Mario Kart ! (Nintendo)

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Op zaterdag 1 november 2003 18:15 schreef Aliendrone het volgende:

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Klik hier als je de 2secret characters wil zien:
http://www.noxl.nl/staff/upload//comments.php?id=173

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Op zaterdag 1 november 2003 18:53 schreef Roi het volgende:
Ok, hier komt een spoiler over 2 nieuwe characters, weet niet of het hier al gepost is maargoed...

Klik hier als je de 2secret characters wil zien:
http://www.noxl.nl/staff/upload//comments.php?id=173

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Op zaterdag 1 november 2003 23:42 schreef Chocobo het volgende:

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Hoe rij je in godsnaam met een plant Wel heeeel cool

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 00:28 schreef blieblie het volgende:

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Met zo'n rioolbuis kart, echt met oog voor detail gedaan

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Febster was dit dus

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:14 schreef gamecube_master het volgende:
JAH! mario kart komt op 7 november uit! nog maar 5 daagjes dan

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:17 schreef Toadette het volgende:

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Dan krijg ik dus eerder mijn verjaardagskado

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:17 schreef gamecube_master het volgende:

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wacht effe, ik kan hem dan voor me verjaardag vragen! ik ben namelijk 10 november jarig

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:21 schreef Toadette het volgende:

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ik ben de 16de jarig, maar hij blijft echt niet een week ingepakt liggen.

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:27 schreef Toadette het volgende:
Op de supernintendo heb ik dat spel zo vaak gespeeld dat ikhet nog een wonder vind dat het spel nu nog niet kapot is.

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:33 schreef Chocobo het volgende:

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Cartridges

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:38 schreef Toadette het volgende:
mariokart is het spel geweest waardoor ik eelt op mijn vingers heb gekregen. Vooral op je l;inkerduim die continu op de kruisje geplakt zat.

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MARIO KART: DOUBLE DASH!! A perfect 10.

My relationship with Mario Kart isnt the normal one for a gamer my age (28). Mario Kart 64 was actually the first game in the series that I played. It wasnt that I wasnt into games as a kid, I was heavily into the Atari and NES, but in 1991 I had a certain distraction (ahem, girls) that kept me very busy for about 4-5 years. The N64 brought me back with a vengeance and one game stole more hours from me than any other: Mario Kart 64. The 4 player aspect alone was so incredible that even though I have since gone back and played through the SNES version which in many respects is better, it doesnt come close to the fun I had with 64. 4-player meant everything, and at the time, it was the only machine that could pull-off such an amazing experience.

So believe me when I say, my expectations for the GameCube Mario Kart were completely unreasonable. Yet somehow, it has succeeded in not only being my most favorite game of this generation, but the most fun Ive ever had playing a videogame period. Believe the hype, this game is the best game youll ever play.

With any game there are always two sides to consider: the technical/artistic merits, and of course gameplay and longevity. The latter being more important, but to truly be special you need it all. Thankfully, MK:DD doesnt disappoint. Ill refrain from points for each section, because writing 10.0 over and over is a waste of time. Although I do have gripes, they dont affect the score in the least. So, onto the look of the game:

60 frames per second. A much debated aspect of gaming, with most Nintendo apologists saying mindless things like The human eye can only see 32 frames per second so it doesnt matter!. Well I believe that argument has finally become moot because after F-Zero and now Mario Kart, there can be no question how much better a game (especially a racing game) feels at 60 fps. This is simply a bar that has been raised and needs to be attained in this generation to consider a game great. MK:DD does it with no problem, even in 4 player split-screen (with toned down graphics), so theyve met the standard.

To do this however, the overall geometry and polygon count of the game does take a bit of a dive. Buildings are flat, grass is just a flat green square, and the cars are somewhat boxy. Basically, it's what youd expect. For this generation however, its completely acceptable. Whereas Super Mario Sunshine had graphical shortcomings that seemed lazy and rushed, nothing in Mario Kart sticks out for this generation. This is the best the Cube can do, and thats all you can ask for.

Artistically the game shines. There is so much going on in these tracks, and the tie-ins with past Nintendo Games makes you long to play the old games all over again. I mean, fireballs are back for Mario for cryin out loud! I love you Nintendo! There was a moment on Waluigi Stadium where I simply shook my head at how perfectly nostalgic it was. The spinning fireball lines from the original Super Mario Bros. on the NES to the piranha plants and green pipes all whizzin by you while the mayhem ensues. And thats where the style really attacks you the chaos created by weapons.

