Mario Kart (NDS)

More Images

Mario Kart (NDS) > Reviews > Its-a me Mario! Back for Another Sequel.

7 offers from £20.04 to £24.99

Ranked 6 out of 10 in the Ciao Hitlist Best Nintendo DS Games

Overall user rating Mario Kart (NDS) 29 reviews | Write a review





Please wait ....
Rate this product:  
 
All Mario Kart (NDS) reviews Previous review | Next review
Its-a me Mario! Back for Another Sequel.
A review by painey on Mario Kart (NDS)
November 15th, 2005


Author's product rating:   Mario Kart (NDS) - rated by painey

Playability & Enjoyment Excellent - very playable game 
Addictiveness Not exactly addictive but certainly playable 
Graphics Weak - I am not impressed 
Difficulty & Complexity Average - suitable for most 
Value for money Satisfactory - it’s a reasonable game 

Advantages: Online WiFi Play, Its Fun .
Disadvantages: Nothing Much New, Online is Limited .

Recommend to potential buyers: yes 

Full review
A common theme with Mario games is If it aint changed, don't fix it. Mario Kart is back for its 5th.. yes 5TH version and the formula remains the same. Various characters from the Mario games, such as Mario himself, Luigi, Princess Peace, Toad and Bowser race around fantasy tracks on go-karts. Its not just any racing however, you must use pick ups to knock your opponents out of the race and collect coins to speed up your kart.

The game is fun, no doubt about it. The action can be frentic, and also frustrating as you spin out for the 10th time on the same corner, or Bowser shoots you with a shell and you spin out just short of the finishing line, but when you win a race you feel relieved, and can relax before the next stage.

The Dual Screen aspect adds a new feature which helps you out alot, the racing action takes place on the top screen while on the bottom screen is a map, with each of the other racers shown on it as well as full field line up.

Graphically it looks better than the GBA version, but nowhere near the quality of the N64 sprites, instead you have 3D characters with sharp edges, to be honest it is quite dissapointing.

As ever there are the 3 classes of engine for you to race on with different courses as you progress, and seeing you (hopefully) winning trophies.

The main feature of this game, and surely the one that will make it move units, is the online play. This is the first DS game with online play, and while it is way behind the PSP, it is still ok. Up to 4 players worldwide can race on any of 20 tracks. There are more than 30 tracks in the actual game, and single player races have 8 players, so it is a bit of a let down that you are so limited. You are also limited to just single races, no time trials, swapping data, and no conversation between people despite the DS having a mic. It feels kind of rushed. Add to the fact that if you dont have the equipment you will need to buy a wireless router, or a wireless adapter just to play, which could cost more than the game itself.

Overall the game is fun, but still a bit of a let down. Multiplayer is an anticlimax, the graphics are not as good as they could be, and if you have played previous versions of the game you really arent getting anything extra except a few new tracks. If you have no wireless internet access and played the previous versions of Mario Kart, there is really nothing to warrant £30 of your money on this. 
Write your own review




More details
Originality None - unoriginal gameplay 
Sound Good - relevant music & effects 
Longevity/Expected Longevity 1 week 

Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision?
Rating guidelines

   

Comments on this review
More options
More Mario Kart (NDS) reviews
All Mario Kart (NDS) reviews Previous review | Next review

Compare prices for Mario Kart (NDS)

5 out of 7 offers for Mario Kart (NDS) Display all offers   sorted by Price  
Display all 7 offers (£20.04 - £24.99)
Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS)
It's time to race...with no wires attached! The acclaimed Mario Kart series has gone ... more
wireless, letting you race and battle locally with
up to eight karts at once, regardless of whether
everyone has a Game Card. Plus, play with up to
three people around...
£ 20.04 Amazon Marketplace

Postage & PackagingCheck Site.
AvailabilityUsually dispatched within 2 working days...
Amazon Marketplace
NINTENDO Mario Kart (NINTENDO DS)
£ 20.99 Gamescentre.co.uk

Postage & Packaging0.00 GBP
AvailabilityIn Stock
Gamescentre.co.uk
Nintendo DS Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS)
£ 24.83 Thehut.com

Postage & PackagingFree UK delivery on all items
Availabilityrefer to website
Thehut.com
Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS)
It's time to race...with no wires attached! The acclaimed Mario Kart series has gone ... more
wireless, letting you race and battle locally with
up to eight karts at once, regardless of whether
everyone has a Game Card. Plus, play with up to
three people around...
£ 24.98 Amazon.co.uk

Postage & PackagingFree!
AvailabilityUsually dispatched within 24 hours...
Amazon.co.uk


Are you the manufacturer / provider of Mario Kart (NDS)? Click here