Nintendo DS - Mario Kart Review

Being a clerk at a game store sounds like fun but I always get requests for those Mario Kart games. These fun 3D racers starring several popular Nintendo characters are so easy to get into and so good for multi-player battles that it's hard to keep these in shock. Yeah, it's good for the gamer but annoying for me. There has never been a bad Mario Kart game so maybe this is the chance it's finally going to screw up, eh? Sorry if you were looking for a negative review this time around because I'm afraid this game is freaking sweet too.

Like Mario Kart's of the past there are different drivers here that have different weights and controls so ones like Bowser have slow acceleration but excellent top speed while my sugar muffin Princess Peach has great control but isn't too fast overall. The big difference now is you can unlock newer vehicles to help improve your stats in other areas like items, drift, and much more.

It isn't Mario Kart without the weapons. You can still use special weapons like turtle shells, banana peels, and the brand new ink shots against your rival drivers to help gain an edge. It's mean but its fun. Moving the series to the DS here means you have two screens to deal with now and it helps. You can always see the game's map from a cool overhead perspective on the bottom screen and this is great for spotting enemies and short cuts on the stage. Another big improvement to the series is the fact there is an online feature with this game here if you have a Wi-Fi hot spot in the area.

The game's graphics are step below the GameCube version but they are still full 3D and there isn't any slowdown either. The music is a bit scratchy but it's as bouncy as ever and the characters have voices too.

Mario Kart DS is just fully loaded with goodies here. There are lots of levels both new and old, there are plenty of modes if you are an angry loner like me, and the game is fun especially for the huge multi-player bouts. The only knock against it is the series is starting to age a bit so the whole experience didn't feel too revolutionary here either. Fortunately, there is still enough new like the two screens and Wi-Fi play to justify the price tag. Maybe the next Mario Kart will suck?

*Battery back up game

MARIO KART DS overall rating: 86/100

For 1 to 16 players
Rated (E) for Everyone
graphics: 8/10
sound: 8/10
gameplay: 8/10
replay: 9/10

-StarSoldier1 2007
(Ryan Genno)