Post by Brian-RN on Dec 24, 2005 0:56:27 GMT -5
Mario Kart DS
Racing has always been a controversial series. Either one loves it or hates it. This is generally due to its complicated tweaks and confusing terms, most people are turned away. This cannot be said of the Mario Kart series. Since 1992, Mario Kart has provided a racing series that has both an offensive and defensive strategy. Now with the release of the DS, almost a year later, Nintendo has release Mario Kart DS, the fourth in the series.
First off, MKDS is probably the best Mario Kart in the series. Not only is it the first to feature online play, but it tunes up and refines some of the faults of the other series. It takes what was great about the series and adds tons of replay value and makes it portable, giving it an extra points purely for anytime, anywhere Mario Kart-age.
The main aspect of MKDS is the Grand Prix mode. In Grand Prix, players race through eight cups, four new, four retro trying to unlock the next cup, characters and karts. Each level is entirely different, each with their own Nintendo theme. Although as in previous games, each cup’s courses have roughly the same difficulty. There are 32 courses overall, and four cc’s. Three of which players start out with (50, 100 & 150cc) and one players will have to unlock (Mirror).
A large part of MKDS is unlocking stuff. The game starts out with eight playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong, Wario and Bowser. After everything is unlocked, there are a total of 12 characters. Each character focus’s on a certain skill. For example, Bowser has a high top speed, but horrible handing. Characters like Toad have great acceleration and handling, but a low top speed. There’s also a mix of the two with characters like Mario and Luigi. Players are sure to find a character to fir their style.
A great part about the Mario Kart series is that it doesn’t require a ton of skill. Players can come in the first time and beat a seasoned veteran. It’s one of those ‘pick-up-and-play’ series. The same can be said of MKDS. The controls are very simple and the items really make it more of a frantic race for first rather than one of taking the tightest turns and selecting the best car. So not only to players have to watch out for the course, but items as well.
There are a total of 15 items in MKDS. The items aren’t distributed randomly, but rather more often to certain positions. For example, the first place driver will generally get bananas and green shells, while the last place driver will get items to move him to first such as stars, red shells and Bullet Bills. There are a couple of new additions to the items this time around. Bullet Bills, which turn the player into a Bullet Bill and fly them up the course and Bloopers which squirt ink onto players in front of the player who used it. These new items don’t feel tacked on at all, and are incredibly useful.
Another of the new additions to the Mario Kart series is the Wi-Fi. Before, players had to all be playing on the same game (or in Double Dash they could be playing via LAN), but in MKDS, players can play each other via DS to DS, or for the first time on a Nintendo System, Nintendo Wi-Fi Central. First off, DS to DS; One of the amazing thing about MKDS is that with one game pack, up to eight people can play. But those eight people can only be Shy Guy (only available for those players who don’t own MKDS). The whole idea is still very “giving” in a sense, and yet amazing in others. This really pushes Mario Karts multiplayer to the top, giving almost anyone with a DS a chance to play Mario Kart.
The ‘big’ thing about MKDS is the online play via Nintendo WFC. Online play via MKDS is very simple and much like any other race. Instead of finding a game and selecting it like most games, MKDS gives players four choices; Friends, where players can swap friend codes with other players and play just against friends. Rivals, players with relatively similar skill. Regional, players within the same country and Worldwide which explains itself. Each match usually takes about two minutes or less depending on whether or not there are other players looking for a race. After the race has started the game plays much like it would offline. Although laggers seem to have somewhat of an advantage, everything is very smooth for Nintendo’s first step into the online world.
One of the improvements that MKDS has made to the Kart series is the handling. If one has played Double Dash and then goes to play MKDS, they’ll notice that the handling is significantly tighter. This of course, leads to the only complaint that one could have about MKDS; pain. Eventually the A button really starts to dig into the players right thumb. This is overcome over time, but at initial purchase it’s very noticeable. But besides the pain, MKDS’s turning is very tight. The power slides are back and much easier to pull off. Although the DS lacks a joystick, everything handles very well.
Pretty much MKDS took the Kart series and made it better. The items are inherently smarter, as red shells will sometimes go around an item being trailed by another player and strike them from the front, and they can no longer be avoided (although that can be a bad thing at times). The AI is still it’s usual self, each race showing new leaders and having different strategies.
