Mario Kart DS Review
Starting on a side note, some (ok, no one, since that's how many who are reading this) may have noticed a lack of posts here. That isn't because I'm having some crisis or another. It's just because no news story is really catching my eye lately. CES seemed to be a bust, and the Alito hearings have only started and are very predictable thus far. I'll try to put up more posts for anyone who is reading this (ie: no one), but I can't make any garentees. Now onto the main show.
When it comes to the "kart" racing genre, no one has come close to the original series of kart racers. Mario Kart just continues to make the only must have racers involving franchise characters and items in a racing environment. Mario Kart not only continues this tradition, but it also is the must have DS game.
Graphics: Visually, the graphics are about on par to mid-N64. The art design seems to be similar to Mario Kart Double Dash. But what makes the graphics stand out is the animation. With the exception of a few hickups in online play (slow connection), the framerate is always around 60 frames a second.
The Retro courses are all well done. All of them are mostly intact, although some changes were made to the GCN courses. The SNES and GBA courses all have been upgraded to mostly 3D graphics, all the while retaining their original feel. Even the GCN courses, while downgraded a bit, still retain much of their look from the original.
The new Nitro courses all look great and is a much better representation of what the DS can do. A few courses were designed after some Mario Bros. 3 levels, helping out the game's presentation.
Sound: The sound quality is another thing that suprised me. The sound not only was as good as the original Rogue Squadron game, but had a great surround sound for effect. While Double Dash may have better sound quality, the sound effects, and music, is much better in this game.
Control: Not much to say about this, because it is as you suspect. The touch screen isn't used except for the menu screens, and the button layout is exactly what one expects and will use. The only difference, and much useful one, is that B is not brake, but is actually reverse.
Gameplay: One wouldn't expect a map to be that much more useful for the second screen, but it adds alot. Fake boxes are now only noticable on the bottom screen. With it, one can avoid random shells and attack to the rear more easily.
The item placement is also much better then Double Dash. For one thing, second place has a chance (not that they do get red shells). A few new items come along, including the chomp-like (but less suicidal) Bullet Bill and the blinding squids, which forces more use of the second screen for navigation.
What makes this game really stand out is the courses. When I first got this game, I thought that I would virtually only play the Retro course. It turns out that the new courses were just as well made, some even becoming favorites, like Waluigi Pinball and Airship Fortress.
Single player wasn't an afterthought. The Vs. and Battle modes are now playable alone. Time Trials have automatic ghost saves. And there's a new mission mode, although that has limited play.
LAN Multiplayer (which I haven't played yet) has all the classics, but can now be played with upto eight people. Unfortunatly, there is only two battle modes, Shine Thief and Balloon Battle. Both are good (especially Balloon Battle, where you have to inflate balloons by blowing in the mic), but I do wish there was more. Where's Bom-bomb battle?
Online play is good, although limited. I did have some connection problems with Worldwide mode, but otherwise it was stable. If anything, all of my favorite Nitro courses were not selectable here. Also, it's impossible to have a friend pop up unless you have plenty of them or coordinate with them. While the service is simple and quick, it does limit alot of options that we're all used to on other online games.
Overall: This is the best of the Mario Kart series. It also is the must have DS game to get, and the reason to get a DS. While there are still a few flaws in it, it will still be an incredably good game to own.
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Control: 9.5/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Overall: 9/10
Buyability: 5/5: Get it now.
When it comes to the "kart" racing genre, no one has come close to the original series of kart racers. Mario Kart just continues to make the only must have racers involving franchise characters and items in a racing environment. Mario Kart not only continues this tradition, but it also is the must have DS game.
Graphics: Visually, the graphics are about on par to mid-N64. The art design seems to be similar to Mario Kart Double Dash. But what makes the graphics stand out is the animation. With the exception of a few hickups in online play (slow connection), the framerate is always around 60 frames a second.
The Retro courses are all well done. All of them are mostly intact, although some changes were made to the GCN courses. The SNES and GBA courses all have been upgraded to mostly 3D graphics, all the while retaining their original feel. Even the GCN courses, while downgraded a bit, still retain much of their look from the original.
The new Nitro courses all look great and is a much better representation of what the DS can do. A few courses were designed after some Mario Bros. 3 levels, helping out the game's presentation.
Sound: The sound quality is another thing that suprised me. The sound not only was as good as the original Rogue Squadron game, but had a great surround sound for effect. While Double Dash may have better sound quality, the sound effects, and music, is much better in this game.
Control: Not much to say about this, because it is as you suspect. The touch screen isn't used except for the menu screens, and the button layout is exactly what one expects and will use. The only difference, and much useful one, is that B is not brake, but is actually reverse.
Gameplay: One wouldn't expect a map to be that much more useful for the second screen, but it adds alot. Fake boxes are now only noticable on the bottom screen. With it, one can avoid random shells and attack to the rear more easily.
The item placement is also much better then Double Dash. For one thing, second place has a chance (not that they do get red shells). A few new items come along, including the chomp-like (but less suicidal) Bullet Bill and the blinding squids, which forces more use of the second screen for navigation.
What makes this game really stand out is the courses. When I first got this game, I thought that I would virtually only play the Retro course. It turns out that the new courses were just as well made, some even becoming favorites, like Waluigi Pinball and Airship Fortress.
Single player wasn't an afterthought. The Vs. and Battle modes are now playable alone. Time Trials have automatic ghost saves. And there's a new mission mode, although that has limited play.
LAN Multiplayer (which I haven't played yet) has all the classics, but can now be played with upto eight people. Unfortunatly, there is only two battle modes, Shine Thief and Balloon Battle. Both are good (especially Balloon Battle, where you have to inflate balloons by blowing in the mic), but I do wish there was more. Where's Bom-bomb battle?
Online play is good, although limited. I did have some connection problems with Worldwide mode, but otherwise it was stable. If anything, all of my favorite Nitro courses were not selectable here. Also, it's impossible to have a friend pop up unless you have plenty of them or coordinate with them. While the service is simple and quick, it does limit alot of options that we're all used to on other online games.
Overall: This is the best of the Mario Kart series. It also is the must have DS game to get, and the reason to get a DS. While there are still a few flaws in it, it will still be an incredably good game to own.
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Control: 9.5/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Overall: 9/10
Buyability: 5/5: Get it now.
posted by SeanM at 3:24 PM
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