Mario Kart DS (DS)
Manufacturer: Nintendo Part number: 73590
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
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Gamespot editors' review
Mario Kart DS (DS) price range: $24.50 - $34.99
- Reviewed by: Justin Calvert
- Reviewed on: 11/14/2005
- Updated on:05/17/2006
- Released on: 11/14/2005
If you've ever been the proud owner of a Nintendo system, or have at least befriended somebody with one, odds are you've encountered a Mario Kart game at some point. The popular racing series, which first appeared on the Super Nintendo in 1992, lets you race your favorite Nintendo characters against each other in karts that can be armed with such devastating weapons as banana peels, opponent-seeking red shells, and opponent-shrinking lightning bolts. The series has evolved steadily with each iteration, up to and including 2003's Mario Kart: Double Dash, which retained most of its predecessors' features while introducing a new team-based mechanic that saw each cart manned by both a driver and a gunner. Mario Kart DS, then, might seem like something of a step back for the series in that it more closely resembles the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 games than the GameCube version; but, as the first game in the series to boast integrated online play, it also represents a major step forward.
Balloon battles are back, and better than ever.
Like previous Mario Kart games, Mario Kart DS features a number of single-player grand prix competitions that comprise four races each. Mario Kart DS includes a total of eight grand prix competitions for a total of 32 different races, many of which aren't available until you beat those that you can select from the outset. Four of the grand prix (or 16 of the races, in other words) are all-new, while the remaining four are composed entirely of classic circuits taken from the SNES, N64, GameCube, and GBA iterations of Mario Kart. The tracks include everything from simplistic figure-eight circuits and beach courses to street races that task you with avoiding traffic and racing around a giant pinball table. Grand Prix competitions can be contested in 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc classes, and as you progress through them you'll notice an increase not only in speed, but also in the aggression of your opponents.
Before you do any of that, of course, you'll have to decide which of your favorite Nintendo characters you want to race as. There are eight characters with two karts each available the first time you play, but as you progress you'll unlock lots more. When selecting your racer, there are a number of different factors that you'll want to take into consideration--the speed and acceleration of your kart are the most obvious, but you'll also want to bear in mind your weight, handling, and drift attributes, because the differences between the various karts are quite noticeable once you take them out on the circuit. The final attribute that you might want to take note of is "items," which has a significant bearing on the quality of the power-ups that you receive during the course of a race. If you choose a character with a very low items score, for example, you're very often unlikely to get your hands on a blue spiky shell (it never fails to take out the race leader) or the new Bullet Bill power-up (which temporarily transforms you into a Bullet Bill and flies you past opponents on autopilot).
The new Bullet Bill power-up is one of three new items in Mario Kart DS, all of which complement rather than detract from the existing arsenal that many of you, no doubt, know and love. So, in between dropping banana skins for opponents behind you and firing shells at opponents in front of you, you might now find yourself launching an exploding bob-omb, or releasing a blooper (one of those flying squids) that squirts ink onto the screens of every player in front of you. The effectiveness of the blooper varies depending on how the ink lands on the screen of your opponent, and also depends to a large extent on how well your opponents are able to drive while the DS's top screen is covered in black ink. Driving after being "blooped" is made much easier by the presence of a top-down view of the circuit on the lower screen, which is actually good enough that you could play the game using only that if you really wanted to. The map screen not only shows your location on the circuit, but also the locations of power-ups, traps, and opponents. A column down the left side of the screen also lets you check on the race positions and current armaments of your opponents, which often makes it well worth a look toward the latter stages of a race.
Missions and boss battles are a welcome addition to the Mario Kart mix.
