Play Mario Kart DS Online
Release year: 2005 | Players: Multiplayer | Developed by Nintendo EAD
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Game review
Before 2005, the Mario Kart series had already established itself as a mainstay of Nintendo’s consoles and handhelds as an action-packed cart-racing game that the whole family could get behind. After Mario Kart DS, the series would go nuclear. True, the older games had always been wildly successful, but after Mario Kart DS, the series and the handheld that it was on would become some of the most important pillars in Nintendo’s history.
And it’s easy to see why. Despite being on a portable system, Mario Kart DS pushed the series forward in meaningful ways, introducing essential principles to the series that would soon become staples of the MK brand. Mario Kart DS –as Mario DS games– felt modern and refined and ready to take a whole new generation of gamers along for the ride. Let’s take a look at its enduring qualities.
At its core, Mario Kart DS plays just like any other Mario Kart game. You choose from a selection of racers, each a recognisable character from the Mario series, and you race around tracks inspired by famous levels and locations that, you guessed it, come from the Mario series. To come first at the finish line, you will need to combine tight cart-racing skills, a knowledge of the different tracks, and a whole lot of luck in getting the right items to help pave your way to victory. The game is easy for anyone to pick up, but experience, racing-smarts, and a deep understanding of the characters, items, and tracks will give you a competitive advantage.
But what really sets Mario Kart DS apart is what it introduces to the series. Alongside the 16 new tracks – which includes such classics as Waluigi Pinball and Delfino Square – you also have 16 retro tracks taken from past games and remastered for the Nintendo DS. This inclusion essentially doubles the amount of racing content in the game while allowing these older courses to enjoy a second life. These days, it’s almost impossible to imagine a Mario Kart online game without retro tracks, but it’s equally important to remember that this trend got its start here on the DS.
Outside of the actual courses, Mario Kart DS also offers plenty in the sheer amount of modes that players have access to. Outside of the typical race and battle modes, there is also a mission mode – completely unique to Mario Kart DS. These missions are bitesize tasks that ask players to complete challenges such as collecting coins or defeating enemies within a certain time frame. They offer single-player gamers additional incentive to turn on the game and dive into some fun, albeit simplistic, missions.
Naturally though, the true allure of a Mario Kart game is its multiplayer, and thankfully Mario Kart DS does not disappoint in this regard. In fact, Mario Kart DS was the first in the series to offer online multiplayer, making it easier than ever to connect and play with friends in far off locations. At the time, it was a revolutionary feature that made the world feel smaller and the pool of other players to race against that much larger.
Mario Kart DS can be seen as a significant turning point within this series. It simultaneously pays respect to the games that came before it while also carving out its own identity in a bold way. The controls are as tight as they’ve ever been, the presentation is as cheerful as ever, and the amount of value that the developers have packed within this small Nintendo DS cartridge is nothing short of astonishing. Truly one of the all-time greats of the cart-racing genre.
