Mario Kart Double Dash Gets Turbo Boost

SuperRob writes "Planet GameCube apparently has an exclusive (until ECTS, that is) on the post-E3 changes to Nintendo's Mario Kart: Double Dash for GameCube. Notable updates are weapons specific to each character, a new battle mode, and a huge speed increase (the top complaint about the game from E3)." There's more info at fan site Mario Kart Central, which has even started mapping the new game tracks for this keenly-awaited sequel before release - it's currently due in America on November 17th.

Comments

Great

[BigDork1001]

I personally am looking forward to Mario Kart to come out. I don't care what all you anti-Nintendo people say about the games being "kiddy". They are fun. Who cares if I'm not gunning down helpless civilians? I sure don't. Nintendo is a fun system and that's why I support Nintendo by buying their products and have never been disappointed with any of my purchases.

No Toad?

[Gothic_Walrus]

Unfortunately, he's not on the character list for this go-round.

Then again, I do recall seeing screenshots of two different Koopa Troopas (a regular one and a red-shelled Paratroopa) in other writeups, and there's only one Koopa on the list for this game. Seeing as the games have never allowed two people to choose the same character, methinks the character list is incomplete...

As soon as I can race as Lakitu, I'll be in geek heaven...

You get it or you don't

[yotto]

Mario Kart's one of those things that you either get or you don't. I logged many, many hours on Mario Kart for my N64 and can tell you, I've seen people crying they're laughing so hard at the end of a race, and people sitting across the room because they gave up in disgust at how stupid the game is.

I think it has to do with "Form Over Function" people. If the graphics are good, the soundtrack is fairly fresh and expensive sounding, and there's some (Or a lot of) blood, they'll like the game even if it plays like crap. That's just the way people are.

Nintendo tends to cater to the rest of us.

Re:You get it or you don't

[fireduck]

I enjoyed MK64 greatly. However, I felt Diddy Kong Racing to be superior in many aspects, particularly single player. DKR had better graphics, track layouts, minigame options, and just so much more content for single player.

However, when friends came over it was always Mario Kart. For some reason, MK64 seemed to be designed to keep opponents always in contention so that races between very good and just good/so-so players didn't feel like absolute blowouts (whereas with DKR, I would invariably win by a landslide).

That and the acid-trip that was the final level...

Re:You get it or you don't

[dimator]

I'll second this.

There was a certain purity to the SNES version, I think because it lacked the vertical dimension in the tracks, they were all flat. Once they added that, I was like, ehh...

I logged *hours* on the SNES battle mode. Its the perfect example of balance in a game.

I'm not sure we'll see the same balance in the new version; I'm not to hot on the idea of personalized attacks (unless they are just personalized visually, and not in their actual performance/effect.)

Gamecube?

[Anonymous Coward]

Damnit! I just blew all my money on the phantom!!

Competition Ladder Rules for MarioKart 64

[DaveJay]

I never played MarioKart on the SNES, but we have a Nintendo 64 at my office, right next to the Dreamcast (what can I say, the tech market died before the latest consoles came out!)

In the past, we've beat our frustrations out on Soul Caliber, wasted time with various sports games and the excellent Test Drive LeMans, and of course used our work computers for non-work activities like Unreal Tournament and Counterstrike...but those games have all come and gone, and only MarioKart 64 has remained.

Every few months, we lose interest in the game -- then a few weeks pass, someone breaks it out, and it's a festival of racing and competition ladders until we lose interest again.

Needless to say, we're anxiously awaiting the new GameCube version. In the meantime, here are the competition ladder rules we've used to good effect:

- All ladder games must have four players.
- All ladder games must be played in sets of three, with the scores added together.
- Lowest rung picks the maps for the three games.
- If you beat someone above you, you swap places with the person on the rung immediately above you, whether they were playing or not.

We've found that this simple system motivates everyone EXCEPT the top player to play as often as possible (otherwise everyone else will knock you to the bottom of the ladder), and produces large groups of people who descend on the top player and literally drag them into the game room to defend their position.

Whee!

Bit of Mario Kart 64 trivia

[clu76]

What was the top selling game for the N64? Not Mario. Not even Zelda. It was Mario Kart. Back in my college days, I knew people who picked up an N64 just to play Mario Kart. Needless to say, this is my most anticipated for the Gamecube.

I'm waiting until

[Micro$will]

Rockstar buys out the Mario franchise and creates Grand Theft Mario Kart where you'll get to jack Luigi's ride, pay the princess to make your car go "squeeky squeeky", and sell Shrooms out of the Mr. Koompa van.

Re:Small Gods

[ArmyOfFun]

I should clarify...ONLINE multiplayer.