Nintendo DS Games & News - DS Lite

From the age of the SNES on, Mario Kart has been a staple name on each Nintendo console and handheld gaming device. The game brought a whole new look to gaming and had engaging, solid gameplay dynamics with all of the usual Nintendo flair that makes the game unique. Every Nintendo fan, at some point, has put in a few hours with the famed Mario Kart series. While it was believed the golden days of the series were of days past, Nintendo has brought out Mario Kart DS to remind fans everywhere that the series is alive and kicking, and still as fun as it ever was.

Similar to every other game in the series, Mario Kart DS’ main single player component is the Grand Prix setup. There are a variety of competitions and each takes players through a few levels where they will attempt to earn a gold, silver, or bronze medal for that tournament. In Mario Kart DS, there are 8 of these and each Grand Prix has four races, making for quite a lengthy 32 races in the single player portion of the game. Additionally, each of these has three difficulty modes (represented by increasing the increasing number of “cc”) to be completed.

The level design is as good as ever. Half of Mario Kart DS’ racetracks were taken out of previous installments of the game (good choices of racetracks, thankfully). However, even more impressively, half of the tracks, 16 of them, are completely new. These tracks offer a refreshing experience to Mario Kart fans who don’t want to see the same old races.

As is a trademark with Mario Kart games, there are a lot of Nintendo characters to choose from. The usuals, Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Peach, and the others all make their expected appearance in the game. There are also many other secret characters that can be unlocked. Most characters have two karts to choose from, each with its own unique look that matches its character.

The gameplay of Mario Kart itself is basically similar to all of the other installments in the franchise. Players will select their racer and then attempt to come in first place while racing against other Nintendo characters. While racing, players can pick up various items, such as banana peels and shells, which they can use to slow down other players and give themselves an advantage. Additionally, speed boosts and more can be found, making the races very interactive and engaging. The handling and feel of the game is as good as ever and provides a true Mario Kart experience. Also, three new items have been added specifically for Mario Kart DS.

Combat modes have also made their appearance. Players can play against the computer or against human components (refer to next paragraph for multiplayer details) and can engage in multiple battle modes. These modes are comprised of each player having three balloons and the purpose is to attempt to pop the balloons of other players and attempting to survive as long as possible with your own three balloons. Once the three balloons have been destroyed, you lose. The same items that are used in the racing modes are used here to pop the balloons, such as shells and star boosts.

There are a couple of unique aspects in Mario Kart DS. Players are given a mission they must complete within a certain amount of time. There are 54 of these, adding quite a bit of replay value to the game. However, the greatest improvement in the game is the new multiplayer. Thanks to the Nintendo DS’ ability to hook up with other nearby DS handhelds, players can now engage in a variety of multiplayer modes, from races to battles, against up to eight of their friends. This makes Mario Kart DS the first online Mario Kart game in the series.

Even more impressive is that Mario Kart DS can literally hook up to the internet through a PC and router. Players can search for and find other players online and hook up with up to eight and engage in the races and combat modes with these players. This is a unique aspect of Mario Kart DS that really sets it apart from previous games in the series.

Mario Kart DS ends up being a great installment in the Mario Kart series. Indeed, Mario Kart is still sticking around and provides as much enjoyment as ever. Fans of racing games and of previous Mario Kart games will definitely want to consider picking this game up due to its almost limitless replay and solid gameplay.