This is the first Mario Kart to let players play against the computer in Battle mode. Players can play against seven other CPU players. The biggest addition to Battle mode is the use of the microphone. Although it’s not used in Shine Runners, in Balloon Battle players must blow into the microphone to blow up their balloons. The catch is that players must not be holding down the A button, making them sitting ducks until they blow their balloon up. Battle matches can get pretty hectic, especially in a small enclosed arena like Pipe Plaza.
The other mode available in Battle mode is Shine Runners. Players race to collect as many Shines (from Super Mario Sunshine) as they can. Each round eliminates players, leaving only two at the end who must either keep all of their Shines or knock the Shines out of the other player. While Shine Runners isn’t quite as fun as Balloon Battle, it can entertain players for hours and adds replay value to the game.
Probably the biggest addition to the gameplay is the Mission mode. Mission mode gives exactly what it says; Missions. There are a total of six sets of missions (a seventh can be unlocked) and each mission comes packed with nine missions. Each mission focus’s on an aspect of the Mario Kart series. For example, one mission may have players having to defeat 30 Goombas before the time runs out. Another mission may have players racing to beat another character to the finish in a certain amount of time for a rating. Each mission is accompanied by a rating; C, B, A, one Star, two Stars and three Stars; three Stars being the highest and C being the lowest. These ratings show players how well they did, and each rating is based upon how much time is left or how much time they completed the mission in. The Mission mode as a whole is very entertaining and is a great way for players to fine-tune their skills. It’s no surprise that Mission mode works very well, as Mario has been doing this type of stuff for years.
Mission mode is just one of the things that MKDS offers during its single player mode. There are tons of things to do in this game, so many that most players will still be entertained after a long time. Between Grand Prix, Time Trials, Vs. Mode, Battle Mode and Mission Mode (played through each once) will give players at least 15 hours of gameplay. Of course, each mode can be played through numerous times and it’s hard not to. There’s truly an infinite amount of replay value in this game even without another game pack or Wi-Fi.
Of course with Multiplayer added, MKDS gets a ton more replay. The Wi-Fi itself can entertain players forever and even if one doesn’t have a wireless router, one can buy a USB connector for $35. Setting up Wi-Fi is very easy, and even if one can’t set up to the internet at all, all they need is a friend with a DS. One of the best aspects of this game is that players will still be playing it for years to come, and still not get bored with it.
Another great part of MKDS is its retro courses. Some of the greatest courses from not all the other Mario Karts. Such courses as Moo Moo Farm (N64) and Baby Park (GCN) are back for another round. The courses are exactly the same and give off that nostalgic feeling. The new courses as well are a ton of fun to play on, one course looking like a pinball machine while the other pits players out in the middle of the desert.
Since the DS has about the same graphical power as the N64, it’s not surprising that MKDS looks a lot like Mario Kart 64. While some of the character models can look a tiny bit blocky, overall they look very smooth. The courses also look very well done, each with their own level of detail depending on the style of level. The menu layout is very well done and very easy to navigate. The explosion effects are just round explosions and the rest of the particles are typical Nintendo style goofy/cartoon effects.
The sound is generally the same as the other Mario Kart games, making it one of the lower points of the game. The music of the game is also signature Nintendo and each track is accompanied by its own music. While the retro courses still use their old tracks, they sound the same and aren’t tuned up that much. The sound effects consist of item sounds, track noises and quotes from the characters. The sound really isn’t anything amazing, yet it’s still good and adds to the atmosphere of the game.
Overall, Mario Kart DS is the best in the series thus far. There’s enough in this game to keep anyone occupied for weeks, and with Wi-Fi accounted for, this game has the most value of the series hands down. Add the fact that this is a DS game and you’ve got one outstanding outcome. Nintendo’s first attempt at Wi-Fi is pretty good, although it had some flaws (although very small). With all of this accounted for, this one of the DS’s killer apps. If one owns a DS, they must pick up this game. Even if they don’t, just find a friend with a copy and they can race along side. This is easily the best DS game of 2005 and will probably continue to be a must-own game until the console dies.
