To the many of you who have been around the gaming block once or twice, think about the obscure genre of kart racing. Nintendo introduced this platform back on the SNES and subsequently the genre has exploded. If you’ve been involved with gaming since then, you’ve seen your fair share of kart racers, each trying to duplicate the pure fun of Mario Kart. I’ve yet to come across one that is its equal, and in any review pertaining to a kart racer, Mario Kart is always mentioned.
After the success of Mario Kart, the scruffy N64 took on its sequel; Mario Kart 64. With added levels, items and improved graphics (minus the coins), MK64 took over the reigns of the kart industry. To this day, I still play the N64 version on a monthly basis.
With that said, there was a lot of pressure on Nintendo to replicate the success of its two previous titles with its latest offering, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. I remember when fellow netjak staffers Clay and Rick came back from E3 earlier this year, my first question was, “WHAT ABOUT MARIO?!” Their response wasn’t as enthusiastic as I anticipated, but I was still hopeful.
As with any successful series, developers try to focus on two things. First, they don’t want to lose the flavor of the original game. People are creatures of habit. When I play any Mario Kart game, I want the controls to have the same feel. Second, the general public wants the whole “New and Improved” sticker plastered all over the box. It has always fascinated me how some games (like the Madden series) continue to “make improvements” and keep selling games. Regardless, people want new features without sacrificing something they are familiar with.
Needless to say, the "hook" of Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is the ability to have two people per kart. This is the quirkiness that my netjak E3 buddies described to me. I was a bit hesitant myself on how they were going to pull it off, but in reality it’s more gimmicky than it is functional. Fanboys, hold your emails and comments, and don’t throw me that garbage about team combinations and such. The bottom line is that it’s a great concept, but its only positive use is for two players. For you single player racers, team combination does have its positive effects (depending on your style... I’ll give you that), but the real joy comes from the two player cooperative mode. One player can control the driving and the other takes the back seat, controlling items and stealing/punching.
So there you have it... the new "Mario Kart hook". Now that we have that out of the way, let me change gears. For you impatient types, I’ll skip right to the bottom line and you can read the rest at your leisure. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is a good addition the series, but it lacks the fun-factor of the N64 version.
One thing that worried me (as well as the community) was the control. Thank Shigeru, the gameplay and controls are darn near perfect. I was ecstatic to find that the physics and control were right on target and felt identical to the N64 version. To me, that was my biggest fear and everything else was secondary. Aside from the "two people per kart" deal, Nintendo pumped the game with a few cool extras worth noting. The most obvious is that each set of characters (i.e. Mario and Luigi) have their own specific power-up item. The power-ups range from a massive spiked shell to a huge Chomp-Chomp on a chain pummeling everything in sight as it tugs you along. Another benefit of having two people per kart is that you can now hold two items. This is a concept that other kart games in the past have incorporated and finally Nintendo caught on. I’m assuming this is where the whole concept of having two-karters comes into play. In Single Player mode, once you use an item the driver automatically hops to the back so you can have access to the second item. In Two-Player mode, the driver can either switch to the back or pass the item to player two.
There are also a few other cool features that have expanded the gameplay within Mario Kart. At first I didn’t notice, but you’ll often see other vehicles on the road that you can interact with. The two most noticeable are the mushroom truck and the bomb kart. Bump into the mushroom truck and a mushroom flies ahead, allowing you to catch it and get a much needed boost. I’ll let you guess what happens when you run into the bomb kart. Not only can you lose serious time by running into the bomb kart, you can also use it to your advantage. Shooting the kart will make it explode, so using a bit of strategy with the deadly moving bomb can prove quite beneficial if timed correctly.
I have mixed feelings regarding the power-ups, however. For the most part they are identical to their N64 counterparts. The only exceptions are the triple turtles (red and green). These have been removed, and given as “specials” for the Koopa turtles. Other than that, there aren’t any new items. I don’t have a problem with that at all, honestly. What I do have a problem with is the actual use of the items. Before, one of the main strategies used with items was that they could not only be used for offensive purposes, but also defensively. For example: you could hold onto a turtle shell by holding the button in, and if someone ran into you or shot a shell at you, it would block it like a shield. I’m curious as to why Nintendo removed this feature, and I was definitely a bit disappointed. Again, let me dodge the fanboy attacks now. I realize that you can block incoming projectiles with items, but it’s not the same. Nintendo also added another small feature that acts like radar, popping up a “warning” letting you know that an incoming projectile is coming your way.
My last gripe has to be the discontinuation of the "whistle" feature. In 64 the player was able to pull out of a spin by hitting the brake and acceleration buttons in sequence. Not sure why this was removed, but needless to say I was a bit dissapointed...
Probably the most enigmatic thing about the game, however, has to be the "double dash". How can a game's name be based on one move that can only be used in two player co-op game mode? The majority of players will never even experience a “double dash”. And, to be quite honest, I don’t see the hoopla about it. It’s really no different than your normal “fast start” by pressing the green button at the right time in Single Player mode.
As far as extras, that’s really about it. The game modes are just about the same as the N64 version with a few twists. You'll also find some neat-o modes like Battle Mode and Shine Thief to extend replay. Out of the box, Double Dash is quite bland. Keeping with the times, Nintendo did throw in some cool features to unlock; including the “Special Cup”. To unlock most of the hidden features, you simply have to get first place in each speed class (50, 100, 150). Getting the gold in each of these categories unlocks everything from new karts to new characters. This is a nice touch to keep the replay value high. Unlocking things isn’t as easy as it seems, though. 50cc is a breeze, and you can win the races with your eyes closed. 100cc keeps the pace nice, with enough challenge not to bore you. 150cc, on the other hand, is truly a nail biter. No, really, 150cc is tough. You’ve gotta give Nintendo props for making the game challenging for all ages. This is one of the greatest strengths of the company: Allowing gamers of all ages to enjoy the same product.
Looking at the game from a media standpoint, the game fits the Mario bill perfectly. The graphics are crisp, colorful and the theme fits the mood wonderfully. You’ll also notice nice “little” touches like dynamic dust clouds and hazy visual conditions, as well as a panoramic environment. Nintendo stays in tune with their previous Mario titles, including Super Mario Sunshine.
The audio is more of the same: familiar Nintendo beats play in the background with classic sound effects around every corner. Maybe it was just me, but the soundtrack seemed a bit dull in comparison to Sunshine or even Mario Golf. It seemed a bit too hollow, and didn’t have the robust nature of the previous two. Regardless, the sound does the job and Nintendo fans won’t be disappointed.
Speaking of disappointment, overall I was barely just satisfied with the release of Double Dash. While most of my grief comes from some of the basics (like holding onto items), I was a bit let down by the shortness of the levels. While some were ok, most seemed a bit too short compared to the N64 version.
As mentioned, the unlockables really make this a sound purchase and any fan of the series would be pleased with this release. However, many will probably over-criticize the game because they still want the same feeling they received from the originals. Well, it’s not going to happen. No matter where you are in your gaming life, however, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is a solid, well thought out title for the whole family. If you have another person to play with, that makes it an even better purchase.
