DON'T FEED THE ORACLE
latest news
Podcast:Yahtzee joins to talk GH4, SSBB, and out of control kids
News:GTAIV to give aussies an R rating?
News:Hookers, Halo and Fraud - The life and times of Ralph in Texas
News:Super Smash Brothers Brawl - Finally
News:Lego Indy Demo
News:Too Human Coming Soon - Finally
News:A guide to importing Rock Band
News:Blue Dingos rendition of Finish the Fight
10 Questions:10 Game Industry Questions - Rob Davis
News:He Was A Fattish But Active Man, Of Paralyzing Stupidity
News:IGN turning into RALPH?
News:If Nintendo had made Halo 3
News:Ballarat Get into Games - This Weekend!
News:GTA IV won't help you become a serial killer
Podcast:Sony Gamers Day and ... well ... GTA IV news, what else!
News:GTAIV to give aussies an R rating?
News:Hookers, Halo and Fraud - The life and times of Ralph in Texas
News:Super Smash Brothers Brawl - Finally
News:Lego Indy Demo
News:Too Human Coming Soon - Finally
News:A guide to importing Rock Band
News:Blue Dingos rendition of Finish the Fight
10 Questions:10 Game Industry Questions - Rob Davis
News:He Was A Fattish But Active Man, Of Paralyzing Stupidity
News:IGN turning into RALPH?
News:If Nintendo had made Halo 3
News:Ballarat Get into Games - This Weekend!
News:GTA IV won't help you become a serial killer
Podcast:Sony Gamers Day and ... well ... GTA IV news, what else!
latest podcast
random quote
“It’s enough to make me want to line up the entire industry and slap them all one at a time.”
'Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08' Reviewby AJ
most recent on forum
PODCAST [ Yahtzee joins to talk GH4, SSBB, and out of control kids ] by Rhuri at 1:58am
English Literacy in Aus by itsapanda at 1:05am
want by fic_kitty at 1:01am
Late Podcast by itsapanda at 12:51am
Heaven... by The Laughing Man at 12:11am
<AG XBOX360 COD4 1 on 1 TOURNEY> by Claude the Duck King at 11:47pm
Introduce Yourself by funkypea at 11:32pm
PODCAST [ Sony Gamers Day and ... well ... GTA IV news, what else! ] by El Taco at 11:11pm
Your latest purchase by Jay at 10:59pm
How do you visual minorites? by funkypea at 10:49pm
Fire Emblem by Amyler at 9:57pm
MC Chris by EdgeCrusher at 8:52pm
NEWS [ Too Human Coming Soon - Finally ] by netjunkie at 8:39pm
Dreamscene by AJ at 8:12pm
Look at this by nomet at 7:41pm
English Literacy in Aus by itsapanda at 1:05am
want by fic_kitty at 1:01am
Late Podcast by itsapanda at 12:51am
Heaven... by The Laughing Man at 12:11am
<AG XBOX360 COD4 1 on 1 TOURNEY> by Claude the Duck King at 11:47pm
Introduce Yourself by funkypea at 11:32pm
PODCAST [ Sony Gamers Day and ... well ... GTA IV news, what else! ] by El Taco at 11:11pm
Your latest purchase by Jay at 10:59pm
How do you visual minorites? by funkypea at 10:49pm
Fire Emblem by Amyler at 9:57pm
MC Chris by EdgeCrusher at 8:52pm
NEWS [ Too Human Coming Soon - Finally ] by netjunkie at 8:39pm
Dreamscene by AJ at 8:12pm
Look at this by nomet at 7:41pm
upcoming releases
NDS
22 May
Apollo Justice Ace AttorneyPS3
22 May
BUZZ Quiz TVWII
22 May
Dream Pinball 3DNDS
22 May
Dream Pinball 3DPC
22 May
Dream Pinball 3DPS2
23 May
Silent Hill OriginsX360
23 May
Top Spin 3PS3
23 May
Top Spin 3WII
23 May
Top Spin 3NDS
23 May
Top Spin 3PC
23 May
Top Trumps: Dr WhoPS2
23 May
Top Trumps: Dr Whorss feeds
Australian Gamer Content - All
Australian Gamer Podcasts - All
Australian Gamer Updates, Reviews, Previews, Features
what's new
review :: mario kart ds
13 Years ago (1992) Nintendo released its first racing genre game for the fans of Mario and Friends on the Super Nintendo. Who would have known that this was the beginning for one of Nintendo?s most enjoyable franchise to hit their platforms for many years to come. I remember getting Super Mario Kart for Christmas back in 1994; it never left the SNES slot the next 8 months.
Yeah, I admit, I?m a Mario Kart fan, but that?s not to say I was one of the very very few who enjoyed Mario Kart: Double Dash which hit the Gamecube in 2003. Double Dash introduced a new style of gameplay to the series enabling players to have up to 2 characters on the same kart at once (One to drive and the other to throw items). Some gamers would admit that Mario Kart: Double Dash was a little too newbie for the series.