Nintendo went all out with the weapons this time. The normal suspects are all there, from the shells to the bananas, but now each character has their own special item they can get and quite a few of them are HUUUUUGE. The first time you see a green shell four times the size of your kart come barreling over your left side with a massive red mushroom cloud exploding to your right as you barely escape it, then try to powerslide around oncoming traffic you understand the amazingly random art and style of MK:DD. The fact that AI can create such amazing scenery is all the more impressive because its different every time.

The tracks are once again as varied as can be. From sand to snow to water to streets to mountainsif theres something missing, I certainly dont know what it is. 12 tracks to start off with, with 4 more to unlock and of course all 16 mirrored, so theres enough to please everyone. Ill refrain from gushing over the 4 unlockable tracks, but rest assured they are the absolute cream of the crop. More than anything, the levels are beautifully interactive. Something that wasnt really touched upon so much with MK:64 except for the occasional boulder. For example, in the Daisy Cruiser level you go through a dining room and the tables are sliding through your path as the boat rocks back and forth. Brilliant. As I stated before, the fireball lines and piranha plants in Waluigi Stadium are perfect obstacles during the race. Theres several more, but theyre actually spoilers that you have to experience with the same awe that I had when I saw them. Its these touches that make every track feel different, not just the colors and themes. The only thing missing, which Im almost certain they will do the next time around, is weather. I want to race in a downpour with puddles everywhere sliding like crazy. It would add so much to have interactive snow that you track around, that actually builds up throughout the race because of the blizzard conditions. Its almost more of a gameplay issue than simply the look of it, but you cant penalize the game because this wasnt included. This type of racing already has a million things going on and weather effects would probably have been at the expense of framerate, and thats not an acceptable loss. So heres hopin the next generations power can handle it.

The characters and weights are almost identical with MK64 except the smaller guys arent necessarily the best choice. Maybe its my foggy memory, but I remember the small guys being much faster in MK64, with poorer handling abilities. But if you were skilled enough you could overcome those and gain the advantage of the faster machine. In MK:DD however they have good acceleration, but normal speed. Your medium and heavy karts are actually the better choice. Not a good or bad change per se just different. And look ma! No Sprites! Heh. MK64s characters were actually sprites if you can believe it, and in MK:DD the characters look really good. Nice detail, very rounded edges and beautiful animation, which brings me to the next section:

The overall animation in this game is absolutely is top notch. When you throw a shell it actually tumbles over and then starts racing. A banana will flap in the wind before it lands. When you switch seats with your driver/rider its a perfect fluid motion. When your rider has 3 mushrooms hell juggle them and look around while waiting for you to throw it. Its these touches that are why we put up with Nintendos archaic business practices their attention to detail is often second to none, and thats never been more obvious than with MK:DD.

Sound however isnt as obvious, but on reflection shines just as bright. My first impression was the music wasnt much of an upgrade quality-wise. The songs seemed overly midi and almost too game-showy. After playing it for some time however, it works. It fits each level, and there are several classics that well all be humming for months. Any dislike of the music is most assuredly just personal preference, and not an actual detraction from the game or a reflection of poor musicianship by the game makers.

The sound effects however are hardly objective, theyre awesome. No doubts, no qualms perfect. What at first seems like just a bunch of noise, to the trained ear will become your best strategy. Hearing shells come towards you (as well as paying attention to the indicators) and skidding away from them to sensing the Chomp about to eat you, the sound effects completely live up to the visuals in terms of chaos, art and style. The voices have enough varied sound bites that nothing becomes too annoying. And thankfully the babies dont cry. Its bad enough hearing them talk sometimes, but if they cried I seriously wouldve lost it.

Now we move onto what really matters: Gameplay. There are just so many areas where a game can falter if careful attention isnt paid to every aspect. Again, Nintendo is nearly flawless in its execution.

First and foremost theres 2 riders now. When I first heard of this I was completely disappointed. I was certain Nintendo had messed up a perfect formula. However, its so commonplace now that its a wonder they didnt think of it before. And isnt that always the way with Nintendo? Innovations that are obvious, yet no one has ever thought of it. Classic. It actually changes very little in the gameplay except that now you can hold 2 items, and in multi-player you and your teammate have to work together to time your slides. That, and of course now it looks really cool, cause the Mario Bros. have turned into the Dukes of Hazzard constantly jumpin around on the kart. Its a welcome innovation and one that should never leave the series. Very well done Nintendo.