In addition to the aforementioned single-player grand prix mode, Mario Kart DS boasts an unusual mission mode that tasks you with performing a variety of objectives against time limits. A number of the game's 54 increasingly difficult missions require you to pass through numbered gates in the correct order or collect coins as you race, for example, while others force you to use the game's boosting mechanic on corners, or drive around circuits backward. The mission mode is arranged in six groups of nine missions each, and each group ends with a boss fight that needs to be beaten before you can progress to the next. The boss fights in Mario Kart DS are quite varied, and task you with things like beating a boss in a race, knocking a boss off a platform using turbo boosts, or hitting a boss's vulnerable points with green shells. The missions not only make for some enjoyable challenges, but also improve your racing techniques by forcing you to focus on different aspects of your game individually.
The forgiving handling of the carts makes Mario Kart DS is an incredibly easy game to pick up, but there are also plenty of advanced techniques that you can use to give yourself an edge. Drifting around corners, for example, lets you negotiate even the tightest of hairpins without decreasing your speed, and if you repeatedly move the D pad left and right while drifting, it's even possible to gain a boost of speed by inducing a miniturbo. Timing your start perfectly will also give you a high-speed advantage off the line, and you can also gain a significant boost by drafting (tucking up behind) opponents who are beating you.
User reviews
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By far the best Kart game of all
by joethegamer on January 31, 2006
Pros: best racing game online.
Cons: One little weapon can take you from 1st to 4th.
Summary: Mario Kart DS is, once agian, the best racing game online thanks to Nintendo's Wi-Fi access. From the day I got it I've loved being able to take ...
Summary: Mario Kart DS is, once agian, the best racing game online thanks to Nintendo's Wi-Fi access. From the day I got it I've loved being able to take out my opponent on the other side of the world. I think it has all the right courses from the previous kart titles and just the right amount of new levels. There probably could have been a little more unlockables like more characters; although I did get to see the return of Nintendo's famous R.O.B. I think it makes pretty good use of both screens. Having two really clears up the racing screen. I also like how you can play someone else with a DS even if they don't have the cartridge. Like I said, this game is the best one out of the whole saga because it gives you the best of all 3 of the previous titles[GBA, Gamecube, SNES]. Plus it has the online capability. Even if you have never played any of the past games I would reccomend this one.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Mario Wins Race
by hall2164 on November 17, 2005
Pros: Wi Fi, Graphics, Gameplay
Cons: can't think of any
Summary: I finally got my hands on a copy of Mario Kart DS yesterday evening. It far exceeds my expectations. I have been a fan of the Mario Kart line of ...
Summary: I finally got my hands on a copy of Mario Kart DS yesterday evening. It far exceeds my expectations. I have been a fan of the Mario Kart line of games since the introduction of Super Mario Kart in 1992. The addictive gameplay is only exceeded by the fact that this version of the game has opened up the door to internet play. The graphics are great, and I just love this game. Everyone young and old will like this.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Mario Kart Fan - Looks Awesome!
by fun2program8 on November 9, 2005
Pros: Great Graphics, new tracks, same lovable racing style
Cons: Seems to repeat some old tracks, but only rarely.
Summary: This game looks like it's going to be awesome! I'm a fan of all the Mario Kart series, and this game is no exception!
It's graphics aren'...Summary: This game looks like it's going to be awesome! I'm a fan of all the Mario Kart series, and this game is no exception!
It's graphics aren't as good as PSP, I admit, but they certaintly bring back memories of the good old Mario Kart games for Nintendo 64. Wait... too many memories? I seem to remember a few places... hmmm. Oh well. The new is crowding out the old, anyway, and with improved maps, ultimate use of both screens and the same good ol' feel, it's a game I'm getting!2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Incredible
by MarioMan94 on October 27, 2007
Pros: Features great graphics and theme music. Wifi gameplay has little or no lag and rarely freezes (unlike others). Many tracks, characters, and karts to choose from.
Cons: occasional disconnection from Nintendo Wifi. Weak AI for hardcore gamers.
Summary: Every owner of a Nintendo Ds should get this game, and everyone who doesn't have a DS should have it and this both on their christmas list.
Summary: Every owner of a Nintendo Ds should get this game, and everyone who doesn't have a DS should have it and this both on their christmas list.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This is what got me so interested in the nintendo DS!
by proud2bnerd on November 7, 2008
Pros: GREAT game. Easy to get used to. ADDICTING. Definitely a game that can get you into the whole racing games thing. yeah. This game is awesome.
