When The Countdown Ends, Karts Go Blazin' Full Throttle

Nintendo, a company which has been around for over two decades, has always succeeded in the market due to their likeable mascot Mario; a man who has revolutionized the gaming market time and time again - whether it is through racing go karts, saving princesses, playing tennis, being involved in party games, or putting the smack down on his fellow cast mates, this man has done it all. I will not lie that he is one of my favorite icons of all time (whether being man or cartoon, fiction of non-fictional characters), due to the success he has made, the impact he has had on the gaming society, and (especially) because his games are just plain fun.

In the new installment of Mario Kart (a franchise alone that has profited more successfully than most new coming game designing markets), Miyamoto and team has surrendered modesty and allowed their insanity run amok with allowing so many features in a handheld game in hopes to make Mario Kart DS a success. But what they have accomplished is far more than making a successful game: they have, once again, revolutionized the battle/racing market and made the craziest, deepest, and most fun racer of it’s kind. Welcome to Mario Kart DS; a game that has the potential to not only blow every gamers’ minds but also put the DS on the map.

Gameplay 5 (out of 5)

I cannot do it, I simply cannot raise this score higher than a 5, even if I wish I can. This game is beyond perfect. I was at first iffy when I bought the game, as I have remembered how Mario Kart 64 was fun, but not the money’s worth, and how Mario Kart: Double Dash was great but short. After 10 hours of playing, and beating, the game I was taught 1 lesson; never compare a game with it’s predecessors, because sometimes a sequel will outshine it’s predecessor. Boy did that statement come well in to effect with this game. Before I go into my very extensive critique, I have put together a full list after having dissected ever facet of MKDS:

In this game you will find:
- Five Single-Player modes to choose from (Grand Prix, Time Trials, Versus, Team Battle against CPU’s, Missions)
-2 Types of Grand Prix modes (with 8, four circuit, events each)
-16 new courses
-16 classic courses from previous Mario Kart games
- 12 kart competitors to choose from (4 of which are unlockable)
- 8 Grand Prix events for each difficulty
- Dozens of Karts to choose from (most of which are unlockables)
- 6 Car statistics
- The ability to save up to 5 Ghost Saves (for each track) from time trial.
- 48 Missions
- A grading system that rates how well a racer you are in each event
- 2 Battle Modes (which allows you to battle AI, adjust options settings, choose from 6 arenas, and could decide from either of 2 game modes to play)
- Records
- The ability to name your character and paint his or her emblem
- Wi-Fi play (up to 8 people at a time from single cart)
- Internet play (with up to 4 people)
- Online Friends

Whew! What a list…I may have forgot to put in a few things, but these features are more than enough to warrant a $35 purchase. Now, let me get to the nitty-gritty about the game play.

I will first begin with specifying almost everything that is found in the Grand Prix mode. If you have ever played a Mario Kart game then you well know of what to expect. ‘A series of races are subcategorized into 4 events. But what is this? 8 events? It cannot be… It is!’ That was my reaction when I came to play the game for the very first time. And what is more splendid, is that Nintendo has made “best of” events under a category called “Retro Grand Prix” - a series of races that has 16 tracks selected from the Mario karts of Gamecube, N64, Gameboy Advance, and SNES; all tracks are in mint condition, not upgraded, but play amazingly better than the predecessors from where the tracks came. “Nitro Grand Prix” is an event of 16 races that revive a few stages from Double Dash, remade a few stages from Mario Kart 64, and has a dozen more unique stages that are well worth the hundreds of joyrides through.

In “Grand Prix” mode, you are able to go against 7 AI rivals, unlock further tracks, unlock dozens of cars to choose from, and unlock a few characters as well. The races progressively get harder as you proceed; that by the later courses of the 150cc, the races are utterly frantic, frustrating, yet addictive in it’s own charm. The races also feature a multitude of weapons, from bananas, to turtle shells, to even billy bombs to hurl at your opponents; all while avoiding natural disasters from some of the stages). It took me more than 10 hours just to complete Grand Prix mode (and with bad grades at that!). It will take me probably twice as longer to get the highest score in every race. That just shows how abysmal this game is in depth.

Among the 12 characters (picked up from the Mario sequels), you are able to choose from two cars (for each character) that give statistics in weight, items, speed, acceleration, etc.; each car is controlled at such a different aspect with each character that the depths are unfathomable). If there is one gripe I’ll make, it’s that I miss the two-player karts found in Double Dash. True, many people found it confusing, but I thought it was neat. But, I can forgive Nintendo, they are doing everything else just right.

