Mario Kart DS

Template:Infobox Mario Kart DS is a Nintendo DS game developed and published by Nintendo. It is the fifth installment of the Mario Kart series and the second game for a handheld console, featuring for the first time an online multiplayer mode (Note: Nintendo have disabled Wi-Fi matches for DS and Wii games but the Nintendo Shop still works) employing the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service, as well as including a mission mode. It also features a map that displays the objects and characters present throughout the courses, making use of the DS's bottom screen.

Mario Kart DS has been generally well received by critics, especially because of innovations such as the online mode. As such, Mario Kart DS has earned various awards and acknowledgments.

Drivers

A total of 12 characters (13 including Shy Guy) take part in the fifth installment of the Mario Kart series. Only 8 can be chosen at the beginning, but the player has to win gold trophies in the Grand Prix mode to unlock more drivers.

Starting drivers

• MKDS-Mario Artwork.png

  
  Medium
  Weight: 50
  Off-Road: 95

• MKDS-Luigi Artwork.png

  
  Medium
  Weight: 50
  Off-Road: 95

• MKDS-Peach Artwork.png

  
  Light
  Weight: 35
  Off-Road: 97

• MKDS-Yoshi Artwork.png

  
  Medium
  Weight: 30
  Off-Road: 98

• MKDS-Toad Artwork.png

  
  Light
  Weight: 25
  Off-Road: 99

• MKDS-Donkey Kong Artwork.png

  
  Heavy
  Weight: 65
  Off-Road: 93

• MKDS-Wario Artwork.png

  
  Heavy
  Weight: 70
  Off-Road: 92

• MKDS-Bowser Artwork.png

  
  Heavy
  Weight: 80
  Off-Road: 91

Unlockable drivers

• 

  
  Medium
  Weight: 40
  Off-Road: 96

• MKDS-Dry Bones Artwork.png

  
  Light
  Weight: 20
  Off-Road: 100
  New Driver

• MKDS-Waluigi Artwork.png

  
  Medium
  Weight: 55
  Off-Road: 94

• MKDS-ROB Artwork.png

  
  Heavy
  Weight: 80
  Off-Road: 91
  New Driver

Unlock criteria

Unlock Criteria
Daisy	Obtain all Gold Trophies on 50cc Retro Grand Prix cups.
Dry Bones	Obtain all Gold Trophies on 50cc Nitro Grand Prix cups.
Waluigi	Obtain all Gold Trophies on 100cc Retro Grand Prix cups.
R.O.B.	Obtain all Gold Trophies on 150cc Mirror Mode cups (Nitro or Retro).

Download play only (changes color at random)

• Shy Guy - MKDS.png

  Shy Guy
  Light
  Weight: 30
  Off-Road: 98
  New Driver

Supporting characters

Other characters play supporting roles in Mario Kart DS. Lakitu makes his return and follows the same rules except for counting down to the start of the race. Piantas cheer for the racers during gameplay as well.

Controls

Menu controls

• - Scroll
• - Select
• - Back
• - Tap selection

Race controls

• - Accelerate/Rocket Start (hold at 2 during the countdown before the race starts)
• - Brake/reverse
• / - Use current Item/Stop Item Roulette
• - Steer
• - Throw items backward or forward.
• - Hop/Powerslide/Drift (Hold)/Mini-Turbo (Release)
• / - Change map view (does not work in Mission Mode)
• start - Pause/resume game
• select - Blow Balloon (Balloon Battle), Toggle arrows/mushrooms on/off (Time Trial)
• - Blow Balloon (Balloon Battle)

Game modes

File:WiFiSTP 2.png

The title screen with all of the playable characters, excluding Shy Guy.

As in Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, sixteen new courses were added in the game for the four main cups: Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, Star Cup, and Special Cup. However, the game includes sixteen courses that appeared in former Mario Kart games, each one referring the game console where debuted, The Super Mario Kart tracks for SNES; the Mario Kart 64 tracks for N64; the Mario Kart: Super Circuit tracks for GBA, and the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! tracks for GCN.

These classic courses make up four new cups called the Shell Cup, Banana Cup, Leaf Cup, and Lightning Cup. There are a total of thirty-two courses in eight cups. In addition, four new battle courses appeared, while N64 Block Fort and GCN Pipe Plaza appeared in this game as Retro Battle Courses.

Grand Prix

In Grand Prix mode (single-player only), a player competes in each cup in 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and Mirror 150cc engine classes, with ascending speed and difficulty. The game takes the point system of Mario Kart: Double Dash!! by awarding 10/8/6/4/3/2/1/0 points for first to eighth place respectively. Also, a rating of how well a player performed is shown after the trophy presentation: ***, **, *, A, B, C, D and E (E, being the lowest ranking and *** as the highest). An overall "game ranking" of *, **, or *** is shown in the Records area if the player has earned the designated ratings in all cups and all classes. If the player beats the game on the mirror 150cc class therefore achieving all gold cups their character will appear driving in the sunset in the now-mirrored city as well as their chosen kart.

Time Trial

In Time Trial mode (single player only), a player goes for the fastest time on a course. The item rating of a kart determines how many mushrooms a player can have when the race starts. Vehicles with low item rate can only use one Mushroom; the ones with average item rate use two and the ones with high item rate use three. Players can choose to race against their best time as a Ghost, the Staff Ghost (raced by a Japanese Nintendo staff player with a * game ranking), or no Ghost. The game is also able to download records from other players and let the player race against their Ghosts.

VS

In VS mode (single or multiplayer), player(s) choose their Karts and head out on the race track. The player can also choose what course they race on (only if they unlocked it). Up to eight players can play locally via wireless - simple mode only uses one game card but is limited. The essential requirement is that everyone has a game card. In single-player mode, the player can choose the engine class, the CPU's difficulty level, the way the courses will be chosen - by the player, in order or random; the rules to win races (either free - never-ending races; number of wins, which only the first racer earns points, or the number of races raced (going up to thirty-two creates the "All-Cup" mode); and team race mode.

