Mario Stadium

Review

Written Review | Final Comments | Scores

Written Review

Insert the small Mario Kart DS card and bang, you're introduced with the famous voice of Mario screaming in your ear. With 32 courses, amazing characters and the gorgeous playability that has been shown in previous Mario Karts this game has to rock! On the title screen you choose either Single Player, Multiplayer or... Nintendo WFC. The new option that'll take you online, but we'll talk about that later.

Single Player has the traditional options; Grand Prix which features two Grand Prix. The Retro and Nitro Cup. The Retro consists of 4 tracks in each of its four cups. Each cup has a game from each classic Mario Kart game. The Nitro Cup has new fantastic gobsmacking tracks to feast on. Immediately you'll be amazed by the smooth but quite blocky graphics that are so colourful and beautiful.

Donkey Konga! Huh!

But before you choose your cup, you must choose your character as usual. Featuring the classic eight from Mario Kart 64. There are four unlockables if you play your cards right. In addition, there are different karts that can be unlocked. In total there are 36 karts each with their own unique touch. Whether the kart has a fat-ass to bash others off the track or a petit treat that can give the player great handling ability.

Whilst controlling the game you'll adjust to the controls quite smoothly, and you'll take notice of the screen below as well, displaying the map, characters their positions and the time. You'll use the map below to see who's behind and how's trying to ram a shell at you. Powersliding feels so much smoother and easier to perform than previous Mario Kart games, which makes the game feel even more comfortable.

Luigi's "L" doesn't stand for Loser!

The characters each have their own unique emblem. Mario has a "M" logo, Donkey Kong has his "DK" logo, but what have you got. For the first time in Mario Kart you can design your own emblem and put it onto your kart. To make things better, you can create these emblems using the touch screen, and to make things even more better when you go online, people will be able to see your emblem.

So, we've been through its playability, the amazing emblems and the Grand Prix mode. There are other modes beside Grand Prix in single player, which includes Time Trials. You can unlock ghosts by the staff if you get worthy times on the courses. There is also a "VS" mode, where you can make the rules! You can choose the class, difficulty, courses and decide how many races will be played. You'll also be able to organise your own teams. A blue and red team can battle it out in racing, and the team that accumalates the most points between themselves wins.

Mario gets pooed on!

As for Battle Mode. There is a new twist! In Balloon Battle you no longer just have 3 balloons to start with. You have 1... a well as 4 spares. What do you do with the spares you ask? You blow them up! Blow into the microphone and the balloons blow up. If you feel to embarassed to blow up the balloons in a public place, you can just be boring and press the "Select" button. If you lose, you'll be transformed into an item box to help your friends. Remember multiplayer can be operated in team mode as well.

There's also the alternative battle "Shine Runners" in which players have to collect shine sprites. Don't collect the required amount of shines in a certain amount of time, then you're out! Hit each other to get shines out of everyone.

Look at my eye! Now turn into stone like me, because I'm Medusa!

A new addition is Missions. A brilliant concept, in which you have to complete missions, then battle a boss. In total there are 6 levels (if you don't include the secret 7th one - Whoops!) each with different courses and bosses to beat. The missions set include collecting coins on a course before the time runs out, as well as driving through tyres in a particular order. Each mission is different and the bosses are fun to beat.

Now onto the multiplayer. Eight in total can play, and one person (the host) will host the game. Seven fellows will join his game then the race or battle can start. But what if you have a DS and not a game. Don't worry. Single Card Download Play is an option, which allows you to play against seven other players even though they don't have the game (whack' em for not having it), however they can only be Shyguys. You on the other hand with the game can choose whoever you wish.

The host can decide the number of races, the number of battles and create teams. The other players just choose their character and watch in awe as their DS magically decides its own course, when in fact you just see what your host does on the screen. Make sure you win now, because each player that you play against is added to your friends list as well as their emblem as well as the number of times you've played and won or lost against them. If your friends have been on Wi-Fi their Friend Code will be added to yours! Ooh... Now onto Nintendo Wi-Fi.

Choose an option!

Now and again you'll feel bored playing the computer. So why not get online and play against people around the world, whether they are rivals, friends, within your region or worldwide, so don't be surprised to see マリオカート don't be frightened, as you'll be in a new league competing against people from around the world! Only four can play online, but hey it's all good. And only some of the courses are available.

When you get into Wi-Fi you'll choose your character and kart combination, then a course. Each player chooses a course and the course that is selected the most is the course played on. If each player chooses something different, or 2 pairs select two of the same track the course is selected at random.

Wi-Fi is fun, however the possibly of young children talking to strangers has possibly deterred Nintendo from having players able to communicate. More than often, you're likely to see a player falling off the track, then appearing in front of you due to poor connection. This can at times be frustrating as you can't aim at something you can't see. The most frustrating thing is players quitting when you're beating them!

Wi-Fi could have been better if Nintendo added more features. I'm still hoping for Nintendo to produce an add-on Mario Kart DS pack that is inserted in the GBA slot, which upgrades Mario Kart DS Wi-Fi.

You can play against your friends by obtaining their friend code. Here's an example, "502582 - 754768" which is mine, the legendary Goombastic's friend code. You exchange your friend code with theirs, then go online onto Wi-Fi at the same time and you can play each other.

Bowser's running away from a snack!

The music you hear within the game is as quirky, humming and as Mario as ever. You'll hear the classics from previous MK games on the classic courses, and listen to new funky tunes. Players also have their own ratings that are achieved by completing the Grand Prix and missions. Depending how quick you complete the Grand Prixs and Missions you'll be given a rating. If your rating reaches a star level, you'll have a star rank next to your name!

Final Comments

The game as a whole is magnificent, but the game could have been rated at a perfect 10 if it had the ultimate online experience. I would have loved to play Balloon Battle online, and have been able to taunt opponents online over the microphone; but at the same time, playing with friends gives you a heartwarming and fun experience that can only be achieved by playing the one and only legendary title that we call "Mario Kart DS"!

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