Mario Kart DS
| Mario Kart DS | |
|---|---|
| File:MKDSbox.jpg | |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release | November 14, 2005 (NA) November 25, 2005 (EU) December 8, 2005 (JP) |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer, online multiplayer |
Mario Kart DS is a video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS portable gaming system. It is set for release on November 14, 2005 (NA), November 25, 2005 (EU), and December 8, 2005 (JP). Mario Kart DS is one of Nintendo's most aniticipated games, as it will be the first to use Nintendo's free online service, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Mario Kart DS is the next installment in the hit series Mario Kart in which Mario and his buddies and enemies race in go-karts while fighting for the top position through the use of weapons (such as Koopa Troopa shells) from the Mario Bros. series. The player's character races on tracks themed to places in the Mario universe. In this particular Mario Kart, Nintendo has taken a handful of tracks from every past Mario Kart game, in addition to the usual new ones. There are, in total, 32 tracks in the game, 16 of which return from previous games in the series. While playing, the top screen of the DS shows a live picture of the race along with what item the player is holding at the time. The bottom screen shows the standings, what item each racer has, and a map of the entire course or a close-up of the area around the player.
Gameplay
- Unlike its immediate predecessor, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS's gameplay only involves one character handling both the driving and weapon-throwing in each kart. This, along with its more simplistic 3D graphics, makes it very similar to Mario Kart 64 on the Nintendo 64, although certain features of Double Dash,such as the 10-8-6-4-3-2-1-0 points system of Double Dash!! (as opposed to the 9-6-3-1-0-0-0-0 points system of previous Mario Kart games), the mini-turbo feature, and the way the starting grid is organized will be kept.
- The game is said to be using the Nintendo DS' capabilities to a great effect, with effects such as the ink-squirting Glooper Blooper from Super Mario Sunshine having the ability to squirt ink and hamper the player by blocking the top screen from view. The player will then be forced to use the bottom screen map to guide their way safely.
- At GDC 2005, Nintendo implied that Mario Kart DS may be a candidate for its new, free online service. It was then confirmed at E3 2005 that the game will be one of the first games (including Animal Crossing DS) to use the DS's free online service, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
- The game is supposed to run at 62,000 frames per second with single players and 8-players over a LAN, and will likely be able to stay in the same framerate range in online mode.
Characters
Mario Kart games give the player a choice to control any of many characters from the Mario universe. In Mario Kart DS, eight characters are initially available, while others are unlocked by completing certain gameplay objectives. Mario Kart DS is the second game in the series to include unlockable characters.
Initially available characters
Unlockable characters
Shy Guy is playable as the replacment character in multiplayer. (1 game pak)
Karts/driving
- Each character starts off with two karts he/she can choose from, one regular kart, one special kart. At the first unlock point, a third kart will become avaialable for each character. At the second unlock point, seven karts will be available. At the final unlock point, any character can select any kart.
- The touch screen can be used to make custom decals for your favorite kart in Mario Kart DS.
- Karts can now jump or hop as they could in early Mario Kart games.
- The steering is going to be similar to that of Mario Kart 64, despite the lack of an analog stick.
- Different karts will perform differently on different tracks.
- Kart stats will now vary even more. As well as having different acceleration, speed, handling etc, certain karts will have a higher chance of getting certain items, and karts with weaker stats will have a better chance of getting more powerful items. (Star, lightning bolt, triple shells etc.)
- You will be able to slipstream in Mario Kart DS.
Items
The following are found in item boxes scattered around the course.
- Mushroom - gives you a speed boost.
- Triple Mushroom - gives you three speed boosts.
- Golden Mushroom - gives you infinite speed boosts for a short amount of time.
- Green Shell - throw at an opponent to send them spinning.
- Triple Green Shell - three green shells.
- Red Shell - locks on to an opponent and sends them spinning.
- Triple Red Shell - three red shells.
- Blue Shell - locks on to first place and blows him/her up.
- Banana - makes an opponent go spinning if they run into it.
- Triple Bananas - three bannanas.
- Starman - makes you invincible for a short amount of time.
- Lightning Bolt - makes opponents smaller and easier to send spinning off course.
- Bob-omb - explodes on contact.
- Blooper - blocks the top screen so you are forced to use the bottom screen for directions.
- Bullet Bill - turns whoever uses it into a bullet and explodes anyone in their path.
- Ghost - steals an opponent's item and makes the user invisible for a few seconds. (Battle Mode only.)
Obstacles
- Fake Item Box - It floats like an item box, they're scattered around the course like item boxes, but they shock whoever runs into them.
- Monty Mole - Monty Moles pop out of the ground and throw rocks at you.
- Cheep Cheep - Cheep Cheeps merely swim back and forth.
- Goomba - Goombas walk back and forth like the Cheep Cheeps.
- Chain Chomp - Chain Chomps try to spin you off course by ramming you.
- Pirahna Plant - Pirahna Plants attempt tospin you off course by biting you.
- Fire Bubble - Fire Bubbles go up and down attempting to burn you.
- Thwomp - Thwomps go up and down trying to smash you.
- Whomp - Whomps go back and forth trying to smash you.
- Fruit - Various fruits that spin you off course. Only found in Delfino Square.
Modes
- In battle mode, balloon battle now has up to five balloons instead of the usual three. The player starts out with one balloon and then has to inflate his other balloons when stalled by either tapping the select button or blowing into the DS's microphone feature. This makes balloon battles much more interesting.
- In Balloon Battle, players can now play against the computer, and choose how many balloons they have, and how many the computer player has.
- There is a new battle mode in which players have to collect the most shines. They lose shines if they get hit.
- There is a new mode called "Mission Mode", where players are given a specific kart and have to perform a cetain task, like driving through tires or taking out crabs. Successful completion in a set time unlocks new karts.
- The game will feature 8-player single card LAN play, and 4-player online play. In single-card play, while the player with the card can chose their character, downloading players will be forced to play as Shy-Guy.
- There will be a single-player battle mode.
- There is a mirror mode unlockable in Mario Kart DS (confirmed here)
- Team races are available(in single player, multiplayer, and maybe WiFi)
Tracks
There are 2 Grand Prix in Mario Kart DS, each consisting of 4 cups, and each cup consisting of 4 racetracks. Nitro GP contains 16 brand new tracks while Retro GP contains 16 old-school tracks converted from previous entries in the Mario Kart series.
Nitro Grand Prix
Mushroom Cup
- Figure-8 Circuit
- Yoshi Falls
- Cheep Cheep Beach
- Luigi's Mansion
Flower Cup
- Desert Hills
- Delfino Square
- Waluigi Pinball
- Shroom Ridge
Star Cup
- DK Pass
- Tick-Tock Clock
- Mario Circuit
- Airship Fortess
Special Cup
- Wario Staduim
- Peach Gardens
- Bowser Castle
- Rainbow Road
Retro Grand Prix
Shell Cup
Banana Cup
- SNES - Donut Plains 1
- N64 - Frappe Snowland
- GBA - Bowser Castle 2
- GCN - Baby Park
Leaf Cup
- SNES - Koopa Beach 2
- N64 - Choco Mountain
- GBA - Luigi Circuit
- GCN - Mushroom Bridge
Lightning Cup
- SNES - Choco Island 2
- N64 - Banshee Boardwalk
- GBA - Sky Garden
- GCN - Yoshi Circuit