It is possible to have up to eight players play using just one Mario Kart DS game card - using the DS Download Play locally. Here, the tracks are limited, the disabilities for the Wi-Fi connection apply, and everyone must be a random color of Shy Guy, in which he becomes playable then. If everyone has a game card, all tracks are available and there are no disabilities. Battle Mode is also available. It is the same as the battle modes in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, but Shine Thief is changed into Shine Runners. The rules are different for this mode, in which players gather the most Shine Sprites on a course.

Battle

Mario in a Balloon Battle at Palm Shore.

In Battle mode, players play a different aspect of kart racing that was born from Super Mario Kart on one of six courses, two of them from past Mario Kart games. The courses are:

• Nintendo DS
• Twilight House
• Palm Shore
• Tart Top
• N64 Block Fort
• GCN Pipe Plaza

In single player mode, the user faces CPU controlled racers, whose difficulty can be set in the battle's setup menu. All racers drive their respective standard Kart only within this mode. Additionally, other players can join a battle locally. However, Battle Mode is unavailable on the wireless connection. Like in versus, battles can also be played in teams.

Balloon Battle

The classic battle mode seen in all Mario Kart mainstream, gets a new twist in Mario Kart DS. From previous games, racers begin a match with three balloons. In this game, however, all players begin with a single balloon, though they can get more by blowing up their balloons using the microphone feature on the DS, or just holding the button. Each player has four balloons in stock (five in total) and racers can hold up to three balloons in battle. On the other hand, the less balloons a player has, the more powerful items will obtain from the Item Boxes. Racers may also take possession of a balloon from their opponents if the thief has used a mushroom and made contact to the opponent's kart. If the player loses all their balloons they are eliminated.

The following is what the game describes this mode as:

Burst your opponents' balloons with items! If all your inflated balloons burst, you lose! Blow into the mic or press to inflate your balloons!

Shine Runners

Adopted from the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! version, nine Shine Sprites are scattered onto the course at the beginning. Players need to capture the Shine Sprites, and to avoid being hit, as it causes a player to lose one sprite. The sprite then moves to a random spot for someone else to grab. In the meantime, a clock ticks down to 0. Anyone with or tied with the lowest Shine total when the clock hits 0 is eliminated. The clock resets itself to a lower time and the battle continues until at least one is left (there are 9 sprites to avoid a tie, but it is possible to have two players with 4 sprites trying to get that last 1 on the course when time expires or have three players with 3 sprites each. In this case, no one is eliminated and the clock resets as usual. The less sprites a player has, the better an item is obtained (Spiny Shells and Bullet Bills remain out). Shine Runners is almost the same as Coin Runners in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7, but instead of Coins, they use Shine Sprites.

Collect more Shines than anyone else! Steal opponents' Shines to add to your total. Those with less Shines get booted over time.

Missions

File:Gran Bronco.PNG

Yoshi battling Big Bully in Mission Mode.

Missions mode is a new single-player mode for Mario Kart DS which the player must complete some tasks and earn a ranking similarly to that in Grand Prix mode. It involves seven levels, each containing eight "missions" and a boss battle, most of which are taken from Super Mario 64 DS. Almost always the ranks depend on how much time is left or taken. There are varying mission types:

• Driving through gates - driving in between giant half wheels in the ground. Very often the player has to pass these gates in numerical order.
• Collecting coins - Players must pick up all the coins set in the track. Players may lose these coins by some obstacle of such course.
• Destroying item boxes - Players must run over Item Boxes. Usually the racer will obtain Mushrooms after taking a box. In some cases, Item Boxes will move, and the player will have to catch up with it. Other missions the player must take care not to pick up the Fake Item Boxes alongside real ones.
• Using stars, Bob-ombs, or shells to destroy enemies.
• Driving backwards - players must use the button to move, and directions on the are reversed. It is sometimes combined with other mission types.
• Performing power boosts within a certain lap - as said. More power boosts are often required to finish faster, meaning a higher ranking.
• Racing a CPU player for one lap - item boxes contain mushrooms and stars that the CPU can't use - the key to win. CPU players will always perform a Rocket Start. This mission type also includes a race against a Red Car and a Chain Chomp.
• Boss Battle - Unlocked after complete the first eight courses in a level. Using items is usually a must in boss battles.

There are some one-time isolated missions as well that are self-explanatory. Each mission takes place on a course, often blocked off in some areas (sometimes even a battle course) and players are given a character in their own standard kart (CPU players are also in standard karts). None of the unlockable characters are playable, and Bowser and Donkey Kong do not fight a boss. Sometimes mushrooms are laid across the track to help the player to complete the mission. When at least a * ranking is achieved on all missions and bosses in the first six levels, Level 7 is unlocked. Boss battles are unique. They have their own battlefields and different strategies are used to beat them. All of the bosses come from Super Mario 64 DS.

Missions table

The following table includes the mission number, in-game mission description, time limit for the mission (0:00 signifies it's a race, and the mission finishes at 2:00 if the race is not completed), course, and character the player plays as.

