GC: Mario Kart Double Dash!!

[Jaz]

http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/mariokart-dd-main.jpg

Some people worship Zelda, some can’t live without Final Fantasy, others just can’t get enough of a certain spiky blue hedgehog. For me, the gaming series that I could happily play for the rest of my life is the Mario Kart legacy. And here we go again. Mario and his chums return for the latest event in the Mario Grand Prix calendar, Mario Kart Double Dash!!, on the Nintendo GameCube.

GAMEPLAY – 5/5

Where the hell do I start with this one? Every single Mario Kart game has been an absolute delight to play, and this latest instalment is no different. From the moment you power up your ‘Cube, you know you’re in for a real treat. Taking Yoshi out with a red shell on the final corner of the final lap, as you soar in to take the win, is as enjoyable as it has always been.

Obviously, this being called “Double Dash”, the biggest gameplay difference from it’s predecessors is that you now have two characters in one kart, one responsible for the driving duties, and the other riding shotgun at the back, taking control of the weaponry on offer. You can switch the characters around at any point in the race with a simple push of the Z-button, and this feature works quite well as each of the characters can both collect items, and so switching them around to use the right item at the right time is essential.

Apart from that, there have been a few minor tweaks, which make this version more playable than the 64 version. Firstly, I found that the green shells appear to be much more accurate to use than before, making far less of a useless item than they perhaps used to be. As I mentioned, each character can pick up an individual item now, too, such as Mario’s fireball attack, which adds to the variety of the game slightly.

Before I move onto the next category, I just want to mention that, with the exception of the tiresome Rainbow Road, every track on MKDD!! is designed superbly, and will never grow old.

http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokartss2s.jpg (http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokartss2.jpg)

GRAPHICS – 4/5

The beautifully coloured, cartoon-style graphics make MKDD!! instantly recognisable as a Mario game. The detail on each of the tracks is superb, and you’ll soon be recognising buildings and the like from the Mario kingdom. The character models are what we’ve come to expect, highly detailed also, and well animated. Whilst MKDD!! was never going to push the graphical boundaries of the GameCube, as, say Metroid Prime did, they managed to impress in their own way.


SOUND – 4/5

As with the Graphics, the best way to describe the sound and music in this game would be “typically Mario”. Each of the sound effects in the game, you’ll of heard a million times before. But you’ll be equally happy to hear them for the next million times, too! A special mention must go to the Nintendo boot-up screen, where you just hear Mario cry “Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiintendo”! ;)

http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokartss12s.jpg (http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokartss12.jpg)

ADDICTION – 5/5

Now this is what Mario Kart is all about. I don’t know about you lot, but to this very day, I still play Mario Kart 64, some 5 or 6 years after its release. Now I’ve only had MKDD!! for a few days, but already it is evident that this version is no different to *all* of the Mario Kart games. The multiplayer game is, as predicted, superb. Obviously, you’ve got your VS mode, where 4 people (up to 8 now, too, thanks to LAN) can race against each other, but the biggest multiplayer improvement comes in the form of the battle mode. Not only do you have your regular “3-ballon” battle game, but you now get a Shine Get! mode, where you have to chase after the Shine (as featured in Mario Sunshine), and also a mode where you just chuck bombs at each other! Little things, but it all adds to the length of the game.

I’ll obviously update this part of the review as time passes, but I’ll put any money in the world on the fact that I’ll still be playing this game in 6 months, and then in 6 years. Genius.

http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokartss5s.jpg (http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokartss5.jpg)

OVERALL – 4.5/5

Another game of sheer brilliance from Nintendo. I was waiting a long long time for this one, and it really is the reason I held onto my GameCube. And boy am I glad I did. The days of playing Mario Kart 64 multiplayer for hours upon hours a day are back. Only better. :D

BEST BITS

Awesome track design
Improved weaponry
Loads more characters
Best multiplayer you’ll ever play


WORST BITS

Rainbow Road is STILL there!
What did they do with the jump button?!


http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokart_gcn_ss6s.jpg (http://www.emulation64.com/reviews/images/other/pt_mariokart_gcn_ss6.jpg)

[Davemc]

Nice review there Jaz mate.
I'm off to buy this tomorrow. :)
The reviews say that if you're a big Mario Kart fan, you'd be dissapointed at this. As you're a huge Mario Kart fan, I can assume they are wrong. I too, am a huge fan. ;)
I just hope the turbo slide thing is actually good.
I can't live without that on MK64. :D

[Burnpro]

nice review jaz..
i just regret i sold my gamecube months ago after playing eternal darkness.
i think i`ll buy one soon for this game.. just need to see more ppl happy with it..