Anyway, since then Nintendo has chosen to go back to its old school Mario Kart gameplay as well as introducing some new next generation style of gameplay, so ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the latest and greatest Mario Kart game to hit the franchise, Mario Kart DS.
Do not let this game fool you, just because its intended for a handheld does not mean it lacks in seriously cool gameplay, pretty graphics, and catchy soundtracks.
Nintendo have out done themselves by throwing in some outstanding single player and multiplayer modes to satisfy all racing needs. Mario Kart DS brings back classic modes with a little more buff, such as Grand Prix, Time Trails, Versus, Battle and has introduced a brand new mode for the franchise, Mission.
Twelve of Nintendo?s most recognised All-Stars are back and have never looked so good on the Nintendo DS. You can select characters ranging from Mario to Luigi all the way to the weird yet wonderful Dry Bones and R.O.B. You can also select tons of karts for your character, each kart have different specs (acceleration, speed, weight, items, drift, etc)
Another cool feature in Mario Kart DS is that you are able to create your own player profile for the game. In this profile you are able to create yourself an emblem to stick on your go-kart in both single and multiplayer modes for other players to see.
A huge feature has been introduced to Mario Kart DS for the first time on the Nintendo DS, and her name is Nintendo WFC (Wifi Connection). Nintendo WFC enables gamers to connect wirelessly to the internet (with pc/router support) and verse other players around the world. This has proven to be very popular and a huge hit for the DS. On the 20th of March 2006, Nintendo announced its one millionth player connected to Nintendo WFC with over 27 million connections made worldwide.
Grand Prix starts off with three different classes, 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. In total there are 8 Championship Cups raging from Mushroom, Flower, Star, Special and a mixture of retro cups from the past Mario Kart titles.
Time Trail is back again but with more features than before. You are now able to save and transfer your ghosts locally to other players via the Nintendo DS WiFi Connection. I found this to be a really neat feature to race other hardcore Mario Kart players (without the items).
Versus mode has been spiced up a lot on the DS by adding in some more customised race configurations. In the configuration you are able to choose from Classes, to CPU Karts (On or off), Courses (Order, Random or Choose), Rules (how many wins or races you need to win, or off) and finally, Teams, which separate you and the CPU players in two teams (Red and Blue).
Battle mode has been spiced up similar to Versus but with a new game mode thrown in, Shine Runners. The classic mode (known as Balloon battle, also known as pop-a-cap-in-your-balloon-biatch mode) is now also configurable. You are able to select CPU Difficulty, Course, Rules and Team. The other new feature that?s thrown into Balloon Battle is that your racer is given 3 balloons at the beginning of the match, but you have another 2 reserve. If you were to lose your first balloon during battle, simply inflate another balloon by blowing into the DS microphone, cool huh? Not really, it can get frustrating wiping the spit off your DS screen.. and my mates face.
In Shrine Runner mode, the game is played by collecting as many shines as you can, beating the other players. You are able to collect shines by stealing them off the opponents by throwing items at the opponents or by collecting those that are scattered around the arena.
Mission mode is the new mode introduced to the Mario Kart series. In mission mode, you are giving a menu to select any level ranging from 1 ? 6. In a level you have up to 9 missions to select, once all 9 missions have been completed you are then able to challenge the boss. This is a really cool mode to play around with, the missions given include driving through all 5 numbered gates, collecting all 15 coins, driving backwards through obstacles, and pushing bosses off the arena.
There are two Multiplayer functions in Mario Kart DS, Local and Nintendo WFC. Beginning a local match will enable you to have up to eight players to verse in either Battle Mode or Versus.
For Nintendo Wifi, you are given an option to search for players worldwide or within your region to verse. Another option in Mario Kart DS is being able to add your mates into a friends list. This enables you to view your mate?s online status and also to start a quick match online. Wifi enables you to have up to four players in Versus mode, and Versus mode only. Although that might seem a little harsh, it works out very well in the long run for lag issues, and player dropouts.
Mario Kart DS is a seriously fun game, not only is the single player done extremely well but the multiplayer kicks some serious ass. It is, by far the best racing title to hit the Nintendo DS. And after owning it for more that 2 months I am still finding myself connecting to Nintendo WFC every now and then. This is an absolute MUST HAVE for all Nintendo DS owners out there. If you do not have this game in your pocket I want you to stand up.. yep right now.. and run to your local gaming store to buy this game. It?s good to see Nintendo is still keeping its Mario Kart fans happy for all this time, by still introducing new gameplay and style to keep not only its fans from coming back, but new players too.
Yeah, I admit, I?m a Mario Kart fan, but that?s not to say I was one of the very very few who enjoyed Mario Kart: Double Dash which hit the Gamecube in 2003. Double Dash introduced a new style of gameplay to the series enabling players to have up to 2 characters on the same kart at once (One to drive and the other to throw items). Some gamers would admit that Mario Kart: Double Dash was a little too newbie for the series.
Anyway, since then Nintendo has chosen to go back to its old school Mario Kart gameplay as well as introducing some new next generation style of gameplay, so ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the latest and greatest Mario Kart game to hit the franchise, Mario Kart DS.
