Chris Robertson was on a Glasgow train and overheard one young chap say to another: 'Bro'! Have you changed your opinion on cheese, grapefruit or grapes?' 'Nah,' replied his pal. 'I'm sticking.' Movie munchies Cinephile Bev Skarratt tells us: 'I recently watched the film A Fistful Of French Sticks. It's a Baguettey Western.'
Telegraph
12-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Is this the end of the line for model railways?
These are tortuous times for model railways. Earlier this week, the venerable model maker Hornby delisted from London's Aim stock exchange. The move came after a period of turmoil for the company, which owns Scalextric, Corgi and Airfix as well as the eponymous model railway brand, and a 60 per cent slump in its share price over the past year. They are the most prominent name in an industry that has been generally struggling in the face of rising costs, shrinking living spaces, an ageing population and abundant electronic competition. 'The board is well aware of the place Hornby has in the hearts of its loyal shareholder base, and the announcement today is not taken lightly,' the company said in a statement in March announcing the plan to go private. It had been listed for more than 40 years, but with 91 per cent of the company owned by two businesses, they no longer believed it made sense to have the remainder available on the stock market. The company said that delisting will save it around £400,000 per year, adding that being private would 'improve its decision-making' and let it make necessary changes to the business 'at pace.' Over nearly a century, Hornby has endured through recessions, depressions, insolvencies, the Second World War and the advent of video games. But the past few years have been notably difficult. Last year, two of the linchpins of the model railway world, the Warley Railway Club exhibition at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and Hatton's Model Railways Shop in Liverpool, closed amid reports of rising costs and ageing enthusiasts. Some wonderful highlights from my visit yesterday to Alexander palace and the London festival of railway modelling. @ModelRailClub — jason francis (@jasonfrancis71) March 16, 2025 Hornby posted surprisingly strong revenues after Covid, when locked-down Brits discovered – or rediscovered – the joy of making a miniature train set in the garage. But it was a rare bit of good news, their first profit in nearly a decade. Otherwise, the recent past has often proved gloomy. In November, the company announced a round of redundancies at its headquarters in Margate, Kent, after posting increased pre-tax losses of £5.1 million in the year to September 2024, up from £4.9 million the year before. 'Hornby are a vital part of the hobby and if they go under we would all be very sorry, but something is not right,' says Antony Cox, chair of the Model Railway Club, Britain's oldest model railway fan club, where fans meet every Thursday just off the Pentonville Road in north London to discuss gauges, listen to guest speakers and generally do the miniature locomotion. 'I hope they come through whatever problems they are having. But Hornby have made three or four management changes in the past 20 years and some of their decisions strike me as a bit odd,' Cox adds, stressing that he is speaking for himself rather than the club. 'Their products aren't bad, but somehow, something is not right on the inside with Hornby at the moment.' Phoenix Asset Management, a firm that specialises in turnarounds, owns 82 per cent of Hornby. Another 9 per cent, worth around £2.1 million, is owned by Mike Ashley, the Sports Direct boss. Ashley was brought on as a consultant last March, having built up a significant stake in the business. The eccentric billionaire is not much given to press announcements, especially after the criticism he endured as owner of Newcastle United, so we must presume that he sees in Hornby a version of what he has created with Frasers Group: an umbrella brand holding famous brands that have fallen on hard times. Hornby was approached for comment. It has previously said its restructuring plans were on course. The most recent figures were promising, with sales in the final quarter of 2024 up 10 per cent year on year, propelled in particular by the Black Friday discount day, when 50 per cent of purchasers were first-time customers. An optimistic version of the decision to delist is that it is part of a restructuring that will enable the company to stay nimble in a fast-changing world. For the uncertainty around the hobby, there are also signs that it has a niche as a tactile, family-friendly activity that gets children, their parents and grandparents off their screens for a few hours. 'Hornby have always been uniquely placed because they are such a household name,' says George Dent, the editor of Model Rail Magazine. 