Mario Kart has undergone quite a few changes over the years, some good, some bad but all consistently enjoyable. Now Nintendo DS owners are treated to the latest iteration and it is easily the best of the bunch. Not only does it have the same core game play that made the franchise what it is, not only does it have a bunch of tracks from its SNES, N64 and Game Cube predecessors, but for the first time in Australia Mario Kart can now be played online.
Last week Nintendo unveiled its online Wi-Fi gaming service with a bang. The latest figures being quoted by Nintendo state that over 47% of consumers who purchased Mario Kart DS have since played the game on the new service. Not only is it thrilling to play against people from around the world, but the service is extremely easy to set up.
You will need a wireless network or an active hotspot to play online or you can go to selected EB Games stores around Australia which are acting as hotspot conduits for the ghetto gamer.
Mario Kart DS plays beautifully online with options to play against regional opponents or opponents from the worldwide player pool. You can also have a friends and rivals list and can ask to play only people on those lists. Lag is non-existent in the regional games and there is only minor lag at times in the worldwide matches. Unfortunately, there is no voice chat on the service, which seems odd since there is an in built microphone in the DS unit.
The Nintendo DS is now officially an online console, popular as hell and a heap of fun. We know you'll love Mario Kart Ds online just as we did and it's great to see Nintendo once again move toward innovation.