Cons: Nothing. I'm an experienced racing game player.
Summary: The way I got to be an experienced racing game player (or is it DRIVING game player?) was by playing this very game one day at Target. i think it ...
Summary: The way I got to be an experienced racing game player (or is it DRIVING game player?) was by playing this very game one day at Target. i think it was when i was 9. (I'm 11 now, so it wasn't very long ago.) It was when they hadn't invented the whole DS lite thing you have today. Look at me. I sound like a grandmother from the early 40's. Anyway, they'd have the nintendo DS out on this pole thing, and you'd play any game they just happened to have in the slot. I forgot why we were there, but i walked over to the game and started playing. I got the hang of it easily. That's what made me a racing game addict. I'm not sure if it'll be easy for others though. I'm a fast learner, so people, please don't take these words too seriously. So I started playing, and when we finally had to leave, I started whining and things. So i kept asking again occasionally, every now and then, to go to the electronics section of Target, until finally, after 3 or 4 times of this, they didn't put it out anymore. Just stupid golf games. Blech. So after that i got really excited about getting a nintendo DS, but i'd broken my GBA SP so i couldn't get one.
The moral off this story is, you'll love this game, and you gotta get it. And unless you're a spoiled brat who gets whatever you want no matter how you treat it, DON'T BREAK YOUR ELECTRONICS. You'll regret it later, that is, unless you MEANT to break it.... -
It is the best Nintendo game out right now! ITS AWESOME
by juniornyckid on July 23, 2008
Pros: Every feature in this game is good and you can play online with anyone around the world and that makes it very interesting and even more fun.
Cons: None. Everything you can expect plus more comes in this game.
Summary: Its the best game out there for the Nintendo DS and you will not be disappointed GUARANTEED.
Summary: Its the best game out there for the Nintendo DS and you will not be disappointed GUARANTEED.
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Your Need-For-Speed Problem has been Solved!
by 3arlyBeginnings on November 16, 2007
Pros: Very-Well Made. Good Graphics. Fun. Always finding new ways to win.
Cons: Can get boring at times...
Summary: WOOSH!
Start your engines to full-fill your dreams!Summary: WOOSH!
Start your engines to full-fill your dreams! -
WICKED AWESOME!
by flathead0 on December 27, 2006
Pros: very very fun to play, especially online!
Cons: I can not think of a single thing I dislike of this game
Summary: I didn't think this game would be all that great, many other ds racing games aren't that great, but I think this is probably the best ds game ...
Summary: I didn't think this game would be all that great, many other ds racing games aren't that great, but I think this is probably the best ds game out there currently, the games awesome, and online is so fun! definatly worth buying! Heck, worth buying a DS for!
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It is the best game!
by Tyler3153 on August 4, 2006
Pros: Awesome! The best!
Cons: The price is alittle much
Summary: If you have a DS, then you have to buy this!
Summary: If you have a DS, then you have to buy this!
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The Funnest DS Game
by AMH9 on July 7, 2006
Pros: Tons Of Karts, Fun Gameplay, Online Play, Fun Local Wi-fi, Intersting Mini-Games
Cons: Nothing A Truly Perfect DS Game
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Part number: 73590
Product Basic Spec
- Platform DS
- ESRB rating Everyone -
- Genre Driving
- Number of players 1-8 Players
- Connectivity Online,Wi-Fi,Game Sharing
- Difficulty Variable
- Learning curve About a half hour
- Offline modes Competitive,Team Oriented
- Online modes Competitive
Game
- Developer Nintendo
- ESRB Everyone
Manufacturer info
- Nintendo
- Manufacturer profile
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- Website: http://www.nintendo.com/
- Address:
P.O. Box 957, Redmond, WA 98073 - Phone: 1-800/255-3700
- Email: nintendo@nintendo.com
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