Mario Kart DS, the first ever Mario Kart released by Nintendo on November 14, 2005, was the third best-selling game for Nintendo DS as of March, 2016, with over 23.60 million units sold worldwide produced by Hideki Konno. It is a racing game in which players compete against  others in a kart with one of the twelve characters from the Mario series. This includes Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and unlockable characters such as- Daisy, Dry Bones, Waluigi, and R.O.B. To this day, it holds an aggregated score of 91% on Metacritic. This amusing  game is meant for ages 6+, and can be played on a DS, with your choice of single player or multiplayer. 

Once you first load up the game, you must select what mode you are going to play in. This includes  grand prix, time trials, vs, battle, and missions. Then, you can choose up to three speeds- 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. 150cc makes the game faster and more competitive  while 50cc is slower and relaxing. Next, you pick your own character from the Mario series and decide which cart to use with them; some traits you can compare are speed, heaviness, acceleration, drifting, etc. Finally, you decide on the map you want to play in. 
Mario Kart DS balloon battle is a mini-game included in the game that reduces stress and is fun.  You again have the choice of picking your own character and teams. All racers spawn with one balloon, and when one of the racers gets an item and hurts their enemy, the enemy will lose a balloon. An example of this would be to use a red shell on an opposing team player, causing them to lose a balloon. Once you run out of balloons, you’re out of the game and the other person/team wins. Although you spawn with one balloon, you can blow your own only 5 times. You have to blow into the mircophone on the DS, and the most balloons you can have at once is three. Keep in mind that the more balloons you have, the worse your items will be from the item box. For example, if you have one balloon, you will probably get a red shell, but if you have three, a banana is highly common. 

There are distinct items you can pick up from the mystery boxes during the race, depending on your position. For example, if you’re last place, your chances of getting Bullet Bill are guaranteed while the same is for first, except you usually get a banana. There are also three types of shells- green, red, and blue. Items are crucial for winning a game, since it provides mulitple benefits such as going faster or messing up the opponents. You can even hold a banana or a shell on the back of your kart, so it acts like a shield for any incoming attacks! 

Similar to the gameplay, the controls are really easy once you get used to it. [A] is to accelerate; [B] is to reverse. [X] or [L] is to use current item and [Y] is to toggle bottom screen overhead view. There are two screens on a DS- the top one is where you keep track of the game, and the bottom one is a map showing where everyone is. 

Although the graphics aren’t great, the excitement makes up for it.  There are bright colors and soothing animations. The gameplay is smooth and serene. Sound effects are also a part of this game. Whenever you get hit by a shell for example or hit someone, your character cheers or whines. This is the same as well when you cross the finish line on the third lap depending on your position. Also in the menu when you are choosing your game modes, there is an unforgettable, catchy tune that will stick in your head for the rest of the day. 

I would recommend this game for the average kid just trying to have fun indoors. If you do get this game, you should remember to buy a case for your DS and Mario Kart DS cart. Take extreme care of the card since it is small and fragile. Remember to blow it and clean the edges with a q-tip every few days. One warning I will give is- beware of the nostalgia that will flood your brain if you’ve had any interaction with the Mario series in your life! Before you know it, you’ll be zooming off with exotic characters on these vibrant maps!