Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

So Nintendo decided to send a free copy of the game to a number of Gamestop managers. Ours came in today, I promptly bought it off of my boss for $15 (4 or 5 days early, depending on shipping).

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

Game freaking rules, I'm overwhelmed. Tons of tracks, multiplayer is great (bot play in balloon vs!), download and play is alright but the downloader can only play Shy Guy. Several of the single player levels (not retro courses) remind me of older Mario games; namely there's one where the sun floats around and spits fire at you and in the back ground you can see the desert theme (Mario Bros. 3). Haven't had a chance to try out the WiFi (yes, the servers ARE up), I've ordered my router based on Nintendo's compatible list and am anxiously awaiting it. I might hit a hot-spot tomorrow and see if there's anybody worth playing.

Gonna go back and play it some more.

So good... So far it's shaping up to be my favorite Mario Kart.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

I HATE YOU







:( !

I don't think I can wait until monday!

...Well since we have someone on the inside, what does it feel like the most? Super, 64, Super Circuit, or Double Dash?

Also, is the touch screen any good?

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

Wow, it's really hard to say. I'd say the levels, in design, feel mostly like Double Dash (retro courses aside, of course). Racing feels... Kind of like a good blend between 64 and DD. It's really interesting to play it because you'll be in a course and be like "man this is like MK64," and then you'll go around a turn and you're all the sudden going into SNES mode (there are even some Super Circuit elements in there). There are various single player level designs that are nostalgic reminders of Super Mario 1-3 which is an awesome element as well.

The power-slide boosts are a little tricky to master at first, but only require 2 back-forth motions to actually get them working so once you've got them down they're actually more functional than in the other games. I still haven't gotten the pre-race boost down yet. Not sure what I'm doing wrong but I just can't get a feel for it. Though I have done it just by happenstance once or twice, so it's definitely implemented.

On top of that the item system is much more definite. The computer legitimately keeps track of which CPU has which items and when they use them (a complaint I had with past versions of the game); you can actually see what everybody is holding by looking at the bottom screen and next to the players icon their current item is shown. This makes ghosting semi-reliable although they've changed Ghost so that it only grabs an item around 50% of the time that there's one available - so there's a sort of compensation.

There's also an interesting Mission Mode I'm getting into which is like little 30 second to a minute long courses with a specific goal outlined. Collect 20 coins in this one, crash into 5 blocks in this one. But they get a lot harder the further you get in, and you're graded on them from: C, B, A, Star, Double Star (apparently they didn't wanna give out D's and F's).

The touch screen doesn't do anything except switch between a full-sized over-head map (including flying shells, item blocks, etc), to a smaller one with everybodys placement listed on the left side. This disappointed me a bit, I was hoping for a rear-view mirror effect but ah well.

Really awesome, really fun.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

That sounds fantastic. :)

I hope the mission mode isn't too much like 1080. It was fun sometimes but it started to suck pretty quickly.

I like the sounds of the item inventories.

Maybe the boosting is like double dash as opposed to 64 and Super/Super Circuit? I like the latter boosting more.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

The mission mode is really fun in short 15-20 minute sessions but anything longer than that and you'll be ready to gouge your eyes out. Every 8 levels there's a boss battle to make it a bit more enjoyable. First one was King Goomba, second was Eyerok (from Mario 64 - the two giant rock hands with eyes on the palms that you face in the pyramid). I'm on the 3'rd "World" I suppose you'd call it in Mario lingo. Getting a lot harder because of the placements of items make it much more difficult to achieve the same goal.

The boosting system isn't the same as either of them but handling feels similar to Double Dash simply because you've got a polygonal kart unlike the N64, SNES, and GBA versions which all used a set of sprites - the N64 looked kind of 3D because it was prerendered before being put into sprite form but it still handled like a sprite.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

I agree with Dyne in saying I hate you.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

Haha, I can't say I really blame you. But in the end I think you'll appreciate the fact that I bothered to take a break and let you know what it's like.

:sneaky:

Or not. :D

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

Haha, maybe.

It's too bad you can't get online. Go to McDonalds!

And why are you never on AIM these days?

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

Aw yeah. Mario Kart theme time.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

You've already put Mario Kart in your now playing? haha

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

Yeah I'll have to go to McDonalds.

As for AIM... I don't know why but I attract girls that like to stalk. Like seriously; everytime I switch AIM nicks a new crowd of them (and a few of the old) suddenly start messaging me. Perhaps I'll try again though, I usually do every few months; I'm probably due for a new screen name.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

I've been playing Super Circuit as much as I can on my DS, and Double Dash and Super.

I don't own 64. I should rectify that this weekend.

When I get DS I'll put DS. ;)

EDIT: Also, I'll make Mario Kart sigs for anyone who wants them!

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

Dyne - hook me up with a Toad siggy.

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

Re: Snagged an early copy of Mario Kart DS
 

****chyea