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coyoteman_1's Mario Kart DS (DS)
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| [March 6, 2008 01:11:56 AM]
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GAMEPLAY
The second round of gameplay wasn't all that much different from the first. One thing that I did notice was that I got bored a lot more easily. Once all of the challenges have been met, there is not a whole lot one can do. I guess the challenge is to beat your best times, but once you play a level a couple of times, it doesn't seem as exciting. I can only play for a certain amount of time before feeling that it's very repetitive. The Mirror levels help to combat this, but after a while you lose interest with all the backwards stuff.I think I'm making it sound like it's not fun at all, which is not my objective. It is very fun . . . for a while. It just loses some replay value. It really needs more levels. Or some other new aspect that gives me a reason to play after I've beaten the game.
When you beat the game, you are able to choose from any kart that is available for any character. This is pretty fun. You can have a huge character driving a tiny kart, or a tiny character driving a huge kart. This mildly amusing situation adds very little to the overall gaming experience, but there is very little to say. It's a fun game, but it kinda wears thin.
DESIGN
One of the many interesting design aspects of this game, is the variation of attributes for the karts. The minor differences in the abilities can make all the difference. For instance, in some races I would like to have a kart that had a high top speed, but in others, the top speed wouldn't matter so much, so I would choose a kart that would have a sharper turning radius. If I could go faster around the corners, then I wouldn't need to make up speed on the straightaways.
Having several tracks from past versions of the game is another great design concept. This gives people who have not played those games several new levels, and people who have played them a nostalgic feeling. Not only are these "retro levels" great nostalgia, but they are also fantastically designed. This great design makes them seem better than the new levels at times.
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| [March 5, 2008 01:37:02 AM]
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SUMMARY
Mario Kart DS is a worthy addition to one of the best racing franchises in gaming. You control one of a variety of playable characters, racing against each other for dominance of the track, and of course the trophy. Getting new trophies unlocks new levels and once you beat all of the levels you can move up to a higher racing class, this keeps the challenge going. The cartoony aspects of this game make it fun for the whole family!
GAMEPLAY
Mario Kart is always fun to play. There is just something about putting these familiar characters into a new setting that excites the blood. Plus, there is just something so gratifying in shooting a perfectly timed turtle shell at your enemy's back, or blasting through other karts when you have "star power." So I guess what I'm getting at is that the items are fun.
The cartoonish characters also make it very easy to form emotional attachments. The little phrases that they shout out can very easily become part of one's normal vocabulary. My favorite character (Luigi) always gives a sharp "Wahaa!" as he passes opponents. I have noticed myself producing this high pitched noise from time to time. This suggests a very good connection between character and player. My favorite games are ones where I create these emotional bonds with characters that have very little depth.
The WiFi connection makes it possible to play with other players in the vicinity (thanks to cruznet, I am unable to connect to people from far away). As always, games are more fun when many people are competing to win. The close calls are made even more painful or joyous when you can see the look on your opponent's face.
Overall this is a very fun game. Good job Nintendo!
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coyoteman_1's Mario Kart DS (DS)
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Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Tuesday 4 March, 2008
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