Friday 7 March, 2008

GAMEPLAY
During the second session of play, I started to focus on the more subtle aspects of the game. Drifting is one of the actions a player can take to get around the course quicker. When you are going around a turn, you can hit a button to skid which makes it so the turn is completed faster. Once getting a basic mastery of drifting, I began to figure out how to get it perfect. If you start drifting at just the right time and at the right angle, you can make perfect turns and get a good lead. Of course, this also comes with getting to know the courses.

Getting to know the courses is very important in Double Dash. If you can anticipate where to turn and what to avoid before you reach it, you can set yourself up to deal with the problems in the best way possible. Getting to know the courses takes some playing but I found that it doesn't take long to learn enough for it to help considerably. It is frustrating when you get a little ahead and then take a turn the wrong way and fall off the course. As soon as you can get the main turns down, the better off you are.

DESIGN
Double Dash is part of a large series of Mario games so the characters aren't very original, but that is to be expected. As far as innovative games go, Double Dash isn't the best. Also the ability to throw items and slow players and even a lot of the items were used in previous games. It's the smaller things that make it different.

I found that I was almost always kept on my feet. Double Dash doesn't let you snooze off. The game is fast paced enough that if you stop paying attention for a second you are guaranteed to fly into something bad. I find this to be a good characteristic because it keeps the player very interested. You are constantly avoiding obstacles and aiming your vehicle so you can't afford to think about anything else.

Overall the game is quite goofy. The entire mood of the game is kind of like a cartoon land. Everything is very colorful and the characters and there vehicles all seem to appear pretty comical. Of course this follows the theme of all the Mario games that came before it. Double Dash wouldn't be the same if it was set in a dark, ominous city.

As you go on through the game it gets more difficult, as most games do. The levels have more and more enemies, and the tracks have less guard rails. On the later courses, it becomes very easy to fall off the edge of the track into lava or space and get significantly delayed. Also, as you continue to play, your opponents get better, just as you do. Because of this, you have to start to think on different levels that were not needed at the beginning of the game. For example, one of the items is a banana peel that can be left on the track to knock someone behind you. Once your opponents start to get skilled, they leave them right on the edge of jumps so if you hit it, you fall off the track. To avoid it, you have to already be thinking about it before you reach the jump so you can aim appropriately.

Overall a well-written log, although omission of the cooperative game modes is unfortunate, as that is a major component of Double Dash which sets it apart from previous games in the series. Late submission.


- David Seagal (Grader)