[Doomulation]

Don't badmouth the rainbow road! :P It's been in all mario kart games and is a classic ^_^ I like it.
Another thing, though...they say that you gain "experience" in the game and the better you get, the worse items you will get...and also, they say that the ghost is gone and there's just about no way to protect yourself against things like lightning...
any comments on this?
Nice review.

[Jaz]

there's just about no way to protect yourself against things like lightning...
any comments on this?
Nice review.

Unless you've got a Star, then no. But that's kinda the whold point of Lightning anyway, keeps the races close.

I still can't get over the fact there's no jump button. Just feels.. weird! ;)

[Macca]

the only thing i miss is holding an item behind me for protection

[Jaz]

the only thing i miss is holding an item behind me for protection

True, but at least you get a bit of warning if you're going to be hot by a Red Shell, so if you've got a Green Shell you can fire it backwards.

The most annoying part is not being able to "save yourself" when you run over a bannana, like in the 64 version.

[Doomulation]

Awww...
what a shame. Guess one can live with that, though...

[Martin]

Excellent review, Jaz! :D

Can't believe I didn't see it until I saw the link in your signature to it. :)

I took the liberty to post the review at Emu64, feel free to do that yourself for your next review. I have also thumbnailed the images to make them fit with RatTrap's design and to load quicker, and they're now stored locally instead of linked to planetgamecube. Everyone's happy. ;)

[Jimbot]

So, you're saying there is no jump, no holding items behind you, and no saving yourself???

Are you absoletly positive that they didn't ruin it?

[Jaz]

Excellent review, Jaz! :D

Can't believe I didn't see it until I saw the link in your signature to it. :)

I took the liberty to post the review at Emu64, feel free to do that yourself for your next review. I have also thumbnailed the images to make them fit with RatTrap's design and to load quicker, and they're now stored locally instead of linked to planetgamecube. Everyone's happy. ;)

Thanks Marty, it's an ET exclusive! ;) *lol*

:emutalk:

[Daveofhyrule]

Unless you've got a Star, then no. But that's kinda the whold point of Lightning anyway, keeps the races close.

I still can't get over the fact there's no jump button. Just feels.. weird! ;)

I like the review and I own the game. I have to tell you, the jump isn't all that great. And everything is so awesome. You are missing out on something if you don't have it. :)

[Jaz]

I have to tell you, the jump isn't all that great.

Hrmm. I was playing Super Circuit the other day, and I have to say that now I miss the jump button more than ever!

I'm just being fussy. ;)

[gokuss4]

what's wrong with rainbow road? :P

[Jaz]

what's wrong with rainbow road? :P

It's dull. :yawn:

[Davemc]

It's dull. :yawn:

It's class, and you know it.
I love it.
Get the stupid tune in my head a lot though. :pirate:

[2fast4u]

It's dull. :yawn:

rainbow road in mk64 was dull like hell. in dd it aint at all. but not too special either.

[Clements]

Rainbow Road in Super Mario Kart was really hard as most of the course had no walls!

Rainbow Road in MK64 was overly long and tedius. Half the course is just straight. Also, it made it all the more worse when you are pipped at the post by the CPU on the course. At least the other tracks were varied and not so boring.

Getting Double Dash in two days!!!111

[Talas]

Rainbow Road in Super Mario Kart was really hard as most of the course had no walls!

Rainbow Road in MK64 was overly long and tedius. Half the course is just straight. Also, it made it all the more worse when you are pipped at the post by the CPU on the course. At least the other tracks were varied and not so boring.

