Mario Kart DS

Mario Kart DS
Developer	Nintendo EAD
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Nintendo DS, Wii U Virtual Console
Release Date	Nintendo DS US November 14, 2005 AU November 17, 2005 EU November 25, 2005 JP December 8, 2005 KO April 5, 2007 Wii U Virtual Console PAL April 1, 2015 US April 23, 2015 JP May 25, 2016
Genre	Racing
Gallery	GH Gallery
Rating	ESRB: E

Mario Kart DS is a racing game that acts as the fifth Mario Kart game (sixth if counting Mario Kart Arcade GP), which was released for the Nintendo DS.

Gameplay

The usual cast of characters (from Mario Kart 64 and Super Circuit) return with several unlockable characters. The game returns to the original style of kart-racing. The game has twice the amount of normal race tracks due to having two separate cups - the Nitro Cup (which contains all the new tracks) and the Retro Cup (which contains cups from the previous four Mario Kart games, not counting Mario Kart Arcade GP).

In addition, there is a challenge mode where players can perform a variety of tasks. The challenge mode includes boss races for the first time in the Mario Kart series. Battle Mode makes another return appearance as well.

The game can be played with up to 8 players in a immediate group of players. Through DS Download Play, it is possible to play against players who do not own the game, although all players without the game could only play as Shy guy. Mario Kart DS could be played online against three other players with a variety of options to work with. The game itself launched alongside the Nintendo DS Wi-Fi system and was the first game to use it.

Playable Characters

The following are the starting roster, which is comprised of the core eight characters from Mario Kart 64:

• Mario
• Luigi
• Peach
• Yoshi
• Toad
• Donkey Kong
• Wario
• Bowser

There are then four unlockable characters:

• Daisy
• Waluigi
• Dry Bones
• R.O.B.

Shy Guy is also available as a racer only for players playing the game through the Download Play option.

Tracks

Mushroom Cup	Flower Cup	Star Cup	Special Cup
Figure-8 Circuit	Desert Hills	DK Pass	Wario Stadium
Yoshi Falls	Delfino Square	Tick-Tock Clock	Peach Gardens
Cheep Cheep Beach	Waluigi Pinball	Mario Circuit	Bowser's Castle
Luigi's Mansion	Shroom Ridge	Airship Fortress	Rainbow Road

Legacy

This game was notable as the first Mario Kart game to use Wi-Fi and for featuring a wider variety of optional karts for each character. It also introduced the idea of Retro courses (preceded only by all of the courses from Super Mario Kart being unlockable in Mario Kart: Super Circuit), which has been a tradition employed by every following Mario Kart game. Courses from this game have also gone on to be included as Retro courses in later Mario Kart games, starting with Mario Kart Wii.

Ports and Remakes

• In 2015 (2016 for Japan), it was released for download through the Wii U's eShop as part of the Wii U Virtual Console. This version was only playable in single-player mode.

Sequels

The next Mario Kart game to be released was Mario Kart Arcade GP 2. The next console game was Mario Kart Wii, while the next handheld game would be Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS.

See Also

• Mario Kart Tracks