Previews

Mario takes to the track

Online gaming and kart kustomisation promised for Mario Kart DS

Mario takes to the track
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DS
| Mario Kart DS

In many ways Mario Kart is the typical Nintendo game. It really makes no sense why a fat Italian plumber would be racing karts around twisty tracks while picking up power-ups and zapping his opponents - including the likes of evil yellow-belly Wario, chest-beating gorilla Donkey Kong, Princess Peach, Toad, Luigi, Yoshi and the rest - as he goes. But hey, this is Nintendo’s amusement park, so it’s time to play, not think.

And actually while Mario Kart DS will be the typically smooth Mario Kart racing experience - powersliding around corners and saving your ammo to take out the race leader just before the finish line - it will also have some added DS brilliance.

Most important will be the Internet option which, assuming you’re in a wi-fi hotspot that can connect to Nintendo’s gaming service, will let you play with any other Mario Kart DS-owning player in the world. There will also be a four player head-to-head option to battle your mates in the living room or the bus. Another excellent touch is that you’ll be able to design your own car stickers using the DS touchscreen and then plaster them all over your kart.

Over 30 tracks are promised, 15 of which will be all new while the rest will be old favourites from previous versions of the game. And for the first time, you’ll be able to play as the same character, although each player will have to choose a different colour scheme just to avoid too much confusion.

Mario Kart DS is currently due for released in November.

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.