In “Time Trials” you are allowed to race, and record, your unlocked tracks for practice. You are given 5 save slots to save on and can trade your ghost records with local players.
In VS. mode, you can go against 7 AI opponents in any course you unlock (a feature I wished, upon too many occasions, Nintendo would have added to N64). You are not only given the options to choose which circuit type you want to race, but what class you want to race in, how many wins you want to claim to beat the match, the ability to use AI teams, and (the best one of all) you can choose the AI difficulty; which you as well will be allowed to play any of the 32 courses; once they are all unlocked that is…)

In “Battle” you are treated to a game mode that all fans of the N64 version wished
Nintendo would invent - another ability to go against AI. You can either go against 7 AI or choose to split them up “randomly” into two teams. You can choose the AI difficulty, course, and how many wins it will take to win. I will say that this game does even make an imprint in the miles of adjustments in options that Perfect Dark has. But, I can tell you that the Mario Kart DS is just as addictive. You are given 6 arenas (2 of which were found in 64 and Double Dash). The Battle types are the classic Balloon Battle - Death-match where you have 5 balloons as your chance of survival and have to destroy the opponents five times. And there is Shine Runners; where you have to go into a frantic race to be the one who collects the most Shine coins.

Nintendo was also gracious enough toward it’s fans that it added a new mode called “Mission”. In this mode, you have the opportunity of selecting 8 missions that are found within each (of six) levels, giving you 48 missions in all. But what’s more is that at the end of each level, you are able to fight a boss (which offer their own challenges). The bosses are challenging and have been found in previous Mario games. Even though they are not the best bosses Mario has confronted, they are well worth playing against.

The missions are not great escapades through the unknown worlds of Mushroom Kingdom (which we have all gotten used to through Mario’s platform and side-scrolling eras). In each level, you either have to go through gates, finish a race, collect coins, or destroy certain types of enemies with shells. The levels play more as test drives then adventures, but they are very enjoyable and easily addictive.

To add even greater pressure and replay into Mario Kart, Nintendo has included a grading system that criticizes how well of a racer you are in the “Grand Prix” and “Mission” modes. You are given the scores A-F (including E) and stars (1 through 3). I have no idea which is the better between the alphabetical and star scores (of the star scores I do not know which is superior from 1 star to 3 star), but I have a hunch that the star scores are better than the alphabetical. The challenge falls not only in getting the perfect “A” or star, but knowing how to get best score. I keep asking myself “Did I turn my car the wrong way by the 5th curve?” or “Did I not shoot the peep-peeps quick enough?” But then I realized how fun the game was and that I shouldn’t worry about my grade, just keep playing the heck out of Mario Kart DS and my “best” score will soon come.

If you ever get bored of Single Player, which I doubt you would, they have two more options to make the replay value infinite. They have Multiplayer, which you choose from 12 characters and race 36 tracks or battle them in either of the 6 arenas, and Wi-Fi Internet. In multiplayer, you can choose to go single-card against 8 opponents or multi-card; a feature I thought was ingenious of the creators to allow one-cart gamers to share the fun amongst their unfortunate friends who weren’t able to snag up a copy probably because it was sold out everywhere.

If you don’t have friends who own a DS, which most of us can relate to that statement, then you can purchase a USB connector to play online and solve your problem with online play. Or, if you have either Windows XP or Wireless Internet connection, you could go online without having to buy the accessory. Yeah that’s right, you can go online anywhere anytime, rain or shine, night or day - as long as you are in a “hotspot”, that is. (I do not necessarily understand what hotspots are and where they are. I have heard they are at McDonald’s, but there are other places.)

Online mode is pretty limited though. I mean you can still choose between the however many cars you unlock (I’m not being specific on purpose) as well as one out of the twelve characters to play with. You can make your own name and drawn your emblem to best represent yourself as you race amongst the 20 stages for online. I wish they would include all stages but I guess they did all they could do with it and I still think it’s a marvelous idea to play online practically anywhere.

While online, there is NO slowdown; the game runs at it’s fluid rate. The only four problems about the online play is that there are no chat rooms, no battle arenas to duke it out, you can only go against three others, and it takes about 5 minutes for the 3 members to get connected. But when everything’s ready, it’s a great thrill. Your scores (wins and loses) get saved on your profile. If you find a friend who you like to play online with, there are friend codes to connect with them. Albeit they don’t have a chat room feature, I just go online to any of the online chat rooms on the computer, meet somebody who has the game (right now a few DS owners) and who loves playing Mario Kart DS (99% of Mario Kart DS owners) and play. Internet and Multi-Card play really takes the cake.

Whew, I think I have covered most there is with the Gameplay, now let me get straight to the Graphics section of my Epinion.

Graphics 5 (out of 5)

Can the DS have the ability to handle 3-dimensional games at a full 60 fps? Mario Kart answered that question with a yes; and did so in a triumphant perspective. At the beginning of the race, the treaded tires spin as you press on the gas, waiting for the countdown of 3 to get to 1).

The engine shakes and quivers while revving in anticipation to race. And then, it begins. The vibrant colors of the raceway pass by as you race 8 opponents through courses that brings you through highways, pirate ships, star roads, palace gardens, inside clocks, and even through pinball machines. Every aspect of every frame shines through with 64-bit greatness; offering life and difference to each track, which are rendered with vibrant colors and polygons. No course has pop-ups, no images skip, and no map was made with irregularities.

Every part of the game (between the weapon effects, the characters, and the settings) are perfect and I ask nothing more of Nintendo then what I have seen. The game surpasses the graphics of Mario 64 DS. Even the retro stages, as retro they are, seem cleaner than they once were (the SNES and GBA levels are clear and crisp now, that they serve more as a tribute to how great the tracks were, rather than slapping them as add-ons to Mario Kart DS).