Mission Mode
Level 1
1-1	Drive through all 5 numbered gates in order!	0:35	Figure-8 Circuit	Mario
1-2	Collect all 15 coins!	0:30	GBA Peach Circuit	Peach
1-3	Destroy all 10 item boxes!	0:45	Yoshi Falls	Yoshi
1-4	Get the Star and use it to hit 5 Cheep Cheeps!	0:40	Cheep Cheep Beach	Wario
1-5	Drive through all 6 numbered gates in order!	0:30	Nintendo DS	Toad
1-6	Drive out of the mansion...backwards!	0:45	Luigi's Mansion	Luigi
1-7	Collect all 20 coins!	0:35	N64 Moo Moo Farm	DK
1-8	Perform 4 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap!	0:45	SNES Mario Circuit 1	Mario
Boss	Use Mushrooms to crash into the Big Bully and knock him off the stage!	3:00	Water Arena*	Yoshi
Level 2
2-1	Crash into all 10 wooden crates and destroy every one!	0:55	Delfino Square	Wario
2-2	Collect all 10 coins!	0:30	Figure-8 Circuit	Yoshi
2-3	Drive through all 5 numbered gates in order!	0:45	SNES Donut Plains 1	DK
2-4	Destroy all 5 item boxes!	0:35	Luigi's Mansion	Luigi
2-5	Collect all 20 coins!	0:30	Cheep Cheep Beach	Peach
2-6	Use Bob-ombs to destroy all 5 Pokeys!	0:55	Desert Hills	Wario
2-7	Drive through all 10 numbered gates in order!	0:55	GCN Luigi Circuit	Toad
2-8	Perform 6 power-slide turbo boosts in 3 laps!	0:55	GCN Baby Park	Peach
Boss	Hit Eyerok's eyeball 3 times with shells!	5:00	Sand Arena*	Mario
Level 3
3-1	Destroy all 5 item boxes!	0:50	Waluigi Pinball	Wario
3-2	Drive through all 5 numbered gates in order...backwards!	0:50	Delfino Square	Bowser
3-3	Collect all 15 coins while avoiding the Chain Chomp!	0:25	GCN Luigi Circuit	Luigi
3-4	Reach the finish before Yoshi!	0:00	Yoshi Falls	Peach
3-5	Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order!	0:45	GCN Pipe Plaza	Yoshi
3-6	Hit Monty Moles with shells 5 times!	1:05	N64 Moo Moo Farm	Luigi
3-7	Perform 10 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap!	1:10	Shroom Ridge	DK
3-8	Collect all 20 coins!	1:05	Twilight House	Mario
Boss	Reach the finish before Goomboss!	0:00	GCN Baby Park	Toad
Level 4
4-1	Reach the finish before Donkey Kong!	0:00	DK Pass**	Wario
4-2	Blast 20 crabs!1	2:00	Palm Shore	Yoshi
4-3	Reach the finish before the red car!	0:00	Shroom Ridge	Mario
4-4	Drive through all 7 numbered gates in order!	0:45	Desert Hills	Wario
4-5	Collect all 15 coins. If you get squished by a Thwomp, you fail!	0:30	GBA Bowser Castle 2	Bowser
4-6	Break all 10 item boxes while avoiding the Fake Items!	1:10	N64 Choco Mountain	DK
4-7	Drive through all 10 gates!2	0:45	Waluigi Pinball	Toad
4-8	Perform 9 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap!	1:00	GBA Luigi Circuit	Luigi
Boss	Collect 50 coins while avoiding King Boo!	5:00	Lava Arena*	Peach
Level 5
5-1	Reach the finish before the stray Chain Chomp!	0:00	Peach Gardens	Peach
5-2	Drive backward and collect 15 coins! If you hit a snowman, you fail!	0:30	N64 Frappe Snowland	DK
5-3	Destroy all 5 item boxes!	0:35	SNES Koopa Beach 2	Toad
5-4	Drive through all 10 numbered gates in order!	1:05	GBA Bowser Castle 2	Bowser
5-5	Complete 1 lap in the opposite direction within the time limit!	0:55	GCN Mushroom Bridge	Mario
5-6	Collect all 18 coins!	0:45	Tart Top	Yoshi
5-7	Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order!	0:45	DK Pass**	Toad
5-8	Reach the finish before Mario!	0:00	Mario Circuit	Luigi
Boss	Hit the Big Bob-omb with 3 Bob-ombs!	5:00	Sand Arena*	Wario
Level 6
6-1	Drive backward across the spinning bridge! If you fall, you're out!	0:30	Bowser Castle	Bowser
6-2	Get Stars and run over 15 Rocky Wrenches!	0:55	Airship Fortress	Wario
6-3	Collect all 30 coins!	0:45	SNES Choco Island 2	Yoshi
6-4	Destroy all 10 item boxes!	2:00	N64 Block Fort	Mario
6-5	Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order!	0:50	GBA Sky Garden	Peach
6-6	Perform 14 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap!	1:00	GCN Yoshi Circuit	Yoshi
6-7	Collect all 40 coins!	1:30	Tick-Tock Clock	Toad
6-8	Reach the finish before Peach!	0:00	Peach Gardens**	Bowser
Boss	Use Mushroom boosts to hit Chief Chilly and knock him off the stage 3 times!	5:00	Water Arena*	Luigi
Level 7
7-1	Perform 6 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap!	1:00	Rainbow Road	Peach
7-2	Reach the finish before Bowser!	0:00	Bowser Castle	Mario
7-3	Complete 2 laps within the time limit!3	1:30	Tick-Tock Clock	DK
7-4	Use shells to defeat all 30 Goombas within the time limit!	2:00	Mario Circuit	Toad
7-5	Collect all 20 coins!	0:55	Wario Stadium	Wario
7-6	Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order!	0:11	Nintendo DS	Mario
7-7	Drive backward and collect all 12 coins! If you hit a burner, you fail!	0:50	Airship Fortress	Bowser
7-8	Break all 10 item boxes while avoiding the Fake Items!	1:05	N64 Banshee Boardwalk	Luigi
Boss	Reach the finish before Wiggler!	0:00	GCN Mushroom Bridge	Mario

*Conjectural title based on surroundings.

**Denotes that the player drives through the course in the opposite direction.

₁Using Green Shells (solo or triple) and Bob-ombs

₂The gates don't necessarily have to be driven through in order.

₃Players can use any means - normal or powersliding - to finish.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection mode

Mario Kart DS is the first Mario Kart game ever to support online play through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection mode; though it's worth noting that it's the second Mario Kart game to support online connectivity, with the Japanese version of Mario Kart: Super Circuit being the first. (The use of online connectivity for this game was made primarily to exchange ghost data with other players.) Being one of the first Nintendo DS games to feature wireless connection, the game mode required some technical changes in order to avoid connection malfunctions and long time loads during online play.

