that_guy
14-08-2006, 12:27 PM
Wow, here's a surprise; Nintendo decided to release one of their most popular title for the Game Cube. Mario Kart Double Dash is as fun to play as any of the other versions, and a definate maybe for your consol.
The first difference you will notice in the Game Cube game is that you have two racers in each cart. WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING USE OF THE CUBE'S CAPABILITIES. TWO RACERS!!! NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN A 64 BIT SYSTEM.
But I digress....
The controls are largly the same - rest a brick on the accelerator, steer with the control stick - but there is no jump. Instead you can slide around corners, and with some deft controler work you can get a mini-boost from said slide. You can also no longer have items behind you or spinning around you, but you can shoot shells backwards, so you can still avoid red shells etc.
Whilst it takes all of five minutes to get used to the new controls, it does mean that the boffin who used to play hours of Mario Kart will not be able to kick everyone's arse immediately.
Character selection come more into play in this version of Mario Kart as well. Now you need to take in more than just the weight and speed of the kart when selecting characters. Each character set have their own special itmes (fireballs for Mario and Luigi, Giant banannas for Donky and Diddy Kong), and equiping the right combination can give you a real edge in racing.
The racing levels have a similar feel to ealier versions of the game, but again are different enough to make them a new challenge for everyone. More tracks can be unlocked, and there are shortcuts to be found on most tracks. Multi player levels do leave a little to be desired. Whilst you can ulock two extra levels in game play, some pretty simple level design leaves it an average experience.
Co-op racing, however, is an interesting challenge. Two players play in the same kart, one driving one shooting. You have to press the change button at the same time, and timing a boost or shell from the back of a kart you don't control can end out with you screaming and pulling out your hair.
In a novel idea for a racing game if you win gold on a circuit, you unlock new characters, cars, tracks and multiplayer maps. WOW, TRUST NINTENDO TO COME UP WITH A GROUND BREAKING IDEA LIKE THAT. This feature plus the joy of sending a shell up your friends arse just as they are about to win, makes this a playable game that will keep you entertianed for a while at least.
A more than adequate adaptation for the new system, with only a few compliants (yawnish multi-player, no look-behind, the fact my girlfriend can beat me), I wouldn't have paid full price for it, but a nice little ditty none-the-less
The first difference you will notice in the Game Cube game is that you have two racers in each cart. WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING USE OF THE CUBE'S CAPABILITIES. TWO RACERS!!! NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN A 64 BIT SYSTEM.
But I digress....
The controls are largly the same - rest a brick on the accelerator, steer with the control stick - but there is no jump. Instead you can slide around corners, and with some deft controler work you can get a mini-boost from said slide. You can also no longer have items behind you or spinning around you, but you can shoot shells backwards, so you can still avoid red shells etc.
Whilst it takes all of five minutes to get used to the new controls, it does mean that the boffin who used to play hours of Mario Kart will not be able to kick everyone's arse immediately.
Character selection come more into play in this version of Mario Kart as well. Now you need to take in more than just the weight and speed of the kart when selecting characters. Each character set have their own special itmes (fireballs for Mario and Luigi, Giant banannas for Donky and Diddy Kong), and equiping the right combination can give you a real edge in racing.
The racing levels have a similar feel to ealier versions of the game, but again are different enough to make them a new challenge for everyone. More tracks can be unlocked, and there are shortcuts to be found on most tracks. Multi player levels do leave a little to be desired. Whilst you can ulock two extra levels in game play, some pretty simple level design leaves it an average experience.
Co-op racing, however, is an interesting challenge. Two players play in the same kart, one driving one shooting. You have to press the change button at the same time, and timing a boost or shell from the back of a kart you don't control can end out with you screaming and pulling out your hair.
In a novel idea for a racing game if you win gold on a circuit, you unlock new characters, cars, tracks and multiplayer maps. WOW, TRUST NINTENDO TO COME UP WITH A GROUND BREAKING IDEA LIKE THAT. This feature plus the joy of sending a shell up your friends arse just as they are about to win, makes this a playable game that will keep you entertianed for a while at least.
A more than adequate adaptation for the new system, with only a few compliants (yawnish multi-player, no look-behind, the fact my girlfriend can beat me), I wouldn't have paid full price for it, but a nice little ditty none-the-less