The control is pretty straight forward, with only one major change from MK64: Powerslides. Much easier. You simply hit your right or left shoulder buttons depending on the turn. Gone is the hop and once youre into the turn, getting the mini-boost from the left and right swivel of your analog stick, is very, very easy in comparison to MK64. I personally dont like that. It was that level of skill, being able to Powerslide to Red on every turn that separated the men from the boys. Granted it was frustrating, but more satisfying. Its actually much like Wall-Jumping in Super Mario Sunshine as compared to Mario 64. They made it easier, but almost too easy. Then again, I remember wanting to throw my controller against the wall on certain wall jumps on Mario 64, so you cant complain too much. So the Powerslide is a minor gripe, and as far as Hopping goes you never miss it.

The speed is thankfully improved from its first showing. 150cc feels exactly as it should, and with all the zips that you go over you feel like youre flyin. Any faster would take away from the emphasis on the weapons. Why they even showed the version they did at E3 so friggin slow is beyond me. That was a joke. Be very, very glad this was fixed because had it not been, this game would be ruined. Its like a platformer with a main character that runs like hes in molasses. It will completely destroy the entire experience.

Computer AI is about as improved as you could possibly hope for. The first time I saw an AI kart skid out of the way of a red shell, I was very very happy. As well, if youre in 8th place starting the final lap, youre not getting 1st. At best youll get to 3rd or 4th, and that makes all the difference in the world. Gone are the days where you can move up 8 places in 20 seconds, and same goes for the computer. 2nd place wont get lightning like MK64 and again, you can no longer just hang back for 2 laps and then race to first because of your items. You will be left in the dust.

The final big change in the actual gameplay is the inability to hang items from your bumper to block incoming shells. You can drop a banana right at the moment youre about to be hit, but as of this date, Ive not been able to master it with any consistency. Youre moving so much that if you drop the banana while turning, the shell will get you anyway. Id be curious to ask the developers why they excluded thismaybe a balance issue? Either way it isnt tragic, but certainly a missed defense.

On the topic of weapons, rest assured your favorites are there (even if not immediately accessible). I dont want to spoil anymore than I already have, so just be prepared to unlock everything and know youll be happy. I thought a few things were missing when I first started playing, but theyre in there.

Which brings us to the setup of the game and the myriad of unlockables. Nintendo really went all out this time. Locked characters, karts, levels it makes the single-player mode wildly addictive. Unlocking everything will certainly take you a few days, and is much more satisfying than MK64. The lack of a story mode actually surprised me as that was the one thing about Diddy Kong Racing that I thought whooped MK64s butt. It was an incredibly creative way to go through the game. Even something along the lines of F-Zero wouldve been fun, but its not really a deterrent to the game just something I wouldve liked to have seen.

And of course, over 2,200 words later we finally get to the most important part of the review: Multiplayer. Do not attempt this, unless you have nowhere to be the next day. That line is not written as to make you smile or laugh, it is actually a warning. You will play this game for over 8 hours straight at some point in your life. For me? It was 9 ½ hours the first day I got it. From 6 PM to 3:30 AM. Unfortunately I had to be up 4 hours later, and wasnt too happy about a full 10 hour workday (didnt stop me from playing 5 hours that night though). Heres a surprise about the highly touted LAN Multiplayer: for racing, split-screen is actually better in my opinion. Certainly graphically its not, but for gameplay watching your enemies screen is such a huge part of the strategy and it seems like theres a lot more dumb-luck when its LAN. Ive done it with 3 TVs and 6 players, and although its a blast, the advantage of the skilled player is slightly diminished. Very, very nit-picky, but just my 2 cents.

For battle-mode however: hell yes LAN is the way to go. Its like Halo on karts baby. Unfortunately, you cant take off the motion detector. Id give anything to be able to disable that, and have a truly stealth frag fest.

This time around Nintendo has broken it up into 3 different sub-games. Balloon Battle, Shine Thief and Bob-Omb Blast.