The following changes from the main game are enforced:

• Only up to four players
• Only 100cc engine is available
• 12 of 32 courses are omitted

Also there are in-game changes made to reduce possible lags:

• No triple Bananas or triple shells
• No spilled Items onto course to be used or tripped on - items are just lost
• No items can be held behind racer
• Item roulette cannot be stopped manually
• Course obstacles cannot be destroyed (e.g. boxes in Delfino Square or snowballs in DK Pass)

Point Spread Comparisons
	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
SMK + MK64 + MKSC GP	9	6	3	1	0	0	0	0
MKDD + MKDS GP	10	8	6	4	3	2	1	0
WFC 4 Players	10	7	4	1	-	-	-	-
WFC 3 Players	10	7	4	-	-	-	-	-
WFC 2 Players	10	5	-	-	-	-	-	-
Signifies victory results (great clapping, character(s) cheering), best after-race music Signifies moderate results (mild clapping, moderate character reaction), same music in Wi-Fi as winner but different in Grand Prix Normal bg signifies losing results, losing music Not available - signifies that the game forces the player to retry the race (0 pts). If the racer comes in 5th-8th more than three times, the Grand Prix must be started over.

Connection

Players connect using a wireless connection or a Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector (preferably high-speed.) Racers choose to search for other players in "Friends" (more info below), "Rivals" (players with a similar record), "Regional" or "Continental" in Non-American versions of the game (players in same country or continent), and "Worldwide", the latter possible to cause long lags. Other racers searching in the same category are randomly grouped. The game tries to find four players, but will eventually settle for three or two if necessary. Characters choose their characters, karts, and the course they want for the first of four races.

In addition to the 20 courses listed in order of when it is encountered, there is also a random button. After everyone's selection is placed, a course is chosen based on the responses. (If 3 players each pick a different course, the system randomly picks one. If four players choose two courses, two each, the game randomly picks from those two. On the other hand, the most voted course by a group of four or three users is selected to race. It goes like so for four races, then the points are tallied up, and after the match a player's wins and losses are totaled. (Each player receives one "win" for finishing ahead of a player and one "loss" for finishing behind of a player. For example, a player winning a 3-player match receives 2 wins and 0 losses. A player coming 2nd in a 4-player match receives 2 wins and 1 loss. A player tied for third in a 4-player match gets only 2 losses, as compared to 3. A player tied in a 2-player match is simply called a tie and does not affect either player's record.) Players can continue after the match to play the same racers again or quit to restart the process to find other players.

Issues

Problem: Trouble with friend codes

A) Friend Code System. Each copy of the game comes with a 12-digit code known as a "friend code". Players can enter other codes into the other player's "friend roster" to create a friend list, where Wi-Fi records between the players is stored. When a friend is online at the same time, a symbol will appear above the Wi-Fi strength symbol, whether trying to find racers or during racing. Yet, both (or more) players must have each (or all) of their friend codes registered and be looking in the friends section at the same time to hook up. If the player were to find a racer to compete against elsewhere online, there's no communication for a friend code swap; the only way to race again is to do it right away by selecting continue after a match.

Problem: Disconnecting racers change the outcome of the match; it is later reflected in the match records.

B) Disconnecting. Take this scenario into consideration:

Bob started in a four-player match, but two people have disconnected since, and he is now in a two-player match against a three-star player, and has come 2nd and 3rd in the first 2 races. It is 20-11. Bob wins the next match, bringing the totals to 25-21. But, in the fourth race, the three-star player is a full half-lap ahead with one lap to go. Bob realizes that he might not win this race; however, Bob has researched about Wi-Fi connections and has learned a trick. He leaves his DS untouched, bringing his kart to a stop, then finds his wireless router, and disconnects it. According to the record-book, Bob has won the match from which he has disconnected.

Causes:

• The two players who disconnected earlier are experiencing certain effects. When a player is disconnected from Wi-Fi via turning off his or her DS, the player is charged with the same number of losses as there are other players. Players can disconnect at any time, but if they cancel before the first course is chosen, there is no effect on the win-loss record. Other players finishing the whole match gain one win per disconnected player.
• Refer to the point spread chart for WFC. Mid-match, due to disconnected players, the point spread can change. For example, when it goes down from 4 to 3 players, the point conversion is not affected for the top three. Yet, from three to two, it is. In the first two races, Bob lost 3 and 6 points to the three-star player, under the 10-7-4(-1) point spread. But, if he had won the last two races, under the 10-5 point spread, he would have recovered 10 points - and would have won, 31-30, even though he came in 3rd once and only won two out of four races.
• Players occasionally disconnect when losing. A glitch in the game affects the final results, and this is exactly what Bob does in the scenario. Instead of turning off the DS, he disconnects his actual connection. The three-star player would have gained 3 wins, but when everyone disconnects, it takes no effect on the winning player's records.
  • To restate and make clear: if Bob would have played it out and lost the 4th race, the result would have been 35-26, in favor of the three-star player.

Courses

In addition to the sixteen standard courses, Mario Kart DS is the first game in the series to include the Retro Grand Prix, which has been carried over into every future installment in the series to date. The Retro Grand Prix consists of sixteen courses from past Mario Kart games updated and compiled into four additional cups. Four courses are taken from each previous game, and are ordered according to the release dates of the previous games.

Nitro Grand Prix

Mushroom Cup	Flower Cup	Star Cup	Special Cup
File:Figure-eight Circuit.PNG Figure-8 Circuit*	File:DesertHillds.PNG Desert Hills*	File:DK Pass.PNG DK Pass*	File:Estadiowario.PNG Wario Stadium*
Yoshi Falls*	Delfino Square*	File:MKDS Tick Tock Clock.PNG Tick-Tock Clock	File:Peach GardensDS.PNG Peach Gardens
File:Cheepcheepbeach.PNG Cheep Cheep Beach*	File:Waluigi Pinball.PNG Waluigi Pinball	File:Mario-circuit.png Mario Circuit*	File:Castillo Bowser.PNG Bowser Castle
File:Luigi's Mansion.PNG Luigi's Mansion*	File:Shroom Ridge.PNG Shroom Ridge	File:Bateau-volant.png Airship Fortress	File:Rainbow RoadDS.PNG Rainbow Road*