'The remit has always been to appeal to a much broader spectrum of enthusiasts. Their product range is good. Like any company, they have had their challenges, but I think the consensus is that they are on the right track.' Besides, the company has long mixed good times with bad. Frank Hornby patented Meccano in 1901; they produced the first clockwork train in 1920. The first OO gauge model train was launched in 1938. In 1964, Hornby was bought by a competitor, Tri-ang. Two decades later, in 1981, it was bought out by management after the parent company went into administration. Five years later, it was listed on the stock market. Phoenix took over in 2017, after a controversial process in which the company said Phoenix's offer 'significantly undervalue[d]' it. 'Hornby goes up, it goes down, it has good times, it has not such good times,' says Simon Kohler, sometimes nicknamed 'Mr Hornby', who worked for the firm for more than 40 years in total, latterly as marketing and development director. 'In the heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, there was no 24-hour television. Boys played football, girls did other things. Trains were a game, a family entertainment. People got it out at Christmas. The world changed in the 1980s with electronic games. Virtually overnight, train sets became old-fashioned.' Yet, while the children's market diminished, another rose to take its place: older enthusiasts, with deeper pockets and a desire for ever-more detailed replicas. By continuing to focus on younger audiences, Hornby initially missed out on the burgeoning new demand. But by 2000, they had changed course and launched their Southern Railway's Merchant Navy class locomotive, the rebuilt 'Clan Line,' which marked their move into higher-class models. The business prospered until 2008, before it hit another downturn in its topsy-turvy history. '[Then] they had the financial crash and issues with factories in China,' says Kohler. 'Costs started to increase and it began to struggle once again.' Kohler left in 2014, after which he says 'it all got a little bit confusing and I have to say they lost their way a bit.' He rejoined in 2017 after the takeover and retired in 2023. The move from child's toy to collectable has given rise to a new fear; that model railways will become 'an aged hobby', popular with the older generation but struggling to attract new fans. To counter this, in recent years, Hornby have introduced new products aimed at re-engaging younger fans, including an app to let you control the trains with a phone or iPad, bluetooth technology that lets users control trains separately, rather than having every train on a track run at the same time, and a new TT:120 gauge system – smaller than the traditional OO gauge but larger than the N gauge. And Hornby aside, many involved argue the hobby is in robust health. Cox says the membership of his club has risen 25 per cent since he took over a decade ago. At Alexandra Palace last month, thousands of visitors flocked to the London Festival of Railway Modelling. Model railway accounts on Instagram, such as the one operated by the owners of the Miniatur Wunderland museum, which houses the largest model railway system in the world, attract millions of followers. The Gen Z enthusiast Francis Bourgeois, who got into trains through models, has introduced a new generation to the joys of all things train-related. 'I've been in the game for 25 years now, and there has been talk of doom all that time, with the arrival of computer games and things like that,' Dent says. 'But it was pretty steady in the early 2000s, and then even before Covid, there was starting to be a resurgence of interest. Lockdown just accelerated that, with people rediscovering old-school hobbies, getting away from screens and doing something physical and tactile. That's the beauty of this hobby – it's not just about trains and track, it's miniature worlds. It's very therapeutic.' 'It is a broad church of people,' he adds. 'There are kids and families, a lot more women. It's more vibrant than at any point I can remember.' Kohler agrees. 'I've been in this business well over 50 years, and it's an exciting time,' he says. 'There are other companies out there, and you have to keep looking towards your laurels and be better and more efficient. I'm excited. Hornby's in my blood. My wife always said Hornby was my first love, and she was my second, which is fairly accurate, I suppose. When things are good [Hornby's] up, when things are bad it's down. It gets affected by innovation but it bounces back. It's a whole world.' 'It's not the same as it was in the 1970s. A train set is not on every child's Christmas list. But which other hobby or pastime can teach you about geometry, physics, logistics, social history, basic electronics, topography, mathematics? When people operate a train, they don't realise they are learning.' In the age of the iPhone, a model railway is a way for generations to come together and enjoy something real. For now, at least, it is a hobby that endures. And despite its difficulties, where there are model railways in the UK, there will likely always be Hornby, somehow trundling on.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FTSE 100 Live 02 April: Index lower ahead of US tariffs, food merger agreed