Balloon Battle is the familiar 3 balloon setup is in tact with just one little twist: you can steal a players balloon and add it to yours. Its the single most impressive (and looking back OBVIOUS) upgrade to this mode. It adds so much strategy, and is just annoying as ever-lovin hell when it happens to you. Ive never been angrier than being up on some mofo 2 balloons to 1, and then having it stolen and now Im one hit away from going out. Its maddening, but perfect. Hats off to Nintendo for that.

Shine Thief is basically King of the HIll with each player trying to hold the Shine when the counter ticks down to zero. You can steal it by slamming into the kart. A little disappointed they didn't make it a cumulative time spent holding type of deal as with Tony Hawk - but it's still fun.

The final mode, Bob-Omb Blast has the potential to be incredible, but they keep no stats for 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place. What the hell? The game is great, you pick up bombs, each kart can hold 10 (5 per character) and you chuck 'em at everyone. IF you successfully bomb someone you you gain a star (4 to win) and if someone hits you, you lose a star. It's certainly fun - but a simple stat tracking would've added endless replay to this. Nintendo made the same mistake with Wave Race and not allowing you to keep track of your wins and losses in multiplayer. Another puzzling move, when it seems the solution is so simple.

The levels actually leave a little to be desired and for the first time leads to the question: Why cant you use some actual tracks for battle mode? Baby Park would be awesome in battle mode, even Luigis Circuit. As it is, the levels are suitable, but lacking any great obstacles that would add to the gameplay. Again, being nit-picky, but thats all you can do for this game.

Unfortunately, there is one legitimate gripe and that is that when you dieyou die. No bombs this time. It was so glorious to become a bomb and spoil someones chance of winning in MK64. As is the case with the Hanging Items gripe, you just gotta wonder what the reasoning was behind it. Its minor indeed, but quite puzzling as to why its not included.

The Multiplayer section wouldnt be complete without at least mentioning Online Gaming. As a subscriber to Xbox Live, it absolutely breaks my heart that Nintendo didnt see fit to set up at least a peer-to-peer system since they already put all the coding into LAN. It wouldve taken very little to at least give people the option. Warp-Pipe does work surprisingly well, but the framerate is still buggy even with no lag. As well, once you have real-time voice-chat in gaming, its hard to go back. I have unlimited long distance however, and have been able to recreate the Xbox Live feel, but its very difficult. As well, without dedicated servers your experience is pretty limited. What couldve put this game over-the-top and been Nintendos perfect entry into the online gaming world is an opportunity wasted. Its why I want so badly for Nintendo to drop out of the hardware business and concentrate on the software. If they had done that for this generation, we could be playing Mario Kart with real-time voice chat with 16 different people across the world. But its just not meant to be.

When its all said and done, this is still the best game Ive ever played. Just because theres potential for a game to be slightly better, doesnt keep it from being the best. Everything can always be better, but theres something to be said for the best yet. What is so incredible about MK:DD is that they avoided the mistakes of previous GameCube rehashes and at the same time added new twists to completely freshen up the series. They took their time with this game and it shows at every corner. If you read a negative review about this game take it as nothing more than that persons personal issues towards gaming. If you cant play a game because the characters are too cute, youre a moron. These are GAMES. Although I love realistic gaming as much as the next guy, fun is fun. And Mario Kart is bar-none the most fun you will ever have playing videogames. It is a 10 in every respect. Almost every gripe is a personal nit-pick, and even those can probably be debated. There is no reason not to own this game, and seriously if the game doesnt enter your dreams or make you drive differently after you play it, its time to reconsider your hobby. Its a perfect 10.

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 11:00 schreef BMH het volgende:
Klein reviewtje
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Op zondag 2 november 2003 10:14 schreef gamecube_master het volgende:
JAH! mario kart komt op 7 november uit! nog maar 5 daagjes dan

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 15:22 schreef King_of_cubes het volgende:
hij komt toch pas de 14 e uit??

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Op zondag 2 november 2003 16:46 schreef TAG-Speedy het volgende:
De 7e lijkt me flauwekul, op Nintendo.nl staat ook gewoon de 14e ... zou ook niet inzien waarom ze hem een week eerder in de winkels zouden gooien (dat betekend dan dan je bij sommige gameshops hem al over 3 dagen zou moeten kunnen kopen). Wordt een beetje afgegaan op de speelgoed boeken van Intertoys en Bart Smit en een wazig forum bericht, hoezo hypen die handel

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