Getting Double Dash in two days!!!111

Hum, seems to me as if I should be playing that game too. :evil:

[2fast4u]

yeah, you should. good plan :D

im thinking about getting nfs underground as well now, i just dunno when the fuck to play it with mario kart and f-zero at hand.

[Jaz]

yeah, you should. good plan :D.

Yeah, plan of the fucking year. ;)


i just dunno when the fuck to play it with mario kart and f-zero at hand.

Yeah, I got that dilema too. Was playing F-Zero today, actually. And I bought Super Smash Bros Melee on Players Choice yesterday, too, so the missus and I haven't put that down for a bit. Can't believe I never picked that one up sooner. (Will probably be my next review, kids!). :D

[OCTuuk]

Guess what I disagree

Your review Jaz has left one thing behind. Not the part of looking briliant or sounding great, but the fact of being a Kart game. I got really frustrated when the screenshots of this game first appeared. Every character has his own car!! Its now Mario Car racing, and it sucks

Second of all the fact that I don't feel that I'm good at the game
I Play Mario Kart 64 for 3 years now and I know every corner and every Item from top to bottom. (Did you guys btw know that you can hold 2, maybe 3 red shields of with one tiny banana:D) This game is much faster (nothing wrong with a fast game btw) but its also much more, erm.. Crowdier(? i'm dutch) When me and my Friend played the game the first time, of course directly in 150CC:) We got 1st or 8th, it made no difference how good we took the corners It's all in the Items.

What I'm trying to say is that you don't race the game, you dodge the gap in the road while you're shooting yourself to the top.

The Blue spiked shield is a laughter. It floats to the no 1 , which has no chance of dodging it, and causes a nuclear explosion.

Conclusion, the game is completly based on luck, it sucks

2,5 out 5 stars

please react (and don't mind my English, I'm from The Netherlands)

[2fast4u]

Its now Mario Car racing, and it sucks

*shrug* what the hell difference does it make if you are driving a fucking kart or a stylish themed car? the second possibility is "slightly" more interesting for a) the game designer and b) the gamer.


Second of all the fact that I don't feel that I'm good at the game

well, strangely i am :satisfied ... practice boy, practice! :P

ok, the game indeed has about 40% driving and 60% shooting content, but that was basically what mario kart has been about forever... mk64 anyone?. now judging from your conclusion you probably played 4 or 5 races and then gave up on it. id suggest you hang in there, it will grow on you.

[Clements]

Just got Double Dash!! (along with F-Zero-GX and Metroid Prime no less) and it is superb!

Been caning it a bit for a few hours, got myself seven golds in 1-Player, and beat my cousin 11-4 on the multiplayer (Yeah!). The game is better than my other two purchases- I'll be playing this one for a while yet.

Must say that if you are in second to forth place, you are screwed basically with shite power-ups so it is impossible to chase the guy in first. The 'super' power-ups are much stronger than those in MK64 and actually make more of a difference (The chain chomp is fun-nay!). I should beat it this week... although I still haven't worked out how to get a turbo start! The CPU don't cheat as bad as in MK64- you can beat them by over 15 seconds in 50CC.

Sole gripe: Where's Toad?
I have to choose Baby Luigi and the Green Koopa Troopa for my acceleration thrills instead.

[Jaz]

Sole gripe: Where's Toad?

Haven't played it much, then? ;)

[Jaz]

Its now Mario Car racing.

Who cares? Kart/car.. tomato/tomatoe..


I don't feel that I'm good at the game

So as 2fast4u said, practice.


What I'm trying to say is that you don't race the game, you dodge the gap in the road while you're shooting yourself to the top.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.


The Blue spiked shield is a laughter. It floats to the no 1 , which has no chance of dodging it, and causes a nuclear explosion.

Kinda' the point.


Conclusion, the game is completly based on luck, it sucks

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.


2,5 out 5 stars

Fair enough, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Personally, I feel it's the most entertaining game I've played in years.

[Clements]

Haven't played it much, then? ;)

/me gets very excited... Toad, could he be a secret character?


/me checks GameFAQs... he is! Now I have motivation to unlock the little bugger! Yay! I almost cried when I didn't see him in the starting line-up! :P

[Jaz]

Toad, could he be a secret character?

