Mario Kart DS Review

Mario Kart DS is often one of the most talked about games on the DS, but why is this. I’m going to try and explain why a lot of people rate it so highly, and some points that should also be noted

As the title suggests this is a racing game at heart. The first time you play you are faced with a lot of different modes to choose from, Grand Prix, Versus, Missions and Time Trial to name some. Most new players should start of with Grand Prix, as it gets you into the game straight away and has a learning curve to improve your skills.

You now have the option of choosing 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. This is the games difficulty setting, with 150cc making the CPU Karts better and 50cc making the CPU Karts, to put it straight, quite bad. But these don’t just change the difficulty. The also change how fast all the Karts travel, with 150cc mode being when you travel quite fast, and 50cc quite slow.

You can now move onto a fun part of the game, choosing your character and Kart. There are 9 Characters to choose from at the beginning, but as you progress in the Grand Prix mode more characters are unlocked. At this stage in the game the character you choose also affects the Karts you can choose. Once a character is picked you can choose your Kart, each one having its individual attributes. Again more Karts can be unlocked as you progress through the Grand Prix Mode.

So once you have chosen all these, you can select a cup, which determines the 4 tracks you will play on.
The different options and selections you can make mean the customisation of the game is very accessible and impressive.

But what’s the game play actually like.
Very good I have to say. The game is smooth and slick, with the cornering and handling aspects of the game spot on. The array of different weapons that you can use to gain an upper hand on the opposition is great, and it hasn’t lagged all the time I have played on it.
The tracks that you can play on are varied and exciting, especially the ones new to this game.
One thing to note is that as with many other DS games, the graphics aren’t terrific. If you’re new to the DS you may find them quite blocky but if you are familiar with the DS, then compared to other DS games, it has quite good graphics really.

One of the best things of Mario Kart is the multiplayer features. You can not only play against your friends but also against people all over the world via Wi-Fi. I myself and 4-6 other people often play Mario Kart on the bus, and a great amount of fun is to be had playing against your friends to be the best player.
Wi-Fi is also great, with an easy to use system to find other people to play. This creates endlees fun for this game, making it a great value for money.

Verdict

If you are a DS owner, buy it! A must have game for all people passionate about Nintendo and the DS.
If you are looking for a realistic driving game then Mario Kart may not be your answer, but if you’re looking to have fun, then it sure is.

I'd Give This

9 / 10

Classic Game and a must have.

You can pick up Mario Kart here:

Mario Kart DS

- All About the Blog and Me -

I would consider myself an avid gamer. Not hardcore, yet not not casual.
I am very much interested in technology, and a lot of the blog will often be about up and coming gadgets or devices that have caught my eye. I would go so far to say that it is a passion of mine. A hobby if you like.
I myself own a PC (obviously :D) a PS3, a Wii, a PSP, a DS, and a iPod Touch.

The iPod touch is an interesting one. With the introduction of Applications, the iPod Touch, or iPhone, can almost be a handled console for you. Its touch screen controls make the games new and interesting, and many of the graphics are not half bad.

The obvious reason for me to get the PS3 was Call of Duty 4. Arguably one of the best FPS’ ever, it has provided enjoyment for millions of people, me being one of them.

The new Call Of Duty, World at War, I believe, although not as good as Call of Duty 4, has its own merits. Oddly, the best part of Call of Duty: World at War is the mode you unlock after you complete the single player game, Nazi Zombies.

!Interesting Fact! The German Version of Call of Duty: World at War doesn’t have this mode, for obvious reasons!

Nazi Zombies consists of being in a ruined house, with wave after wave of zombies trying to get in and kill you. Each wave more zombies come, and they are harder to kill. Points are earned by killing the zombies and putting up the barricades, which can be spent on weapons and accessing other rooms.
Now both I and a fellow gamer both believe a game should be made of this, it is that good. The possibility of different maps makes the prospect of a “Nazi Zombies” game, very exciting.


So I hope I’ve put some information about myself here, and a little taster of what I hope to report upon on this blog. Hopefully you can use this blog to check some of the games and technology coming out, and I hope to review some of the best games, and gadgets that I myself have bought and enjoyed.

- Jonathan (Jono) Evans