![]() The only advantages from snaking are now better lap times or getting the jump on the volatile CPU opponents. While snaking is still available in the Virtual Console re-release, the absence of online or any form of multiplayer makes this significantly less of an issue. At the time of the original's release, this ability had a love / hate relationship with players – particularly in the online connected modes, with some players claiming it completely destroyed the game, while others believed it was a mechanic there to be taken advantage of. One other feature still available in all of its glory in the Virtual Console port is the infamous snaking mechanic, where the player drifts and boosts repeatedly to gain a permanent speed boost. And don't forget the new Missions mode broken into seven levels with each containing eight tasks ranging from coin collection, mini-turbo challenges and then the boss battles against archetypal Super Mario enemies. At its core, the DS version is a refined experience offering 36 karts, 12 diverse characters – not including the now unplayable Shy Guy (a Download Play exclusive) – and for the first time ever 16 retro tracks (excluding the GBA title which featured the entire catalogue of Super Mario Kart tracks) alongside 16 new tracks designed with the specifications of the DS in mind. There is plenty of content to work through as well, much like classic entries in the series. What remains of a stripped back version of Mario Kart DS is still admirable in terms of overall quality. Added to this is a VS mode against CPU players with plenty of track, kart and player customisation, a classic Time Trial mode (now limited to just the system and staff's ghosts), and then the usual Grand Prix mode with its familiar engine classes, while aiming for podium position and a three star ranking. Thankfully, the solo mode in the DS version is slightly more groundbreaking with the addition of a series first – Missions – where players test their skills in a series of driving challenges and face off against bosses, and a more enticing Battle mode – making use of CPU opponents and featuring two thrilling scenarios – called Shine Runners, and also the ability to blow balloons with the Wii U GamePad microphone (one of the few features that has remained intact in the Virtual Console port) in the standard Balloon Battle. ![]() With removal of the defining aspects of the original, what's left is a single player mode that offers a similar experience to fellow portable Virtual Console title, Mario Kart: Super Circuit for Game Boy Advance. And with that, a very large portion of experience is gone, raising serious questions about appropriate titles for Nintendo's download collection. Reality hits hard upon realisation that the core components of what made Mario Kart DS such a success – the local and online multiplayer – are no longer accessible. While the majority of the game has aged gracefully since 2005, unfortunately the setbacks are related to the limitations of the Virtual Console. So, with such a rich history, the question is – how successfully has Mario Kart DS transitioned into the Wii U Virtual Console library? Of course, there was the elephant in the room – snaking – which acted as a vital lesson for Nintendo which was, at the time, still relatively new to the modern online games arena – but more on that later. Players could now test their kart racing skills against the world. The title reinvigorated a tried, tested and proven formula that fans had adored for years, and fuelled new life into the series with an even bigger emphasis on multiplayer. With a newfound direction and plenty of accolades, it's clear the DS outing of Mario Kart had a significant impact on the series – arguably greater than that of any entry before it. Not only did this entry go on to become a flagship title for the DS, and one of the best-selling games on the system to match, but to this day it still stands as the second highest-selling Mario Kart of all-time, eventually beaten by its younger sibling, Mario Kart Wii, from the same generation of gaming. Mario Kart on the DS mirrored this fresh approach, incorporating a portable online multiplayer experience that was accessible to the masses. ![]() This particular iteration was released during a transitional phase for the company, with Nintendo beginning to rethink the conventions of gaming. The 2005 hit, Mario Kart DS, marked a new era for Nintendo and its long-running racing series.
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