10/06 Update: Since we no longer write for the Edmond Sun, this section is temporarily housing our podcast links for our iTunes feed. All of the columns are in the archives menu if you feel like exploring.

These columns (as well as the 'releases') come from weekly content that we write for the Edmond Sun, out of Edmond, OK (though we live in Chicago). This page contains the archives for said column, many of which are in their pre-published, unedited state. Some titles and editing by Brendan Sinclair.

Column Archives:

Mario Kart DS
Thursday, December 01, 2005

For the past few months I have been preaching the glories of Perfect Dark Zero to anyone who would listen. "It's the sequel to my second favorite game of all time!" I cried out. "It's the only game in the foreseeable future that could potentially dethrone Super Mario Kart as my all time favorite game." I have written those same words, or very nearly the same, in this very space on at least two separate occasions. And now, here I am writing a full week before PDZ hits the market with a review about a completely different sequel that may very well be the best game I have ever played.

Mario Kart: DS has completely blown me away. For some reason, I was so focused on the oft-delayed, five years in development, uber-launch title from Rare that I lost sight of the sequel to a game that has been on the top spot of my favorites list for more than a decade. Forget all my hype about PDZ. Forget when I said that Resident Evil 4, which was released in January, would be the best game of 2005 when the dust settled. All you need to know is this – Mario Kart DS is a perfect video game.

While its perfection is unquestioned in my mind, what is still up in the air is if this is truly better than Super Mario Kart. Unfortunately, I can't answer that now. I've only played about 15 or so hours worth. Come back and ask me in 13 years if I'm still playing it.

What I can tell you is that MKDS finally realizes many of the new features implemented in the post-SNES versions of the game. For instance, MKDS is the first ever Mario Kart title to offer a plethora of weapons per lap, but some how keep the focus of the game on the racing itself. Starting with Mario Kart 64, the games have started to resemble an all out war on the track rather than a racing title with weapons, like the series began. While fighting is still fast and furious in this title, the significance isn't quite as strong as before. Now, when you're hit with a red shell, you recover much quicker. This makes cheap losses at the finish line less common. Finally, this has turned into a game of skill once more, rather than just sitting in last place and hoping for a lightning.

Another thing this series finally gotten right is power sliding. In the original, it was all about jumping into turns with the perfect timing. Every other release featured the lame "red sparks wiggle" in which you moved the control stick back and forth to get a boost of speed. Sounds lame in print and was even lamer in practice. But somehow, in MKDS, it just feels right. Maybe it's because this is the first MK controlled by the D Pad that incorporates that feature, but finally it's something that's actually fun to do rather than just a chore one needs to simply keep up.

Now that they finally mastered the basics of driving, how did the courses turn out? I can say with no doubt that the courses in MKDS are the best of any in the franchise. It helps that half of them, 16 in all, come from the previous 4 tittles. But the new tracks are really something. From racing on the Airship from Super Mario Bros 3 to a pinball table duel that sheds its gimmicky skin and becomes one of the best tracks around, the tracks are both original and challenging. The only drawback is Rainbow Road - what should be the hardest track is once again toned down with too many walls. Other than that, this is the best collection of tracks I have ever seen in a racing
game.

The biggest new feature is the ability to race online. While it's simplified to the extreme, with only one race mode offered and 20 of the 32 tracks, it's still a blast. Being able to connect to anyone in the world with a touch of the button is something MK aficionados such as myself have dreamed of for years. Now I can finally test the claim that I am the best Mario Kart player around. Make sure you have a wireless connection handy because there isn't any other way to get connected. Luckily, I live in a massive apartment complex and have found a sweet spot where I can sit in a comfy chair and use someone else's wireless connection. We should probably keep that little secret between us, though.

Anyway, Mario Kart DS should be a system seller for anyone who hasn't bought the system yet. This is one of the best games I have ever played. If it can just keep my attention for another 13 years, I may just say it's the best ever.

- Tom


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