*lol* His "vehicle" is the best. :D

[Jaz]

By the way, everyone who owns MKDD!!, click here.. (http://www.emutalk.net/showpost.php?postid=170376&postcount=27)

[OCTuuk]

You say MK64 is based on shooting as well

But MK64 is far more tactical. Holding a shield behind you on the right times etc etc. The change characters in MKDD is neglectable if you shoot twice in no use changing. When you look at it the other way: MKDD is no Mariokart game. Then it's a good/fun racing game. But the matter of fact is: it is!!!. Everyone has such fun playing it. And you can always think "Let him talk, it will drift away" BUT MARK MY WORDS IF I SAY: THIS AI'NT THE REAL DEAL!!

[Doomulation]

Mario kart has always been about (at least mk64 and up) about getting good items...because constantly, the computer will cheat (it can actually drive faster then you at your top speed *shrug*), so whatever you do, you *need* items to blast the computer and reclaim the first place...
that's the way of mk.

But it's still fun, nevertheless...

[Jaz]

But it's still fun, nevertheless...

Super hella-fun, at that. ;)

I've been assured that my BBA will arrive tomorrow. :D

[Matata]

Why does everybody have a GC exept me? :cry:

[Doomulation]

Maybe because they've bought one! :P they're cheap now ya know.

[Clements]

Why does everybody have a GC exept me? :cry:

Go buy one! :happy:

Only £79.99 in the UK, £99.99 with a game. The GC has plenty to shout about now (Yay!)

[vleespet]

I've bought a GC + Mariokart double dash a small week ago, and it's pretty good. I also bought 007 nightfire and some nice accesoires (like the gb player which I reviewed).

[Matata]

They´re not cheap in Argentina, they´re very expensive here...

[Hyper190]

Who is up for some Warppipe action!!! I am.

Just got one question what do you need to get every
thing up and running

computer (how fast)???
Broadband internet access
gamecube(Duh)
BB adapter???
Mario kart DD (of coarse)
warpipe software.

going to get the bb adapter, but dont i need
a cable to hook up the bb adapter to the cable modem?
Tell me every thing Jaz I need to know this.!!

[2fast4u]

going to get the bb adapter, but dont i need
a cable to hook up the bb adapter to the cable modem?

well im not jaz but well..

of course you need a cable to connect the bba, how else is it gonna work? :plain: you are best of reading this little guide here to get started since there are numerous ways to do it .. http://www.warppipe.com/wpdocs/beta/networksetup.html

[Clements]

19 Gold cups for me... just one Gold left for me to get, All-Tour Cup in Mirror mode. Haven't attempted it yet, but I know its going to be a bastard!

It was pretty lucky the way I won All-Tour in 150CC, two of the better CPU guys kept switching places in races so all I needed was a few firsts and a lot of seconds to win! If I beat the last cup I'll get an alternative title screen and some cart. :w00t:

My loyal team of Toad and Toadette with the Toad cart is almost unstoppable! :happy:

[2fast4u]

the tour cups arent significantly harder than the others, you just need to free about 40 minutes of time for the 16 races :)

ah yeah, i beat the game yesterday, pwn. :happy:


My loyal team of Toad and Toadette with the Toad cart is almost unstoppable!

i second that :D

[Jaz]

i second that :D

Too bad you can't choose your characters/kart when you're playing online then, guys!

I'll have my broadband working on the 29th Dec, so I'm ready for a few WP battles then. Who else is fully set up and ready to go? blizz?

[ScottJC]

I have this game, I must say it is very addictive.

They really improved the 150cc mode because I don't remember Mario Kart 64 being this hard, i love a challenge :)

I like how you can have 2 characters like Bowser Jr and paratrooper and have 2 special weapons, one being the 3 shells, which is awesome.

The tracks are awesome, the music and sound are awesome.

I give this game 5/5.

in responce to OCTuuk: (sorry i can't resist this)
this game has cars not karts? what is a kart basicly? it essentially is a car, so what are you complaining about?