08:47 , Graeme Evans London's junior AIM stock market suffered another setback today when Luke Johnson's leisure group Brighton Pier said it planned to cancel its listing. The move by the owner and operator of the 126-year-old Brighton Palace Pier follows last month's delisting move by model railway and Scalextric company Hornby. Brighton Pier said factors in the decision included the 'disproportionate' £250,000 to £300,000 annual cost and red tape burden in maintaining the listing. It also highlighted the lack of liquidity in the shares as well as changes in the small cap market since the company's flotation in 2013, including 'a lack of visibility' amongst analysts, media and potential investors. The group joined AIM in November when it was known as Eclectic Bar Group before changing its name following the acquisition of Brighton Pier in April 2016. It also owns five bars nationwide, eight indoor mini-golf sites and the Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park in North Yorkshire. Former Pizza Express chair Luke Johnson has led the board since 2015. The shares, which were above 80p in summer 2022, today halved to 8.5p. Read more here 08:34 , Graeme Evans Pharmaceutical stocks have been impacted by the tariffs uncertainty, leading to share price falls of 28p to 1441p for GSK and 178p to 11,188p for AstraZeneca. Hikma Pharmaceuticals declined 30p to 1918p and medical devices business Convatec shed 3.6p to 255.8p. Other blue-chip fallers included Rolls-Royce with a retreat of 18.4p to 761p. The FTSE 100 index has dropped 0.2% or 19.57 points to 8615.23, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 benchmark is down 31.49 points to 19,559.37. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: ''Investors are on tenterhooks as the clock ticks down what's expected to be the biggest wave of tariffs on US trading partners. 'It's been dubbed Liberation day by President Trump, but it's more like entrapment day, with more countries set to be tangled up in a web of fresh duties. 'The internationally focused FTSE 100 is on the back foot in early trade as concerns swirl about the effect on growth prospects for economies around the world.' On the FTSE 100 risers board, BP lifted 4.9p to 437.9p and advertising group WPP rallied 10p to 570.2p. 08:24 , Graeme Evans Topps Tiles has reported an acceleration in sales in its most recent trading quarter. Excluding the CTD Tiles business it rescued from administration last year, revenues rose 4% to £127.7 million across the six months to 29 March. Underlying sales growth improved to 4.4% in the second quarter from 3.3% in the three months to December, driven by a strong March performance. While homeowner sales remain subdued, the company said trade business was strong and that progress with digital initiatives continued at pace. Alongside the sales update, the tile and flooring chain warned it will face an extra £4 million in costs due to this month's wage and national insurance increases. The FTSE All-Share company's shares fell 5% or 1.7p to 32.3p. Read more here 08:00 , Graeme Evans SSE today said renewables output increased 17% in its 2024/25 financial year. This compares with the increase of 26% reported for the nine months to 31 December and 45% at the half-year stage. In a brief update, the energy giant said the annual performance reflected the impact of capacity additions and variable weather conditions. The FTSE 100 company expects earnings per share for 2024/25 of between 155p and 160p, having forecast 154p-163p in its most recent update. The previous year's figure was 158.5p. It continues to target between 175p and 200p in 2026/27. The company's operations include onshore and offshore wind farms, hydro, electricity transmission and distribution network. 07:45 , Graeme Evans Global financial markets are braced for significant volatility once Donald Trump unveils sweeping new tariffs from the White House Rose Garden at 9pm UK time. Few details have been released in advance of the Liberation Day announcement, including which countries will be targeted. IG Index said: 'Investors, already rattled by months of tariff-related headlines, remain deeply uncertain about the scope, scale, and targets of the measures, which could include a 25% tariff on auto imports and reciprocal duties against countries taxing US goods.' The lack of clarity is fuelling investor anxiety, pushing gold to record highs above $3,000 per ounce as a safe haven. Wall Street futures are also pointing lower for later today. 07:20 , Graeme Evans Supermarket sandwiches supplier Greencore today said it had agreed the key terms of a merger deal with ready meals business Bakkavor. The planned tie-up creates a leading UK convenience food business with a combined revenue of about £4 billion. Greencore's cash and shares proposal, which values fellow FTSE 250 stock Bakkavor at £1.2 billion, is subject to due diligence and regulatory clearance. Bakkavor supplies about 3500 products across meals, pizza & bread, salads and desserts to grocery retailers in the UK and US, as well as international food brands in China. About 85% of revenues are from the UK, with key customers including Tesco, M&S and Sainsburys. Read more here 07:02 , Graeme Evans The unveiling of fresh US tariffs later today is set to mean a nervous start for European markets, with the FTSE 100 index seen about 25 points lower. Leading Asia markets are close to their opening marks, having rallied from initial losses. Gold, meanwhile, continues to trade at record levels above $3100 an ounce. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed slightly lower while the S&P 500 index rose 0.4% and the Nasdaq Composite rallied 0.9%. London's top flight last night put back a chunk of Monday's heavy losses by adding 51.99 points to 8634.80. The announcement of US tariffs is due to take place at 9pm UK time.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'I want Rollr to be the last deodorant you ever buy'