Retro Grand Prix

Shell Cup	Banana Cup	Leaf Cup	Lightning Cup
File:MKDS Mario Circuit 1.PNG SNES Mario Circuit 1*	File:MKDS Donut Plains.PNG SNES Donut Plains 1	File:Koopabeach2SNES.PNG SNES Koopa Beach 2	File:ChocoIsland2ds.PNG SNES Choco Island 2*
File:MooMooFarmds.PNG N64 Moo Moo Farm*	File:FrappeSnowlandDS.PNG N64 Frappe Snowland*	File:ChocoMountainDS.PNG N64 Choco Mountain*	File:DSBansheeboardwalk.PNG N64 Banshee Boardwalk
File:Peach CircuitDS.PNG GBA Peach Circuit*	File:BowserCastle2ds.PNG GBA Bowser Castle 2	File:LuigiCircuit2.PNG GBA Luigi Circuit	File:SkyGardends.PNG GBA Sky Garden*
File:LuigiCircuitDS.PNG GCN Luigi Circuit*	File:BabyParkds.PNG GCN Baby Park*	File:MushroomBridgeDS.PNG GCN Mushroom Bridge	File:YoshiCircuitDS.png GCN Yoshi Circuit*

* - Was playable on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

Staff Ghosts

Course	Time	Character/kart
Figure-8 Circuit	1:36:481	Mario/Standard MR
Yoshi Falls	0:57:677	Yoshi/Egg 1
Cheep Cheep Beach	1:43:654	Donkey Kong/Standard DK
Luigi's Mansion	1:59:357	Luigi/Streamliner
Desert Hills	1:31:262	R.O.B./ROB-LGS
Delfino Square	1:53:921	Peach/Royale
Waluigi Pinball	2:23:228	Waluigi/Gold Mantis
Shroom Ridge	2:05:123	Toad/Mushmellow
DK Pass	2:14:607	Donkey Kong/Wildlife
Tick-Tock Clock	1:54:903	Daisy/Light Dancer
Mario Circuit	1:56:533	Mario/Shooting Star
Airship Fortress	2:07:748	Bowser/Hurricane
Wario Stadium	2:14:868	Wario/Brute
Peach Gardens	1:52:989	Peach/Royale
Bowser Castle	2:19:661	Bowser/Hurricane
Rainbow Road	2:16:246	R.O.B./ROB-BLS
SNES Mario Circuit 1	0:50:688	Mario/Standard MR
N64 Moo Moo Farm	1:17:751	Donkey Kong/Wildlife
GBA Peach Circuit	1:12:011	Peach/Royale
GCN Luigi Circuit	1:29:759	Luigi/Poltergust 4000
SNES Donut Plains 1	1:08:027	Dry Bones/Dry Bomber
N64 Frappe Snowland	2:08:781	Wario/Brute
GBA Bowser Castle 2	1:52:258	Bowser/Standard BW
GCN Baby Park	0:50:920	Toad/Mushmellow
SNES Koopa Beach 2	0:54:847	Yoshi/Egg 1
N64 Choco Mountain	2:15:571	Wario/Dragonfly
GBA Luigi Circuit	1:46:581	Luigi/Poltergust 4000
GCN Mushroom Bridge	1:30:600	Toad/Mushmellow
SNES Choco Island 2	1:01:620	Waluigi/Zipper
N64 Banshee Boardwalk	2:14:403	Dry Bones/Dry Bomber
GBA Sky Garden	1:44:400	Daisy/Power Flower
GCN Yoshi Circuit	1:48:793	Yoshi/Standard YS

Items

Mario Kart DS includes the main element preserved in every Mario Kart created, and it is the use of the items; power-ups that allow the racer to take certain advantage over their opponents, obtainable by running through an Item Box. Afterwards, the Item Roulette in the top left of the screen will choose a random item. While most of the power-ups are the same since Super Mario Kart, the game have included as well some other new to increase the challenge.

Normally, leader racers receive less powerful items than stragglers in the rear. The variety of items to receive is also determined by the Items stats ratio granted to a kart. While a kart has a higher Items ratio, the player has more possibility to obtain rare items to use.In subsequent games, this stat was removed so the only factor influencing items is position.

The game gives the player an indication when they receive a more powerful Item. When the Item Roulette has chosen a normal Item, it will make a simple plong sound. However, if the player receives a more powerful item from the Item Roulette, it makes a more special sounding plong.

Some Items are not available in Battle Mode. Just as in Racing Mode, leaders who have the most Balloons or Shines will receive less powerful items accordingly.

Stars, Bullet Bills and Boos are examples of powerful items, as they provide speed boosts and total invincibility.

NOTE: These artworks are reused from older games.

Image	Name	Instruction Booklet Description
	Mushroom	Provides a short speed boost.
File:Tripletsshrooms.jpg	Triple Mushrooms	Each press of or uses up one Mushroom.
File:Golden mushroom.PNG	Golden Mushroom	Allows the user to use Mushroom boosts as many times as they want for a short period of time.
	Item Box	Drivers are able to run into these item boxes to obtain an item, depending on their rank on the current race course. In Battle Mode, in multiplayer, KO'd players can use unlimited, but restricted Item Boxes to aid their team. They are used in the same manner as Bananas.1
File:FItembox.PNG	Fake Item Box	Looks just like an item box, but when a character runs into it, it knocks them over.
	Banana	Makes karts spin out when run over.
No image available	Triple Bananas	The player can press or to deploy behind the kart. The button can be tapped again to drop one.
	Green Shell	When thrown, this shell travels in a straight line and knocks over the first kart it hits.
File:Triplegreenshell.jpg	Triple Green Shells	Press or to deploy, then press the button again to launch a shell. Each one has the same effect as a single Green or Red Shell.
	Red Shell	These automatically lock onto and chase after the next kart in front of the user. When hit, the kart rolls over.
File:Tripleredshell.jpg	Triple Red Shells	Press or to deploy, then press the button again to launch a shell. Each one has the same effect as a single Green or Red Shell.
	Spiny Shell	This shell travels and chases after the lead kart and blows up when it reaches its target. Any kart in the blast radius will be knocked over or spun around.
	Star	The star makes the user multicolored, which means they are invincible against everyhing, and will be able to knock over items, course obstacles, and other racers and making them lose all items in their possession on the race field. In addition to this, the user gets a speed boost that will help them to catch other racers, a better kart handling, and immunity against off-road slow down effect.
File:Thunderbolt - Mario Kart Wii.png	Lightning	Makes all opponents spin out, drop their items, and shrink for a brief period of time.
	Bob-omb	Explodes after a brief pause or when another kart comes near it. Any kart in the blast radius will be knocked over or spun around.
	Blooper New Item	Sprays ink on all of the karts in front of the user, obscuring those drivers' view/s of the track.
File:Bullet Bill Mario.jpg	Bullet Bill New Item	This transforms the user into a giant bullet bill, that will rocket down the track at very high speeds on auto-pilot. The bullet bill is unstoppable and gains invincibility, since it'll knock over items, course obstacles, or others players in the race, which make them lose their items.
File:BooMKDS.jpg	Boo	The boo makes the user invisible, so they will disappear from the map and from the upper screen, and their opponents won't be able to see them. The boo also makes the user invincible against everything, and they will be able to pass through items, course obstacles, and other racers. Additionally, the user is also immune to off-road kart slow down effect. Upon using, the boo will search for the most powerful item in the race field, will steal it and will bring it back to the user.

