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      Screens: Mario Kart DS

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Text Box:   Mario Kart DS (DS)   Mario Kart has been a series that has been praised for its competitive racing kart gameplay dating back to the SNES days not just for the bragging rights of Nintendo's popular mascots, but for the strategic uses of its items that change the pace of the game, that makes it's full 3D appearance for the Nintendo DS.   Nintendo opted for the 'console game shrunk to the DS' in this portable game that almost feels like a console game, as it shows what the DS can do with great polygons that not only looks great, but are on par with a average Nintendo 64 game. The dual screens are used with the bottom screen showing the map of the track along with the opponents moving 2D in real-time with item notifications and also the time of the race, and the top screen is 3D with the camera tilted back looking towards the incoming terrain of the track along with the lap score in the top right hand corner with the item box in the top left and the players status that they are coming in the race in the bottom left. Even though the bottom screen is in fact entirely touch based it's not used as gimmicky as much games you now see on the market. All that the screen does when touched is change the perspective of the map from the terrain to the full view of the track. As always Nintendo cares about family fun, whether or not you like the modes such as Balloon Battle mode that pits players against each other to destroy each others' balloons or Shinerunners. Shinerunners are like coins, which players collect and compete with other players to collect and build to have the most, with the least unfortunate being kicked in a game finder-vs-keepers. You'll have a blast as anyone who owns a DS can join thanks to the Single DS card feature in Mario Kart DS that lets the owner of the game send demo's to other DS' that are downloaded and played with up to 3 other players up until the player shuts down their DS. Also, owners of the same game can also compete but are not limited to a couple of tracks and one character found in the Single card option. The multiplayer can be played globally against anyone with up to 4 players altogether using Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection with almost no lag at all but still using the friend codes feature to add opponents/friends to your list to battle against. Overall Nintendo has done a tremendous job at perfecting every little bit of the Mario Kart franchise without sacrificing anything found in the previous games and adding more with the option to go online and battle anyone, anywhere or anytime. Whether you like racing or not, the controls are easy to pick up, the story mode feels more like an action game than a kart racing game, and a fantastic game engine that looks stunning, all in all making for a fantastic DS game.   By Game Boy116      

 
Text Box:   Graphics: A+ Great graphics that are absolutely stunning. Still one of the games I say "Wow!" to every now and then.   Sound: A+ You can really appreciate all the sounds in there, like the humming of the motor and the recognisable catch phrases Nintendo's mascots do, plus the tunes on various stages. eg. The Mushroom Kingdom   Gameplay: A+ Uses the DS well, not gimmicky which would make it unplayable, like using the touch screen to steer. Doesn't try to reinvent, simple gameplay. That's all it does.  Overall: A+ If there's any game you could play now and again, it's this one. Single cart, multiple cart, and online multiplayer, and it's single player finally has "bots" for practicing Battle Mode. Greatest. Mario Kart. Ever.  
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