Mario Kart DS is a 2005 kart racing game created and sold by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld console. Like other games in the Mario Kart series, it includes characters from the Mario games and lets players race in karts on tracks inspired by locations from the Mario series. The game was released in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on December 8, 2005, in Japan. It was later made available again on the Wii U’s Virtual Console in North America and PAL regions in April 2015 and in Japan in May 2016. Mario Kart DS is the fifth main game in the Mario Kart series and the first in the series to allow players to compete online using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
The game was praised for its smooth gameplay, strong single-player content, and new multiplayer features, especially its online Wi-Fi mode. Reviewers noted that the game was easy to learn, had depth for skilled players, and brought back feelings of nostalgia for fans. However, some reviewers pointed out that the online mode had some issues and that the artificial intelligence (AI) used in the game sometimes made opponents feel unfairly easy to beat. The game won several awards, including Editors’ Choice Awards from GameSpot and IGN, G-Phoria’s Best Handheld Game award, and IGN’s Best Racing/Driving Game. It sold the most copies of any game in its first two months. As of March 2016, it was the third-best-selling Nintendo DS game, behind New Super Mario Bros. and Nintendogs, and the third-best-selling Mario Kart game, behind Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart Wii. Worldwide, it sold 23.6 million copies.
Gameplay
Mario Kart DS is a racing game where players control characters from the Mario franchise and race against seven other characters in a kart. Each track includes item boxes that players can drive through to receive a randomly chosen item. Some items help players attack other racers to slow them down, while others allow players to speed up their kart to pass other racers more easily.
The game includes a base group of eight playable characters from Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit, plus four unlockable characters: Daisy, Dry Bones, Waluigi, and R.O.B., for a total of 12. Each character has three unique karts to choose from, and each kart has different features like top speed, acceleration, and handling.
The game has five single-player modes: Grand Prix, Time Trial, Versus, Battle, and Mission. The Grand Prix and Versus modes require players to choose an engine class—50cc, 100cc, or 150cc. These classes determine the difficulty level, with higher classes making all karts faster. A mirror mode can be unlocked, where karts use 150cc engines and tracks are flipped horizontally. The game includes 32 tracks across eight cups. Half of the tracks are new (called Nitro Grand Prix), and the other half are from earlier Mario Kart games, such as Baby Park from Mario Kart: Double Dash (called Retro Grand Prix).
The game also includes a multiplayer mode where eight players can race using the DS Download Play feature for consoles without a cartridge or a multi-card wireless LAN connection. This version has fewer tracks available, and players without cartridges play as Shy Guy, a character not available in normal play.
Until May 20, 2014, Mario Kart DS supported online play through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, allowing up to four players to compete together.
Development and release
Nintendo announced on May 11, 2004, that it would release a Mario Kart game for the Nintendo DS. The company shared gameplay footage at the same time. The game was first shown to the public at the 2005 Game Developers Conference, where its wireless feature was also displayed. Mario Kart DS was created by Hideki Konno. The game runs at a steady 60 frames per second and uses full 3D characters and environments.
Mario Kart DS was the first Mario Kart game to support online play. Konno said that while both Mario Kart DS and the Halo series include online features, most Halo players are "hardcore gamers." He wanted "everyone" to use online play, believing the technology and timing were right for this. As the Mario Kart game for the Nintendo DS, the developers tested features that used the device's bottom touchscreen. They considered letting players place items anywhere on the track, not just behind their kart. However, this idea was not used because it was too confusing. The game already had many distractions, making it hard to control item placement during races.
In an interview, Konno explained that Mario Kart DS included tracks from earlier Mario Kart games. This helped players who had played the original Super Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System feel more familiar with the DS version.
Mario Kart DS was released in North America on November 14, 2005, in Australia on November 17, 2005, in Europe in November 2005, and in Japan on December 8, 2005. Later, Nintendo said the game would be sold with a new red-colored Nintendo DS starting on November 28, 2005. The bundle included a checkered-flag wrist strap and racing-themed decals to customize the handheld.
Reception
Mario Kart DS received high praise from critics, according to Metacritic, a website that collects reviews. It earned a 91/100 rating, the third-highest score for any Nintendo DS game. Many critics called it the best game in the Mario Kart series. Craig Harris of IGN said it was the best kart racing game ever made.
