23 out of 23 people found this review helpful.
Mario Kart Madness!
Date of Review: Jan 9, 2004
The Bottom Line: This is a must-buy game for the gamecube. The more people you have playing the more fun you'll have.
Intro
Ever since the Super Nintendo version, Mario Kart games have been at the top of the racing genre. The first installment of the series was considered a milestone of racing games because of some things that are unique to it, such as picking up usable items as you progress around the course. These items were designed to either speed you up or slow your opponent down. The object of the game was to win races, and ultimately, win trophies. Gamers were dazzled at the great gameplay, fun multiplayer, and graphics (at the time). A few years later, Nintendo was able to bring that concept into 3D with Mario Kart 64 for the N64. There was a big improvement in battle mode, a mode where, instead of racing, you try to blow the heck of your opponents with dangerous items like shells, lighting bolts, and even banana peels, in order to pop all of your opponents' 3 balloons. When Nintendo announced the third installment of the series, I knew I had to get ready for a wild ride with Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
New Stuff
The first thing anyone would notice about the new game is now there are two people in a kart instead of one. You probably would notice that one player sits in the front and one stands in back. Well, both players have different jobs. The front person, of course, is the driver. The person in back uses items whenever he/she feels it is needed. There are special advantages to playing two player co-op, such as more powerful slide attacks and the ability for the back player to punch opponents left or right of him/her with a tap of L or R. Another new thing about the game is the battle mode, which will be talked about later.
Unlike the other two, Double Dash makes you pick your characters wisely. Why? Nintendo considered the weight of the characters and karts. So, now a heavy person can't fit in a light kart and a light person isn't able to go in a heavy kart unless with a heavy person. Confused? You should be. The only problem with this innovative idea is it's CONFUSING! Luckily I made this chart to help you understand it better.
Key:
L = light
M = medium
H = heavy
L + L = L
L + M = M
M + M = M
L + H = H
M + H = H
H + H = H
It's basic math, really.
Who you choose affects something else besides the karts you can choose from. Depending who you choose, you will get special items. Every character has a different special item. However, some pairs(characters that make sense together like the Mario bros.), have the same special item. Here are some examples of special items:
DK and Diddy: Giant Banana
Bowser and Bowser Jr.: Bowser Shell
Mario and Luigi: Fireballs (green for Luigi, red for Mario)
Koopa and Paratroopa: Three Shells (green-Koopa,red-Paratroopa)
Baby Mario and Baby Luigi: Chain Chomp
These items add much to the fun. Since there are two characters per kart you are now allowed to hold two items instead of one. Only the back player can use the items, but there are two posible ways you can use that item in the front:
1.Pass it to the rear player with the Y button
2.Switch positions using Z
When you are by yourself in a kart, you control both the front and the back characters. You can't punch to your left or right anymore, because you now use that button to slide around sharp turns. This brings us to our last two new things: sliding and mini-turboing. To slide, simply hold L or R as you go around a bend. Mini-turboing is more tricky.
Steps to a perfect Mini-Turbo
1.Perform a slide as you go around a bend
2.You should see yellow sparks
3.Hold the control stick the opposite way that you are sliding
4.You should see red sparks
5.Hold the control stick the same direction you are sliding in
6.The sparks will become blue
7.Stop sliding/let go of L or R
Gameplay 4/5
In One-player mode, there is not much to do. You can play time trials, but it gets old fast. The main part of one-player is Grand Prix. The more cups you win, the more you unlock. Like in the 64 version, you unlock the special cup. Then you can unlock the All-Cup tour, and finally mirror mode (both very cool). Also, you can unlock endless karts and 4 hidden characters.
In Two-player there is more to do. There are 2 versions of Grand Prix, co-op and vs. Co-op is where player 1 and player 2 work together to win cups. You can switch between the driver and the items chucker at any time during a race, though player 1 always starts as the driver. However, I found the switch in co-op to be quite annoying since you have to push that tiny z button at the same time as your partner, which reduces you to screaming things like "one...two...three...now!" at the top of your lungs.
Then, you become frustrated because it not working and jam that z button over and over. Of course, then it changes drivers...twice. Which gets you where you were before. Oh well...not that big of a deal. In vs., you can race against each other in the Grand Prix or alone with no computer controlled karts.
In three player, you can play 1 vs 2 vs 3 or 1 player + 2 player vs 3 player. You can play versus and battle.*
In four player, you can play 1 vs 2 vs 3 vs 4, 1 and 2 vs 3 and 4, or 1 and 2 vs 3 vs 4 on both battle and versus modes.*
*If there are only 2 player controlled karts, then you can play Grand Prix.
Sound 5/5
Flawless. I especially like the tune after a race on Grand Prix. In Battle mode, sound is upbeat and fast. Races don't have songs but you can hear the roar of the engine and Bowser getting blown up behind you. From the intro song to the end credits, sound is awesome.
Control 5/5
Great controls. Most are easy to pick up, but some are harder to learn. The mini-turbo will take about ten tries to perfect, and you have to know when to slide your kart to the left or right. However, the jump has been removed. But isn't all bad because there is nowhere that requires you to jump, unlike in the 64 version.
Graphics 5/5
Graphics were outstanding. Nintendo put in a lot of character detail, kart detail, but most of all track detail. The courses are very well designed-they are very innovative and pay attention to small detail that the 64 version did not (or could not) give. I was impressed especially when, after a race, the camera would zoom in on your character(s) and they would remark something like "Mario get you next time" or "Aw, brutal!".
Battle 4/5
There are two new types of battle as well as the original balloon battle.
~Balloon Battle~
As I explained in the intro, Balloon Battle is where you pop all your opponents balloons to win. This is usally fun, but Double Dash has such small Battle courses that it is too easy to get hit and there are not hiding places like the 64 version of Mario Kart.
~Shine Thief~
The object in this game is to hold the shine (a sun-like figure) for a set amount of time while your opponents try to blast you in any way they can so that you drop the shine or someone steals it from you. Here are some ways you can lose the shine:
1.Slipping on a banana
2.Getting hit with an item
3.Someone ramming into you while boosting with a mushroom
4.Someone ramming into you while becoming invinsible with a star
~Bob-Omb Blast~
The most mindless battle game is also the most fun. Gather items like you normally would, but... why do I keep getting bombs?!? Relax, it's part of the game. The point is to gather bombs and chuck or drop them to hit your opponent and get stars. To win, you must get a certain amount of stars that varies depending on how many people are playing.
Replay Value 3/5
If you don't have another person around with you alot that is at your skill level at this game, then replay value is low after you beat the game. Time Trials will only last you an hour before you get sick of them, and Grand Prix isn't worth playing anymore.
