Is this the best Mario Kart game to date? Read this review to find out all about this new game!
Mario Kart has been around for a long time, since all the way back in the times of the SNES.It made it's way to the N64, GCN, and even GBA. Now is it's turn on the DS, and let me tell you, it's one hell of a great game. To start off with, this game's controls are very easy and responsive.
It has the basic driving game controls for the DS - A is Acceleration, B is Brake/Reverse, etc. You will find that the controls and all of that jazz will come easily to you and you'll almost instantly be able to control your kart nicely. Also, the touch screen is used as a map, so if you get inked by one of the new weapons, the Blooper, you can see on it. It also shows incoming weapons on your buttox.
Another nice thing about Mario Kart DS is the customization. You can choose from an extremely wide variety of carts for each character. Also, you can change your name (this game supports 11 characters) and emblem, which you can create on your own.
Now, that wasn't much for controls, but now we're onto the regular gameplay aspect of the game. It has the regular features of the other Mario Kart games - Grand Prix (50cc, 100cc, and 150cc), Battle Mode, Missions, Time Trials, and a new Nintendo WIFI mode (will explain later).
Let's start off talking about the Grand Prix. The Grand Prix has 3 different levels of difficulty, 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. As it may be obvious, 150cc is the hardest and 50cc is the easiest. Once you choose one of these, there will be 2 different modes to choose from inside here - Retro Mode or Nitro Mode.
Retro Mode (as it's name speaks for itself) plays retro, or old, levels, from the SNES, N64, GCN, and GBA Mario Kart games. There are 16 familiar maps to long time players on here, 4 from each game. Then, there's the Nitro Mode, which has 16 brand new tracks. Each of the modes has 4 cups like usual, each with 4 races in them.
When you're first playing on 50cc, you will notice that it's not much of a challenge. You could probably win every race of 50cc in first place (I did it, you can to). The new maps are wonderful and fully developed, not too small or too big, and the environments are great.
As you increase in difficulty, you can notice a big change in how the computer races. It does get quite a bit harder - 100cc is a big step up from 50cc if you ask me. I say that you would want to try to finish 50cc before moving forward at all. But, once you beat 50cc, you unlock 2 new characters (beating both Retro and Nitro mode), who the computers can use in 100cc and 150cc, increasing the challenge. Also, after you finish each cup, you will get a rating - a C, B, A, *, **, or *** depending on how well you did.
Now that Grand Prix is settled, let's move on to the Mission Mode. As the name suggests, you do missions. You start out with only Level 1, but by beating them, you can get to level 6, then unlock Levels 7 & 8.
The Missions are varied, really. Some of them, for example, you will get turbo mushrooms and you have to go through a number of gates in order in a certain amount of time. The maps that you use differ as well, and you can't choose the character that you use.
Others, you need to do things like collecting a certain number of coins or getting weapons and killing a certain number of "enemies" in a set time limit. Or, you could simply race a computer character or do a certain number of drifts in a time/lap limit.
Also, at the end of each level (You have 8 missions per level) you face a boss. The bosses have different challenges for you to beat. For example, the first boss is Big Billy, and you must get the item box in the center and try to hit him in a turbo and knock him off the platform.
Also, just like Grand Prix, you get a rating. But, instead of after each level, you get a rating for each mission you complete (1-1, 1-2, etc). Though, you do get an overall level rating at the end of each level.
I haven't played Battle Mode, so I can't really explain that. I know that there are different types of matches like balloon battle when you try to pop the other person's balloons. You can play from 2-8 player with a single game cart by doing a game download.
The only downside is, when you're playing with a single cart, you can't choose the map and your friends can only be shy guy. That really sucks.
And Time Trial - there isn't much to this. All you do is do laps on maps and try to beat the time limit.
Then, there's the good new Nintendo WIFI connection games. You can get online either of two ways - have the Nintendo WIFI adapter, or having a supporting router that works. When you have one of the two, the rest is easy.
All you have to do is choose Nintendo WIFI from the main menu, go to set-up, and then set it up. If you have one of those two things, you can do a WIFI search, and then a list of results will come up. You can choose one and then it will save your connection to the DS.
Once you're online, you can do different things, like fight people Worldwide, face your friends, or you could always face people who are regional to your specific country.
When you're online, it randomly searches for people for you to face. When you get in there, you choose the character that you want and what track you want (unless there is 2-4 votes on one map, it will randomly choose one for you to play on).
Once you're racing, it's basically the same as Grand Prix. Just race and try to beat your opponents! It's just like a regular cup match, too, because you have to play 4 matches, and the person with the most points at the end wins. And, I'd like to add, I've experienced no lag whatsoever playing online. Nintendo's done a great job.
Also, to get your friend code, on the main Nintendo WIFI screen, you choose Friend Code, then you click on CONFIRM - it will give you your 12-digit code to send to other people and have them added to your friends list (after they have added you and you've added them). Adding people is easy, too. You just go to Friend Code and choose REGISTER.
Other random things: When you are viewing the screen to choose which match you want to play (Worldwide, Regional, etc.), press UP and click A to view your current friends. And also, when you're on the main menu, go to records to view your single player, multiplayer, and Nintendo WIFI records.
--Final Verdict--
Gameplay: 10
Definitely the most enjoyable racing game on the DS. It combines all of the great aspects of the Mario Kart series and it adds other great things, for example, all the unlockables and being able to play ONLINE!
Graphics: 9
Some of the best graphics I've seen on the DS. I know that they could probably have gone further, but that may have declined the enjoyable single player gaming, and I wouldn't have wanted that.
Sound: 8
The sound isn't a big thing Mario Kart DS. There isn't much sound in it. A little bit of menu music and things like that - maybe a little bit of much in-game, but it's nothing that really stands out as a key point in this game to make it any better.
Value: 10
This game is worth all $35 that you pay for it. Everything in this game makes it worth every single penny.
Tilt: 10
I have enjoyed this game so far for how much I've played it. I haven't beaten all the modes or even gotten NEAR finishing my time on the Nintendo WIFI mode, but I still love this game and I believe that it deserves a great score.
All in all, Mario Kart DS is a great game, a must-have buy for any DS owner. If you don't have it, get $35 (or however much it is in your currency) immediately and buy it! This is definitely worth it, with the outstanding single player mode, absolutely positive Nintendo WIFI mode, and everything else.
Mario Kart DS: 9.6 Superb