Reviewers praised the game’s gameplay for being precise, easy to learn, and complex. It combined classic Mario Kart features with new improvements. Bryn Williams of GameSpy said the controls were very accurate, and the balance between racing skill and power-up use was good. Mike Sklens of Nintendo World Report noted that the game removed some unusual features from Mario Kart: Double Dash, making it more focused. Shane Satterfield of Xplay mentioned that learning to use the D-pad for power-slides was challenging but rewarding. Harris said the controls were tight and responsive, combining the best parts of earlier games. Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer and Chris Shepperd of Nintendo Power said the artificial intelligence (AI) could be frustrating because mechanics like blue shells and catch-up features sometimes caused unfair losses.
The single-player experience was considered strong, with a detailed Grand Prix mode, a new Missions mode, and varied Time Trial and Battle modes. The game included 16 new tracks and 16 retro tracks from earlier Mario Kart games, adding replay value and nostalgia. Justin Calvert of GameSpot and Louis Bedigian of GameZone highlighted the 32 tracks (16 new and 16 retro), including standout new tracks like Waluigi Pinball and Airship Fortress. Matt Wales of Computer and Video Games called the new tracks creative and fun. Bramwell and David Chapman of Electric Playground praised the Missions mode as a fresh addition. However, Greg Ford of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) said the missions were forgettable, and Brendan of PALGN noted that the 150cc difficulty level could have been harder.
Multiplayer, especially local Wi-Fi for up to eight players, was a highlight. It offered exciting and chaotic racing and battle modes. The single-cart multiplayer option was praised for being easy to use, though it had fewer tracks and characters. Bryn Williams said local eight-player matches were "pure gaming nirvana." David Chapman and Rice Burner of GamePro said the single-cart mode was inclusive. Calvert and Sklens said the battle modes added strategy and fun.
The online mode, which was new for Nintendo, was seen as a major improvement but had limitations. It had simple matchmaking, no communication features, and limited track choices. Despite these issues, it was praised for smooth performance and ease of use. Williams said connecting online was easy but criticized the lack of a lobby system and the four-player limit. Satterfield and Jeremy Parish of 1Up.com said the friend code system was complicated and that players could not add opponents after races. Chapman and Matt Helgeson of Game Informer said the online mode was simple but wished for more features like online Battle mode. Shepperd said the four-player limit was less exciting than local play.
The 16 new tracks were considered some of the best in the series, with designs like Waluigi Pinball, Airship Fortress, and Tick-Tock Clock praised for their creativity. The retro tracks brought back nostalgia but had mixed reviews. Shane Bettenhausen of EGM said the new tracks were among the best ever, while Bedigian noted the retro tracks had improved 3D graphics but said the Game Boy Advance tracks looked outdated. Bramwell praised the new tracks for being exciting and the retro tracks for being polished, though Bettenhausen said the retro selection was uneven.
The mix of classic power-ups and new additions was seen as balanced, adding strategy without making the game unfair. Calvert and Williams said items like Blooper and Bullet Bill had a big impact on gameplay. Ben Silverman of GameRevolution said there were no new defensive items but found the existing ones effective. Wales said the Blooper was creative and the slipstream mechanic added tactical value.
The graphics and audio received mixed reactions. Shepperd said the visuals were close to the quality of Nintendo 64 games, while Satterfield said the graphics looked blocky and simple compared to PlayStation Portable games. Bedigian criticized the sound quality and said there were too many effects, but Brendan loved the music and character catchphrases.
By the end of its first week in the United States, 112,000 people bought the game, with 52,000 using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to play online. Mario Kart DS received Editors' Choice awards from IGN and GameSpot. It was nominated by GameSpot for several Best of 2005 awards, including Best Multiplayer Game, Best Driving Game, and Best DS Game, winning the last. It also won G-Phoria’s Best Handheld Game award and IGN’s Best Racing/Driving Game award. At the 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, it was nominated for "Racing Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay." GamesRadar named it the best DS game of all time, beating Pokémon Black and White (2nd) and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (3rd).
Mario Kart DS was the best-selling handheld game in its debut month of November 2005 in the United States. It was the 10th best-selling game of 2008 and the best-selling Nintendo DS game that year. In Japan, it sold 224,411 copies in its first week. As of July 2008, it sold 3,112,363 units, and by January 2009, it sold 3,224,996 copies, making it the sixth best-selling game for the Nintendo DS since its release. In the United States, it sold 910,000 copies and earned $31 million by August 2006. Between January 2000 and August 2006, it was the 23rd highest-selling game for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, or PlayStation Portable in the country. In 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine ranked it 26th on a list of greatest Nintendo games. As of March 2016, Mario Kart DS had sold 23.6 million units worldwide.