Overall: 9.3/10
Racing has always been a controversial series. Either one loves it or hates it. This is generally due to its complicated tweaks and confusing terms, most people are turned away. This cannot be said of the Mario Kart series. Since 1992, Mario Kart has provided a racing series that has both an offensive and defensive strategy. Now with the release of the DS, almost a year later, Nintendo has release Mario Kart DS, the fourth in the series.
First off, MKDS is probably the best Mario Kart in the series. Not only is it the first to feature online play, but it tunes up and refines some of the faults of the other series. It takes what was great about the series and adds tons of replay value and makes it portable, giving it an extra points purely for anytime, anywhere Mario Kart-age.
The main aspect of MKDS is the Grand Prix mode. In Grand Prix, players race through eight cups, four new, four retro trying to unlock the next cup, characters and karts. Each level is entirely different, each with their own Nintendo theme. Although as in previous games, each cup’s courses have roughly the same difficulty. There are 32 courses overall, and four cc’s. Three of which players start out with (50, 100 & 150cc) and one players will have to unlock (Mirror).
A large part of MKDS is unlocking stuff. The game starts out with eight playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong, Wario and Bowser. After everything is unlocked, there are a total of 12 characters. Each character focus’s on a certain skill. For example, Bowser has a high top speed, but horrible handing. Characters like Toad have great acceleration and handling, but a low top speed. There’s also a mix of the two with characters like Mario and Luigi. Players are sure to find a character to fir their style.
A great part about the Mario Kart series is that it doesn’t require a ton of skill. Players can come in the first time and beat a seasoned veteran. It’s one of those ‘pick-up-and-play’ series. The same can be said of MKDS. The controls are very simple and the items really make it more of a frantic race for first rather than one of taking the tightest turns and selecting the best car. So not only to players have to watch out for the course, but items as well.
There are a total of 15 items in MKDS. The items aren’t distributed randomly, but rather more often to certain positions. For example, the first place driver will generally get bananas and green shells, while the last place driver will get items to move him to first such as stars, red shells and Bullet Bills. There are a couple of new additions to the items this time around. Bullet Bills, which turn the player into a Bullet Bill and fly them up the course and Bloopers which squirt ink onto players in front of the player who used it. These new items don’t feel tacked on at all, and are incredibly useful.
Another of the new additions to the Mario Kart series is the Wi-Fi. Before, players had to all be playing on the same game (or in Double Dash they could be playing via LAN), but in MKDS, players can play each other via DS to DS, or for the first time on a Nintendo System, Nintendo Wi-Fi Central. First off, DS to DS; One of the amazing thing about MKDS is that with one game pack, up to eight people can play. But those eight people can only be Shy Guy (only available for those players who don’t own MKDS). The whole idea is still very “giving” in a sense, and yet amazing in others. This really pushes Mario Karts multiplayer to the top, giving almost anyone with a DS a chance to play Mario Kart.
The ‘big’ thing about MKDS is the online play via Nintendo WFC. Online play via MKDS is very simple and much like any other race. Instead of finding a game and selecting it like most games, MKDS gives players four choices; Friends, where players can swap friend codes with other players and play just against friends. Rivals, players with relatively similar skill. Regional, players within the same country and Worldwide which explains itself. Each match usually takes about two minutes or less depending on whether or not there are other players looking for a race. After the race has started the game plays much like it would offline. Although laggers seem to have somewhat of an advantage, everything is very smooth for Nintendo’s first step into the online world.
One of the improvements that MKDS has made to the Kart series is the handling. If one has played Double Dash and then goes to play MKDS, they’ll notice that the handling is significantly tighter. This of course, leads to the only complaint that one could have about MKDS; pain. Eventually the A button really starts to dig into the players right thumb. This is overcome over time, but at initial purchase it’s very noticeable. But besides the pain, MKDS’s turning is very tight. The power slides are back and much easier to pull off. Although the DS lacks a joystick, everything handles very well.
Pretty much MKDS took the Kart series and made it better. The items are inherently smarter, as red shells will sometimes go around an item being trailed by another player and strike them from the front, and they can no longer be avoided (although that can be a bad thing at times). The AI is still it’s usual self, each race showing new leaders and having different strategies.
