Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

The Good
Graphics: The graphics have changed allot since Mario kart 64. In double dash the environment actually looks like it is part of the race instead of just a picture behind the barriers. Its good to see the characters expression change to different evens in the game as well, compared to in Mario kart 64 where no matter what happened the character still had a cheesy grin on his face through out the whole race.

Sound:There not much to say about the sound in the game. Its still pretty much got the same joyous music in all of the races which was liked by me in the 64 version anyway. So even though there may be a few new sounds, or a few changes to some of the songs it is still pretty much the same type of soundtrack.

Gameplay:The only thing that I complained about after ripping up the track in the first Mario kart was the fact that the game was way to easy and after a while of coming first with no effort it got a bit boring. But in Double dash they have obviously decided that they were not going to make beating the game a drive through the park. The AI of the computer players is 10 times better than it was in the other game. For example the players actually use the special drift method and also I have been pushed off a few bridges by an angry bower or princess peach. In battle mode they have got 2 new and exciting games for people who don't want to race but just blow each others brains out. One is you and your friends just throwing bob-ombs at each other trying to blow each other up, and the other being a kind of capture the flag type game which all multi-player games seem to be getting into these days. But the original is the best and the good old balloon bursting battle is still the best. The greatest improvement in double dash would have to be all the new weapons that the characters can have. Such as, a giant spiked turtle shell, giant banana peel that when someone slips on it changes into three normal size banana peels, and so on.

The Bad
Graphics:This is just something that annoys me and that is the cartoony graphics of the game. I always like a little bit of a realistic look. Then again it is a game where a toadstool can drive a car.

Gameplay:I said before that Double dash was a good game because of the challenge factor, but the thing is they made it a bit to hard. If an eight year old kid wanted to have some fun racing with Mario and Luigi then he would probably be throwing the control after the first few races.

The Bottom Line
Even though the characters Mario and Luigi were aimed at little kids, this is not a kids game. But on the other hand if there are any teenage players who think this is below them, then just give it a try and you will realize that toad isn't just a little wimp after all.

The Good
The grafx are stunning! Each level is perfectly designed and anti-aliased, especially the new and improved Rainbow Road (which has appeared on every Mario Kart game, better each time). I love the fact that you have 2 people on the kart instead of just one! It makes the character selection huge. I play 4-player battles on this all the time.

The Bad
Waluigi. Period.

The Bottom Line
Buy it. Now. Get the 50 bucks and buy it. Stop reading this. I said stop reading this.

The Good
It is very hard not to have fun with this game, the shear depth and variety of the courses and multiplayer modes is huge. You have VS or Co-Op multiplayer, with the option of having 8 Gamecubes connected together using the LAN system. Then the combinations of the racers you can have (2 per Kart, 16 to choose from, then you choose the kart ), allows for rather vast tactical selection. The characters you choose effect the weapons you can get, and the kart effects your speed and handling.

You can then pick your multplayer arena, and battle mode, or any single track race you have unlocked, or choose to do a multiplayer grandprix (co-op or vs).

Bo-bomb mode is probably the most fun "battle mode", consisting of chucking bombs at the other kart, or laying them down for the other kart to hit. Shallow fun maybe, but fun none the less.

There is also a capture the flag style mode, and the "classic" balloon pop game featured in the previous games.

The co-op race mode is the main strength though, particularly in 4 player mode. It takes awhile to get used to the advanced skid-boast technique, as it requires precise timing and co-operation from both players.

The single player, predictable, is not as fun as the multiplayer. However, the course's are interesting with lots of interactive elements, and there's plenty to unlock and discover.

For those with PC's and Broadband connections the www.warppipe.com site shows you how to play this game online.

The Bad
The multiplayer battle arenas, although fun, are too small and too bland. Bo-bomb mode deserves to have a much bigger, better arena. Or, at the very least, the ability to use any track as an arena.

I also found the music selection not as good as the last games....there should be more tunes!

The Bottom Line
An excellent action racing game, suitable for 1 to 4 players on its own, or a strong reason to get BB adapters and have upto 4 players per cube.

A mix of racing and over the top weapons, its an essential part of any social gaming session.