Milo Pinckney figures that he has paid himself an average wage of £4 per hour to get his four-year passion project off the ground. "I've been working on this full-time and haven't had a second job,' says the founder of Rollr, a refillable roll-on deodorant. His perseverance has paid off after launching the product earlier this year, with the brand on track to overfund pre-seed of £400,000. There are also some heavyweight investors underpinning Pinckney's commitment to disrupt what he deems as a stale deodorant category. 'I really believe that Rollr has a chance of changing it from something which has been incredibly dull to a new ritual that is interesting for people,' says Pinckney. 'We want to upgrade everything about deodorant.' Read More: 'I couldn't find a babysitter so I set up a £10m childcare business' He was given an early PR win after Dua Lipa's Service95 newsletter unexpectedly recommended Rollr as one of the best buys of 2025. 'That was one of the coolest moments so far,' admits Pinckney, whose own PR move is to highlight Rollr as 'the deodorant designed for pleasure and planet'. The entrepreneur first conceived the idea after returning from a trip to New Zealand, a bond with nature laying the foundations of creating a unisex product which could make a difference. As a DIY enthusiast, Pinckney has built anything fom Scalextric tracks to constructing a pub in his parent's garden during COVID called Come On Inn. Yet, Rollr has proved his ultimate challenge to date. As he lifts up the sleek roll-on product, which features a gemstone, he then shows me the refillable powder sachet, which offers 90% less packaging than competitors. 'It's been incredibly challenging and a reason why no-one else has done it,' he says. Read More: Meet Wild, the UK's leading refillable deodorant brand 'Naivety was definitely important. At the beginning I was like, 'If we want to do a refillable deodorant and want to be sustainable then let's take the water out, you just evaporate it.' But if you are trying to do something that hasn't been done before there is a lot of trial and error. 'I always wanted to find the most sustainable way to refill deodorant. We tried liquid, tablets and crystals and it would have been easier to send a can with pre-made refillable liquid. "But if we can make refilling with a powder [by adding water] part of a value proposition for people to enjoy, the impact we can have on other brands could be limitless.' Pinckney is on version two after he spent a year perfecting his product which now features patented technology and a lifetime bottle for the consumer. 'The brand was missing the mark, nothing really stood out about the uniqueness of the product,' he said of the first iteration. Rather than an antiperspirant, Pinckney says Rollr is a 'de-perspirant', which effectively tightens the pores to reduce sweat without blocking them. 'It is the most naturally effective way to stop odour and reduce sweat which is why it has taken so long,' adds Pinckney. 'And there's a nice added wellness bonus with the product as it helps with lymphatic drainage. 'Most of us use deodorant and most of us see it as a chore. Our formulation is more effective, more sustainable and brings some excitement to a market which has been left behind by innovation in beauty and personal care for decades.' Pinckney has stayed lean in his bid to see his vision through, investing £500 of his own cash coupled with a £500 loan from his parents for product prototypes. 'I haven't put a huge amount of cash in but there's been a lot of determination to get to this stage,' he says. 'I've been able to see this survive as my parents live in London and I've been able to stay in their house. Without them it wouldn't have been impossible.' Read More: How Jeff Dewing went from bankruptcy to £70m fortune He can also call several investors as friends when he had to overcome several product problems. He has also partnered with creative agency Mother while Pippa Dunn, EE's former CMO, is on the Rollr team. Other investors and advisors include Vinay Solanki, head of Channel 4 ventures, and Aditi Kibe-Heal, a former Unilever marketing director. 'We've had to overcome lots of challenges, but there is a reason why this is original and we want Rollr to be the last deodorant you ever buy,' says Pinckney. Read more: 'My sofa took six months to arrive — so I built a £20m business' 'Dragons' Den failure sparked my alcohol-free brand's rise' 'Want to grow an iconic brand? CEOs have to value CMOs as servant leaders'Sign in to access your portfolio