• 1 — The instruction booklet does not provide a description for this item.

Racing techniques

Rocket Start

Throughout the entire series, the Rocket Start allows racers to give them an extra boost of speed and get a head start when a race begins. To activate the technique for this installment, players should stay at the starting line and wait for the countdown to hit 2. When it does reach that number and when it starts to fade, players should hold the button to rev up the kart's engine. When START appears on the race screen, the kart receives a small boost of speed out of the starting line, which is a very helpful move to get first place early on in a race. But, there is a risk to this move. If players fail to succeed, and holds the same button after the final beep, it may make the player's kart falter, and takes a few seconds to get back up to normal speed. If the player holds the after the second "ding" sound is heard and end, the player can get a boost that is a little faster than the normal small boost.

File:Powersliding1.jpg

Yoshi powersliding at Figure-8 Circuit.

Drifting and powersliding

In the entire Mario Kart series, players drift by holding the button on a turn. Gray wisps come out of their kart as they turn around corners, possibly tighter or better than normal turning.

The next step up is powersliding. While drifting, players can move the +Control Pad to the right, left, and vice versa to produce sparks behind the kart. If done correctly, the sparks change their colors and intensity from blue to orange on each alternated move. After the sparks turn orange, the player releases the button to stop drifting and release a brief Mini-Turbo after powersliding. This can be used to dodge Spiny Shells.

Slipstreaming

Back from Mario Kart 64, slipstream is simply moving just behind another player. If racers can stay behind their opponent's vehicle for about four seconds, players get a momentary turbo boost that is strong enough to pass the other player.

Multiplayer

Multi card play

Eight people or less can play via the wireless connection of the Nintendo DS. There are little to no restrictions while activating this. Players can access any character and kart combination they want as long as they unlocked it.

Download Play

Download Play can allow up to eight people playing the Mario Kart DS game using one (or more) game card(s). In this mode, players can only choose tracks from the Mushroom and Shell Cups. Also, instead of six battle tracks, players are only able to race on Nintendo DS, Tart Top and Pipe Plaza (chosen randomly by the system). Only the people with the game can pick their character, while the others use Shy Guy only. Shy Guy is not playable in other modes. When the players that want to Download play begin to race, each player will have a different color of Shy Guy, randomly generated with each Download Play.

Karts

File:CharacterinMKDS.PNG

The kart selection screen in Mario Kart DS with Mario only.

In Mario Kart DS, there are 36 different karts in total.

Every kart shows six ratings:

• Speed: How high the top speed of the kart is; how fast the kart can go. Bowser and R.O.B. have the fastest karts.
• Acceleration: The time the kart's top speed is achieved when accelerating (the higher the acceleration, the shorter players wait until they reach their kart's top speed, and the lower it is, the longer they wait). Dry Bones's karts can reach their top speed very quickly.
• Weight: While a vehicle is heavy, the driver can knock a lighter kart. Unlike other stats, the character contributes to this stat, with Bowser's and R.O.B. being very heavy.
• Handling: How tight the kart can normally turn without drifting. Dry Bones has the best turning curve.
• Drift: How tight the kart turns while drifting or powersliding. Peach has the best drifting curve.
• Items: The variety of items to use when touching an Item Box (a high Items rating signifies a higher chance of getting Triple Bananas in first place, Triple Mushrooms in 3rd, 4th, etc).

Originally, only two karts are available for each character; an Exclusive Kart and a Standard Kart. As the player wins gold trophies in the 100cc Nitro Grand Prix, the player will unlock a second Exclusive Kart for each character. When the player wins gold trophies in the 150cc Nitro Grand Prix, four Exclusive Karts from different characters will become available, bringing the total to seven karts for each character. After winning gold trophies in the 150cc Retro Grand Prix (to unlock the Mirror) and the Nitro and Retro Grand Prixs in 150cc Mirror, each character can be paired in any of the 36 karts, making 432 combinations (excluding Shy Guy).

The following ratings are from 0 to 10 in one-tenth intervals. The Items rating will be either 3.3, 6.7, or 10. For the three karts related to each character, each one will have one and just one of all three ratings, the standard kart always being 6.7.

On a side note, it's worth noting that a kart with a high items rating will usually have lower overall stats than the standard karts. Likewise, karts with a low items rating will usually have higher overall stats than the standard karts. Karts with a high items rating tend to be heavier than the karts with a low items rating. Karts with high items rating also receive more Mushroom boosts in Time Trial mode. The player will get one Mushroom boost if the items rating is low, two if the items rating is normal, and three if the items rating is high.

The weight system used in Mario Kart DS is different from previous Mario Kart games. The weight class of the character is not as significant, as the weight does not create restrictions on the use of karts. However, the weight of a character can influence the weight of the kart. For example, Bowser driving on the Dry Bomber will have considerably more weight than Dry Bones on the same kart. For this reason, weight is omitted in the table below.