This is the first Mario Kart to let players play against the computer in Battle mode. Players can play against seven other CPU players. The biggest addition to Battle mode is the use of the microphone. Although it’s not used in Shine Runners, in Balloon Battle players must blow into the microphone to blow up their balloons. The catch is that players must not be holding down the A button, making them sitting ducks until they blow their balloon up. Battle matches can get pretty hectic, especially in a small enclosed arena like Pipe Plaza.
The other mode available in Battle mode is Shine Runners. Players race to collect as many Shines (from Super Mario Sunshine) as they can. Each round eliminates players, leaving only two at the end who must either keep all of their Shines or knock the Shines out of the other player. While Shine Runners isn’t quite as fun as Balloon Battle, it can entertain players for hours and adds replay value to the game.
Probably the biggest addition to the gameplay is the Mission mode. Mission mode gives exactly what it says; Missions. There are a total of six sets of missions (a seventh can be unlocked) and each mission comes packed with nine missions. Each mission focus’s on an aspect of the Mario Kart series. For example, one mission may have players having to defeat 30 Goombas before the time runs out. Another mission may have players racing to beat another character to the finish in a certain amount of time for a rating. Each mission is accompanied by a rating; C, B, A, one Star, two Stars and three Stars; three Stars being the highest and C being the lowest. These ratings show players how well they did, and each rating is based upon how much time is left or how much time they completed the mission in. The Mission mode as a whole is very entertaining and is a great way for players to fine-tune their skills. It’s no surprise that Mission mode works very well, as Mario has been doing this type of stuff for years.
Mission mode is just one of the things that MKDS offers during its single player mode. There are tons of things to do in this game, so many that most players will still be entertained after a long time. Between Grand Prix, Time Trials, Vs. Mode, Battle Mode and Mission Mode (played through each once) will give players at least 15 hours of gameplay. Of course, each mode can be played through numerous times and it’s hard not to. There’s truly an infinite amount of replay value in this game even without another game pack or Wi-Fi.
Of course with Multiplayer added, MKDS gets a ton more replay. The Wi-Fi itself can entertain players forever and even if one doesn’t have a wireless router, one can buy a USB connector for $35. Setting up Wi-Fi is very easy, and even if one can’t set up to the internet at all, all they need is a friend with a DS. One of the best aspects of this game is that players will still be playing it for years to come, and still not get bored with it.
Another great part of MKDS is its retro courses. Some of the greatest courses from not all the other Mario Karts. Such courses as Moo Moo Farm (N64) and Baby Park (GCN) are back for another round. The courses are exactly the same and give off that nostalgic feeling. The new courses as well are a ton of fun to play on, one course looking like a pinball machine while the other pits players out in the middle of the desert.
Since the DS has about the same graphical power as the N64, it’s not surprising that MKDS looks a lot like Mario Kart 64. While some of the character models can look a tiny bit blocky, overall they look very smooth. The courses also look very well done, each with their own level of detail depending on the style of level. The menu layout is very well done and very easy to navigate. The explosion effects are just round explosions and the rest of the particles are typical Nintendo style goofy/cartoon effects.
The sound is generally the same as the other Mario Kart games, making it one of the lower points of the game. The music of the game is also signature Nintendo and each track is accompanied by its own music. While the retro courses still use their old tracks, they sound the same and aren’t tuned up that much. The sound effects consist of item sounds, track noises and quotes from the characters. The sound really isn’t anything amazing, yet it’s still good and adds to the atmosphere of the game.
Overall, Mario Kart DS is the best in the series thus far. There’s enough in this game to keep anyone occupied for weeks, and with Wi-Fi accounted for, this game has the most value of the series hands down. Add the fact that this is a DS game and you’ve got one outstanding outcome. Nintendo’s first attempt at Wi-Fi is pretty good, although it had some flaws (although very small). With all of this accounted for, this one of the DS’s killer apps. If one owns a DS, they must pick up this game. Even if they don’t, just find a friend with a copy and they can race along side. This is easily the best DS game of 2005 and will probably continue to be a must-own game until the console dies.
Overall: 9.3/10