The racing and the items are just as important as one another, if you're in 8th place you get much better items than someone in first place, so its not just "pure luck", the further you are in the pack the worse the items are, everyone has equal chance to win.

The fact that you are not good at this game does not mean it is a bad game it means you're a bad player, you shouldn't be playing on 150cc if you can't play that very well.

You can defend yourself, it just takes different methods, IE when a red shell is after you throw a green shell back the way and it will stop it.

The AI uses the items more in this game than mario kart 64, making it harder, so deal with it.

The blue spiked thing is from Mario Kart 64, and its supposed to go after number 1 and you couldn't avoid it in that game either.

Mario Kart DD is a mario kart game, it has mario in it, it has karts, it has red shells, green shells, mushroom boosts. IT IS MARIO KART!!!

This game is not supposed to be a racing sim is it? it is about fun/enjoyment and multiplayer and I feel it achieves this.

[2fast4u]

Too bad you can't choose your characters/kart when you're playing online then, guys!

I'll have my broadband working on the 29th Dec, so I'm ready for a few WP battles then. Who else is fully set up and ready to go? blizz?

meh, ill kick your ass with any other as well ;) btw, the last extra kart you receive coupled with a heavyweight character is a real killer combination.

im still waiting for my 5m crossover cable (2,50€ at ebay, 30€ at my local store :whistling) which should arrive within the next few days, then im ready to go. :icecream:

should be very interesting to see how warppipe performs, and like i know things well probably run into some configuration related troubles first...

[Hyper190]

meh, ill kick your ass with any other as well ;) btw, the last extra kart you receive coupled with a heavyweight character is a real killer


You think you can beat anyone huh well you just wait then :akuma:

HaHaHa

[Hyper190]

By the way what is this cable that i need Damn!!!

[2fast4u]

By the way what is this cable that i need Damn!!!

read the guide on warppipe that i posted.

[Dysprosium]

read the guide on warppipe that i posted.

Around July the 15th, I should be getting a Broadband adapter and the HUB, I'll race you if I do get it. Watch me lose. :)

[vleespet]

Around november/december 2003 this thread has been written, and you are posting this around may 2004 when this thread has already been died, so don't dig it out!

[2fast4u]

actually this post is useful since jaz has mysteriously buggered out of here and thus our online plans were never put into practice :P

vile, pm me when you get your bba and we can give online play a shot for sure.

[2850]

OH~!!
I like it
thanks^.^

[Jaz]

actually this post is useful since jaz has mysteriously buggered out of here and thus our online plans were never put into practice

Boo. ;)

[Jaz]

Funny - was thinking about this today.

Did anyone actually try MK Online?

[JinXD]

Nope but I will as soon as my exchange gets upgraded to take broadband, should be done the end of February :D

[Jaz]

Sweet. Take some screens for us. :D

[2fast4u]

Did anyone actually try MK Online?

:whistling

;)

[Burnpro]

i have a gamecube now with 4 controllers and mkdd... but just wondering how with the broadband adapter can you play online since this game only support lan play.

btw guys you must be fast riders for me to get that broadband adapter (around US$120 here ).

[JinXD]

i have a gamecube now with 4 controllers and mkdd... but just wondering how with the broadband adapter can you play online since this game only support lan play.

btw guys you must be fast riders for me to get that broadband adapter (around US$120 here ).
http://www.warppipe.com/, and for you xbox owners >> http://www.xbconnect.com/

[Burnpro]

thx jinxD,

ive found an annoying bug in this game... (isnt a bug itself but i think its pretry annoying.) when you are playing 2vs or 3 or 4 only the player1 control the pause menu, in mk64 everybody could pause the game like it should. what are your thoughs ?

[ShadowDamien]

The most annoying part is not being able to "save yourself" when you run over a bannana, like in the 64 version.


Yeah, but then again, it makes you dogde the bannanas now.

Can't forget shifting your car from side-to-side, that has saved me more than the jumping has.

RAINBOW ROAD IS ONE OF THE BEST COURSES IN THE GAME!!!

Seriously, it's basically a tradition to have Rainbow Road in MK.

[Jaz]

I would be bothered, had I not written this review on November 16th, 2003.