Low stats	High stats	Sp: Speed	Acc: Acceleration	Ha: Handling	Dri: Drift	Ite: Items

Kart	Sp	Acc	Ha	Dri	Ite	Character	Kart (2)	Sp	Acc	Ha	Dri	Ite	Character
File:MKDS 4WheelCradle.PNG 4-Wheel Cradle	3.3	8.5	6.1	6.5	10	Toad	Royale	4.1	6.9	4.3	9.5	10	Peach
File:MKDS Banisher.PNG Banisher	2.5	9.7	9.2	4.5	10	Dry Bones	Shooting Star	6.7	7.5	6.0	5.9	3.3	Mario
B Dasher	5.9	6.8	5.3	5.6	10	Mario	Standard BW	9.7	2.9	2.8	6.8	6.7	Bowser
File:Wariobrute33.png Brute	9.3	5.3	5.0	4.9	3.3	Wario	Standard DB	3.0	9.9	9.7	4.7	6.7	Dry Bones
File:MKDS Cucumber.PNG Cucumber	4.9	8.8	8.0	3.6	10	Yoshi	Standard DK	8.0	4.7	3.4	7.8	6.7	Donkey Kong
File:MDKS Dragonfly.PNG Dragonfly	8.3	4.6	4.5	4.5	10	Wario	Standard DS	6.5	6.5	3.9	8.8	6.7	Daisy
File:MKDS Dry bomber.PNG Dry Bomber	3.4	10	10	4.9	3.3	Dry Bones	Standard LG	7.1	7.4	7.3	3.1	6.7	Luigi
File:MKDS Egg1.PNG Egg 1	5.8	9.2	8.9	4.1	3.3	Yoshi	Standard MR	6.6	7.3	5.6	5.7	6.7	Mario
File:MKDS Gold mantis.PNG Gold Mantis	7.6	6.6	6.0	5.9	3.3	Waluigi	Standard PC	4.7	7.3	4.8	9.8	6.7	Peach
File:MKDS Hurricane.PNG Hurricane	10	3.4	3.1	6.9	3.3	Bowser	Standard RB	9.7	5.3	6.6	2.6	6.7	ROB
File:MKDS Light dancer.PNG Light Dancer	6.7	6.6	4.3	8.9	3.3	Daisy	Standard TD	3.9	8.5	6.4	6.7	6.7	Toad
File:MKDS Lighttripper.PNG Light Tripper	5.0	7.5	5.0	10	3.3	Peach	Standard WL	7.1	6.3	5.6	5.8	6.7	Waluigi
File:MKDS Mushmellow.PNG Mushmellow	4.3	8.7	7.0	7.0	3.3	Toad	Standard WR	8.8	4.9	4.7	4.8	6.7	Wario
Poltergust 4000	7.5	7.6	7.7	3.2	3.3	Luigi	Standard YS	5.5	9.0	8.5	3.9	6.7	Yoshi
File:MKDS Power flower.PNG Power Flower	5.8	6.1	3.5	8.5	10	Daisy	File:MKDS Streamliner.PNG Streamliner	6.5	7.1	6.9	2.9	10	Luigi
File:Rambirider.png Rambi Rider	7.5	4.4	3.0	7.5	10	Donkey Kong	File:MKDS Tyrant.PNG Tyrant	9.0	2.5	2.5	6.5	10	Bowser
ROB-BLS	10	5.5	6.9	2.8	3.3	ROB	File:MKDS Wildlife.PNG Wildlife	8.3	4.9	3.7	7.9	3.3	Donkey Kong
ROB-LGS	9.0	4.8	6.0	2.5	10	ROB	File:MKDS Zipper.PNG Zipper	6.7	5.9	5.1	5.5	10	Waluigi

Note: Margin of error ± .2 points
Shy Guy's kart has identical stats to those of Yoshi's Standard YS.

Options

Emblem maker

Emblem with Mario

Result

The emblem maker can be used to make a variety of designs, for example this picture of Mario.

The options menu lets the player make their own emblem and name for racing throughout the game. They also have an option to make the emblem show up on the kart they are driving. Additionally, this emblem will show up next to a player's name while driving in a multiplayer or Nintendo WFC race. Other options include audio options and deleting data.

Gallery

• Mario Box Figure - Mario Kart DS.png

  Mario in his B Dasher (Boxart picture)

• Luigi4000.jpg

  Luigi driving his Poltergust 4000

• 

  Lakitu, holding up the Final Lap sign.

• Powersliding1.jpg

  Yoshi Power Sliding

• RockyWrenchMKDS.png

  Bowser driving past a Rocky Wrench

• 

  Pokey

Beta elements

Main article: List of Mario Kart DS beta elements

There were two unused items: the Chain Chomp and Bowser's Shell, although the Chain Chomp was the only one found in the item roulette. The Chain Chomp would have likely functioned the same as in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Professor Elvin Gadd was planned to be playable and would have had the Poltergust 4000 as his kart. Birdo may have also be planned as a playable character as there is a pink version of the Egg 1 found in the data.

Glitches

Main article: List of glitches in Mario Kart DS

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In Choco Mountain, if the player goes to the lake and the water splashes before they fall, the boulder should hit them. If done correctly, they should start flying. The screen will then turn black as if they fell into the water. Lakitu will pick then them up. This glitch rarely works after the first time it's performed.

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When the player goes up to the boardwalk that has the one item box, they must press when they are on the wall. If timed correctly, the player can float on the side of the road. This will work in any mode.

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In Pipe Plaza, if the player has a Bob-omb and drops it near one of the pipe holes, another player or a CPU should hit the Bob-omb. If done correctly, the player should go through the pipe hole and he/she will fall. Lakitu will pick the player up as usual. This can also be done with a Super Star, but is harder to pull off.

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To perform this glitch, the player must pick the Luigi's Mansion track in any mode. Once the race starts, the player must then park their character on the stairs at the entrance of the mansion. After that, the player must hold down both and to drift in place. If the player tries to turn, the game will sometimes freeze. This works with any character and kart.

