Mario & friends are back on the kart racing scene with Mario Kart DS.


Mario Kart DS has arguably been the most anticipated DS game. A 20 second video of the new Mario Kart on the *new* DS was one of Nintendo's main selling points of the system in the 2004 E3. Now that the game has come and gone, the question is: did it live up to the hype?

Graphics

MK DS boasts some of the best graphics the DS has seen yet. Most DS games that are fully 3D have graphics that are sketchy at best, but such is not the case here. The game features many more karts than its predecessors, and the new designs and styles of the karts look great. In fact, the great look of the karts has greatly affected my outlook on this game. The character renders are also very good. Courses are also great to look at, Nintendo made sure to put in a whole lot of eye candy while you play. The only real problems you can find graphically is when you try to stick Bowser in a very small kart, then you get overlap. But no one really cares about that. Graphically, you really could not ask for more in this game.


Gameplay

The learning curve for MK DS is virtually nil. It starts you out with 50cc Grand Prix mode, which means your karts are vastly underpowered. You learn better when your kart is slower because you get a much better feel for the game. Trying 150cc Grand Prix at the start will normally result in failure, but by the time you work your way up to it, it seems very easy.

The variety of karts in this game is the biggest difference from its predecessors. In the first three, everyone had the same karts, but in Double Dash there was a little variation. In MK DS, not only do the karts look completely different for each character, but each offers varying stats that can greatly affect the race. This adds a new depth to the Mario Kart series, which is very welcome.

~Grand Prix

Grand Prix mode is the main focus of single player, and offers a ton of replay. You can race through 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and eventually 150cc Mirror in 8 different cups. In each cup you compete with 7 other computer controlled racers through 4 different courses. When you finish, you earn a rank. This new rank addition brings much more replay, so players can try to earn the highest rank (three stars) in each cup. And since this is not easily achieved, it will keep you playing for a long time. Racing through Grand Prix also earns you new courses. As well as adding many new tracks, Nintendo has redesigned 16 courses from previous games in the series to appeal to our fonder memories this time. It definetely struck a cord with me, playing on old courses that I remember from the SNES days made this game all the more enjoyable.

~Time Trials

Oviously this mode is mostly about bragging rights. Many courses have "Staff Ghosts", so you can see how you stack up against the programmers. While this does indeed offer a challenge, only the competetive gamers who try for the best time on their sites really play this mode very often. You can send and recieve player ghosts through LAN, which is another perk.

~Missions

Missions are a new addition to the Mario Kart series. Instead of racing, you try to achieve different goals in a set amount of time. In example, mission 3-2 is "Drive through all 5 numbered gates in order.... backward!" There are seven levels, each with 8 missions and one boss battle.

Multiplayer

~LAN

In LAN play, you can have up to 8 players in battle or versus, and all tracks are available to you. Balloon Battle over LAN is possibly the most fun part of this game. Nintendo brought back Block Fort, which is a personal favorite of many. There are also 5 other courses to choose from, like a large Nintendo DS, Luigi's Mansion, and Double Dash's Pipe Plaza. Versus is also just as much fun, and is not limited to the online courses.

~Wi-Fi

Perhaps the biggest reason behind the massive hype is its Wi-Fi. The rating says that game experience may change during online play, and they weren't far wrong. Online Mario Kart is a blast to play, even with its many limitations. Nintendo mainly just used the core of online play, giving few options and just letting you play the game. The only real option was having your own avatar. Lack of any communication between users is MK's biggest problem here.

Players choose from 4 different areas of people to play; Friends, Rivals, Regional, and Worldwide. The only option that was truly different from the rest was friends, because many times people in Rivals and Regional/Worldwide were the same skill level. Games are restricted to 4 players and a limited number of tracks. Lag is often not too bad, although sometimes you will enounter problems where you see a player fall off the course, only to suddenly appear 30 meters in front of you. Overall, even with its lack of options, online puts a whole new dimension on Mario Kart and gives you an opportunity to improve your skills even more.


Sound

The sound is great in this game. The music is up-beat and enjoyable, and varies on each course you choose. The gameplay sounds are great also, with the occasional "Oh no!" by someone getting hit by a shell, the engine exhaust when executing a drift, and other various sounds items and karts make. It all sounds very crisp and clear through the DS's speakers.


Lifespan

The lifespan of this game is among the best the DS has available. Even without online, achieving all the characters, tracks, and ranks in grand prix will take you a while. And on top of that, there is Time Trial and Mission mode, which will keep you occupied for a long while after that. LAN with this game never gets old, and with online I could play this game for forever. It's been out since November and I still play this game about every other day. If you have friends with DSs, you'll be hard-pressed to seriously get bored with this game.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall

Gameplay - 10/10

Lifespan - 10/10

Sound - 9/10

Graphics - 9.5/10

9.7/10

Mario Kart DS is an absolute must-have for any DS user. It is the best kart game ever made, and the first with online. It has more depth than any other game in the series, and its variety in courses and karts will keep you playing this game for a long time. With near flawless gameplay, graphics, sound, and lifespan, you NEED this game.

This one definetely lived up to the hype.