Do not let this game fool you, just because its intended for a handheld does not mean it lacks in seriously cool gameplay, pretty graphics, and catchy soundtracks.
Nintendo have out done themselves by throwing in some outstanding single player and multiplayer modes to satisfy all racing needs. Mario Kart DS brings back classic modes with a little more buff, such as Grand Prix, Time Trails, Versus, Battle and has introduced a brand new mode for the franchise, Mission.
Twelve of Nintendo?s most recognised All-Stars are back and have never looked so good on the Nintendo DS. You can select characters ranging from Mario to Luigi all the way to the weird yet wonderful Dry Bones and R.O.B. You can also select tons of karts for your character, each kart have different specs (acceleration, speed, weight, items, drift, etc)
Another cool feature in Mario Kart DS is that you are able to create your own player profile for the game. In this profile you are able to create yourself an emblem to stick on your go-kart in both single and multiplayer modes for other players to see.
A huge feature has been introduced to Mario Kart DS for the first time on the Nintendo DS, and her name is Nintendo WFC (Wifi Connection). Nintendo WFC enables gamers to connect wirelessly to the internet (with pc/router support) and verse other players around the world. This has proven to be very popular and a huge hit for the DS. On the 20th of March 2006, Nintendo announced its one millionth player connected to Nintendo WFC with over 27 million connections made worldwide.
Grand Prix starts off with three different classes, 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. In total there are 8 Championship Cups raging from Mushroom, Flower, Star, Special and a mixture of retro cups from the past Mario Kart titles.
Time Trail is back again but with more features than before. You are now able to save and transfer your ghosts locally to other players via the Nintendo DS WiFi Connection. I found this to be a really neat feature to race other hardcore Mario Kart players (without the items).
Versus mode has been spiced up a lot on the DS by adding in some more customised race configurations. In the configuration you are able to choose from Classes, to CPU Karts (On or off), Courses (Order, Random or Choose), Rules (how many wins or races you need to win, or off) and finally, Teams, which separate you and the CPU players in two teams (Red and Blue).
Battle mode has been spiced up similar to Versus but with a new game mode thrown in, Shine Runners. The classic mode (known as Balloon battle, also known as pop-a-cap-in-your-balloon-biatch mode) is now also configurable. You are able to select CPU Difficulty, Course, Rules and Team. The other new feature that?s thrown into Balloon Battle is that your racer is given 3 balloons at the beginning of the match, but you have another 2 reserve. If you were to lose your first balloon during battle, simply inflate another balloon by blowing into the DS microphone, cool huh? Not really, it can get frustrating wiping the spit off your DS screen.. and my mates face.
In Shrine Runner mode, the game is played by collecting as many shines as you can, beating the other players. You are able to collect shines by stealing them off the opponents by throwing items at the opponents or by collecting those that are scattered around the arena.
Mission mode is the new mode introduced to the Mario Kart series. In mission mode, you are giving a menu to select any level ranging from 1 ? 6. In a level you have up to 9 missions to select, once all 9 missions have been completed you are then able to challenge the boss. This is a really cool mode to play around with, the missions given include driving through all 5 numbered gates, collecting all 15 coins, driving backwards through obstacles, and pushing bosses off the arena.
There are two Multiplayer functions in Mario Kart DS, Local and Nintendo WFC. Beginning a local match will enable you to have up to eight players to verse in either Battle Mode or Versus.
For Nintendo Wifi, you are given an option to search for players worldwide or within your region to verse. Another option in Mario Kart DS is being able to add your mates into a friends list. This enables you to view your mate?s online status and also to start a quick match online. Wifi enables you to have up to four players in Versus mode, and Versus mode only. Although that might seem a little harsh, it works out very well in the long run for lag issues, and player dropouts.
Mario Kart DS is a seriously fun game, not only is the single player done extremely well but the multiplayer kicks some serious ass. It is, by far the best racing title to hit the Nintendo DS. And after owning it for more that 2 months I am still finding myself connecting to Nintendo WFC every now and then. This is an absolute MUST HAVE for all Nintendo DS owners out there. If you do not have this game in your pocket I want you to stand up.. yep right now.. and run to your local gaming store to buy this game. It?s good to see Nintendo is still keeping its Mario Kart fans happy for all this time, by still introducing new gameplay and style to keep not only its fans from coming back, but new players too.
Final Verdict
The most enjoyable Nintendo DS game to date. Plenty of tracks, modes, and even with a few Nintendo WFC limitations it will have you coming back for more. This is by far the best Mario Kart game to hit the series. If you?re a fan of Mario titles or just someone looking for a huge amount of fun, this game is for you. I declare this the Must Have title for 2005 for your Nintendo DS.Pros
Tons of tracks and modes, heaps of characters and karts to select, fun, addictive, challenging, local wireless multiplayer, Nintendo WiFi.. need I say more?
Cons
The first two cups (50cc, 100cc) may seem a little too easy for some players, Nintendo WFC could have held more playable tracks and modes.