Staff

Main article: List of Mario Kart DS staff

General Producer

• Shigeru Miyamoto

Producer

• Hideki Konno

Directors

• Makoto Wada
• Yasuyuki Oyagi

Mission-Run Mode Director

• Kimiharu Hyodo

Wi-Fi Mode Director

• Katsuhito Nishimura

Planning

• Shinya Hiratake
• Taku Matoba

Programming Director

• Katsuhisa Sato

System Programming

• Yusuke Shiraiwa

Reception

Mario Kart DS was well received by game critics. It currently maintains a 9.2 average at Gamestats, the highest score for a Nintendo DS game on the site (as of December 2006).

Gamespy reviewer Bryn Williams said that online, Nintendo "trimmed it back a little too much for my liking", but was certain that "Even with a few online flaws, this is the best Mario Kart ever." With a rank of 5 out of 5 and describing the multiplayer experience as "great".

GameSpot reviewer Justin Calvert had similar quips with the online feature: "Whether these opponents were leaving voluntarily or because of network problems is anybody's guess, but it's equally irritating either way." He finished up similarly by saying "Mario Kart DS is without a doubt one of the best games to hit the Nintendo DS to date." Mario Kart DS received a score of 9.2 out of 10 and was regarded as GameSpot's Editor's Choice and DS game of the year.

IGN has given an overall score of 9.5 out of 10, granting the game the IGN Editor's Choice Award and DS game of the year. Reviewer Craig Harris commented that "it's just hard to ignore just how limited the online presentation is.", but ended the review with this: "The only way to finish this review is just to say it: this is the greatest Mario Kart game ever developed, and is without a doubt the best DS game of 2005."

Mario Kart DS is the 3rd best selling game for the Nintendo DS, selling 23.56 million copies worldwide.

Notable mistakes and errors

• The instruction booklet for earlier versions of this game makes an error in page 9. "Perform" is misspelled as "perfprm". This was fixed in later releases of the game.
• On page 12, the text of Blooper states, "Sprays ink on the all of the karts in front of you,...", where there is an extra "the" in between "on" and "all". This was not fixed in later releases of the game, however.

References to other games

• Super Mario World: The retro track, Donut Plains 1, which originally came from Super Mario Kart is based off the level area of the same name in this game.
• Super Mario Kart: Mario Circuit 1, Donut Plains 1, Koopa Beach 2, and Choco Island 2 return as retro courses.
• Super Mario 64: The track Tick-Tock Clock is based off of the level of the same name in this game.
• Mario Kart 64: Moo Moo Farm, Frappe Snowland, Choco Mountain, and Banshee Boardwalk return as retro courses, and Block Fort returns as a playable battle course. Also, the name "Wario Stadium" is reused. Lastly, part of the credits theme from this game is used in the second part of the credits when Mirror Special Cup or Lightning Cup is beat in first place.
• Mario Kart: Super Circuit: Peach Circuit, Bowser Castle 2, Luigi Circuit, and Sky Garden return as retro courses.
• Super Mario Sunshine: The track Delfino Square is based off the main area of this game, Delfino Plaza.
• Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: Luigi Circuit, Baby Park, Mushroom Bridge, and Yoshi Circuit return as retro courses, and Pipe Plaza returns as a playable battle course. Also, Wario Stadium seems to use elements from Waluigi Stadium. Some sound effects are also taken from this game, and the character icons from the character select menu are used at the end of a Grand Prix race and a VS match.
• Super Mario Bros. 3: The track Airship Fortress is based of the many airship based levels in this game. Desert Hills is based on World 2 of this game, even featuring the Angry Sun, Podoboos, Fire Snakes, the pyramid, and 2 pipe formations taken from a level in this world. Water Arena and Sand Arena use various objects from this game. A sprite of Mario and Luigi's heads appear on the Single Player and VS. mode bars.
• Mobile Golf: The Golden Mantis is based off Foreman Spike's digger from artwork for this game.
• Luigi's Mansion: The Poltergust 4000 is based off the Poltergust 3000 from this game. Also a track of the same name as this game is based on this game.
• Donkey Kong Country: The Rambi Rider is based off Rambi from this game.
• Wario Land 4: The kart Brute is based off the Wario Car in this game.
• Super Mario 64 DS: All of the boss battles are taken from this game.

References in later games

• Nintendo Monopoly - The kart design on the space Mario Kart and on the Brick Block card "Renew kart license" is the same from this game.
• Mario Kart Wii - Yoshi Falls, Delfino Square, Desert Hills, and Peach Gardens appear as retro courses. Twilight House is a Retro Battle Course. This is also Dry Bones' second Mario Kart appearance.
• Mario Sports Mix - Waluigi owns a pinball-themed course in this game, Waluigi Pinball.
• Mario Kart 7 - Luigi's Mansion, Waluigi Pinball, DK Pass, and Airship Fortress appear as retro courses. Palm Shore is a Retro Battle Course. Also the design of the standard kart is similar but has a rounder appearance. Also, part of the credits theme is similar to that in Mario Kart DS, the karts B Dasher and Egg 1 re-appear too.
• Mario Kart Arcade GP DX - Many of the karts are based off of ones from this game.
• Mario Kart 8 - Cheep Cheep Beach, Wario Stadium, and Tick-Tock Clock return as retro courses. The B-Dasher returns as one of the four karts included in the November DLC Pack.

Trivia

• This is the only Mario Kart game that includes retro tracks that doesn't mix them around in the retro cups (possibly because there are four retro tracks from the four previous installments, as in each retro cup, it goes, a SNES track, a N64 track, a GBA track, then a GCN track).
• This is the first and only Mario Kart game where Lakitu does not start the races off as a referee.
• If the game is played on the original DS, Mario says, "Wahoo!" on the first screen but if it is played on the DS Lite or later, he says, "Here we go!"
• This is the only Mario Kart game where there is no Mario circuit in the Flower Cup, unlike other Mario Kart games.

External links

• Official Mario Kart DS website (North America)
• Official Mario Kart DS website (Europe)