Still one of the best racing games ever, after ten long years!
Ten or more years later Rare finally brought back the timeless classic to the Nintendo DS (ironically since they are contracted to Microsoft these days.) DKR DS may not be the superior to Mario Kart DS, but it does offer great game play and unique features. There are some changes, however, that make DKR DS go from first to last place.
The DS version is bigger, badder, better. The Adventure mode is still there, only this time it has changed a bit. First of all, the map layout is different. And now there are touch screen-compatible features where you can trace, scratch, or use the environment to earn coins, balloons, talk to Taj (an elephant-like genie), and other tasks. Speaking of which, collecting coins allows you to buy vehicle parts, the new racetracks in the game, and other items in Taj’s tent. This is a good idea, but it gets repetitive and boring to collect everything throughout the game. The boss races and tracks are different too. Instead of a coin challenge, now there is a balloon collecting-like game that replaces it (of course you can unlock the coin challenge through Taj.) The boss battles are the same, but now there is a third challenge that you need to use the touch screen to make a path to win the race (this is a good thing, but it’s so frustrating!!!) Another change is the key door levels. Instead of entering a battle mode, you now have to race T.T. in a track you create thru the followed instructions by T.T. himself. Speaking of which now there is a map editor mode where you can create your own racetracks and test them against T.T. I like this feature since you can share them with other players.
And now the touch features. I mentioned a little bit about the touch screen controls on Adventure mode above; now let’s talk about the rest of the touch screen controls throughout the game. At the start of each race, instead of pressing the A button to do a starting boost, now you have to spin the wheel (car), blow on the mic (hovercraft), or spin the propeller (plane) to get a starting boost. I found it distracting, but I got the hang of it after playing the game for the first hour.
Changing the subject let me tell you some of the things and changes I found in the game. One thing I found out was the level music. It has changed a bit, and I mean that each track has their own exclusive tune. Another thing is a sound recorder feature that allows you to make your own sound effects which I played around with it a bit, making weird yet funny sounds. Oh yeah, there’s Wi-Fi too, making it the second DS racing game (I think) to support online.
DKR was the superior to MK64 ten years ago, but the DS version feels like the same game except for the newer additions that make the game fresh and fun for newbies of the franchise. Even with the issues above, I still like this game. If you are looking for a racer that is as comical and interesting like Mario Kart DS, DKR DS is that kind of game. After ten years, this game has become the reason why I like Rare so much back then and today. This game is definitely in first place.