Sound: 5 (out of 5)

The sound of the engines, the tires screeching, the taunts and “Wahoo’s”, the crashing of reactions from weapons that hit opponents, and the music stream in a simultaneous symphony of chaos - all in surround sound. With the additions of the newer songs from “Nitro Prix”, as well as the reminiscent songs from the “Retro” Prix, sound as amazing and catchy as they once were that by the third round of the race, when the music intensifies in tempo, you will still have the songs stuck in your head. Nintendo did a great job in the sound department with both the sound effects and music.

Control: 5 (out of 5)

All I can say is comfortable. The karts play smooth and the reaction is precise. The control layouts are similar to it’s predecessors. “L” and “X” fires the weapon, “R” hops, “A” accelerates, “B” brakes, “Y” and “touch screen” switches map layouts (close or distant). You can also control all vehicles with the use of the cross-pad, which may I say is user friendly. The creators limited the touch-screen use to either making an emblem, selecting a mode, and switching the appearance of maps. Yet, I am not complaining, because every facet in the control department is smooth and comfortable. The only complaints I have is that the A and X buttons are too close together; causing my thumb to ache after consecutively playing for 20 minutes.

Replay 5 (out of 5)

One reason, if any, to own this game is for the multi-play functionality. If you thought playing Mario Kart against four people on one television was fun, just wait until you play against eight people who own a DS. Many hours of fun guaranteed for people who play Mario Kart even on occasion. For fans, I can honestly say you will most definitely call off all plans for the future, you‘ll be glued on this game for months to come. I just advise you, get your rest please. I don’t want to compete online against people who are delirious due to a week’s lacked of sleep.
Mario Kart DS has the potential of getting as much play time as GoldenEye did when I was in high school (oh those Golden years…) Oh yeah! Mario Kart DS is Wi-Fi internet adaptable!

With over 30 tracks to choose from, 12 players with dozens of more vehicles, records, death match, online and at home multi-play, missions, and grading scores, Nintendo has put this game in full throttle to assure you get the $35 that you paid for this game. They worked hard-hours to make the hard-working American proud that they spent their hard-earned money on this game. I applaud you Miyamoto. You have once again proved how talented you are in producing games that makes the Mario industry so great.

Overall: 5 (out of 5)
Get this game. That’s all I have to say about that. If there is one game that has no flaws, or faults, it is Mario Kart DS. Nintendo has pushed the limit to make the best bash-racer I have ever played. Sure, Crash Bandicoot Racing is coming out for the next-generation systems and you are probably hesitating over the decision if getting MKDS over Bandicoot Racing is the wisest choice. I can’t really answer that question. I just know this: if you have a DS system and are a human being (doesn’t matter if you are 5 or 55), then get this game. It is a family-fun, user friendly, great game that brings out the kid in all of us. Mario Kart DS makes the definitive purchase for the upcoming Holiday season and yet another great reason for owning a DS. See you online one day, hopefully…


Final Thoughts
Gameplay: 5 (out of 5)
Does 5 modes to play Mario Kart DS sound too skimpy of a selection? How about 5 modes with subcategories? Does that sound intriguing? How about 5 modes that will grade you on how you play? Sound better? How about 5 modes, total mayhem enriched battles, fighting bosses, and online play? Sounds too great to be true. How about being the playable character from the 1980’s NES Accessories era, R.O.B.? Too irresistible.

Graphics: 5 (out of 5)
16 bits, 32 bits, 64 bits, cows, waterfalls, suns that shoot out flames that dance, dancing cactuses, a giant pinball, walking trees, ghosts, jumping fish, traffic, and Bowser - yep, it’s all here and at 60 fps.

Sound: 5 (out of 5)
The revving of engines, burning of rubber, and the sounds of a slot machine when you pick up the question-mark boxes are all here. With the inclusion of the wacky soundtrack, everything is perfect; just don’t expect the sounds to range beyond the DS’s potency.

Replay 5 (out of 5)
Since the day I purchased this game (last Tuesday), I habitually spend at least 4 hours a day on the game. 40 hours, without having attained everything, is very impressive for a racer; seeing that most RPGs take 20-30 hours to complete. I have also spent 5 extra hours playing online in the past 2 days (which roster will definitely exceed over the course of the months to come). Yes, there is replay value in this game that will possibly take your livelihood away. Mario Kart DS is the MOST addictive game I have ever played.

Overall:
Come on, it costs less than the other new games coming out for next-generation systems. It is probably the best purchase most of you can make on the DS for right now. Don’t torture yourselves any further from fear if Mario Kart DS is lackluster. I promise you it is far from it. Just fork over the 30 something bucks, pop the game in, and play. It doesn’t matter what genre of games you like, what type of gaming history you have, or what age you are, you’ll probably enjoy it with as much enthusiasm as I have over the game. Mario Kart DS takes an instant win at the finish line of racing games and is a Hollywood Ending of a game in it’s own merits. It’s another example of why Nintendo is the unstoppable company they have always been. Get this game.