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Mario Kart DS (2005)

Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.1

Nintendo DS · Wii U

3.88 from 2855 ratings

5208 members have it in their collection · 46 playing now · 281 backlogged · 154 wish listed

How long? Main story 10h · with extras 5h · 100% 23h (from 8 logged playthroughs)

Mario Kart DS is the continuation of the long running racing game series that began on the Super Nintendo. It features 16 new tracks as well as 16 tracks from the previous 4 games, with each set split up into the Nitro and Retro Grand Prix respectively. Eight racers are initially available, each with two go-karts to choose from. A … Read more
Mario Kart DS is the continuation of the long running racing game series that began on the Super Nintendo. It features 16 new tracks as well as 16 tracks from the previous 4 games, with each set split up into the Nitro and Retro Grand Prix respectively. Eight racers are initially available, each with two go-karts to choose from. A number of characters and additional karts are also available to unlock. New items have been added to the arsenal, including a Blooper squid that squirts ink onto the screens of other players and a Bullet Bill power up that transforms the player into a giant, fast-travelling bullet on autopilot. Read less
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Details

Developers
Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.1
Publishers
Nintendo
Genres
Arcade, Racing
Themes
Kids, Party
Franchises
Donkey Kong, Mario, Mario Bros.
Series
Mario Kart
Event
Nintendo E3 2005 Press Conference

Release dates

  • Nov 14, 2005 (North_America) Nintendo DS
  • Nov 17, 2005 (Australia) Nintendo DS
  • Nov 25, 2005 (Europe) Nintendo DS
  • Dec 08, 2005 (Japan) Nintendo DS
  • Apr 05, 2007 (Korea) Nintendo DS
  • Apr 01, 2015 (Europe) Wii U
  • Apr 02, 2015 (Australia) Wii U
  • Apr 23, 2015 (North_America) Wii U
  • May 25, 2016 (Japan) Wii U
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Featured in lists

Mario by Doss33 · 8 games · 0
Nintendo 3DS by Pogee · 47 games · 0
Nintendo by NeoOdyssey · 19 games · 0

Rating distribution

5 stars
692
4 stars
1252
3 stars
790
2 stars
101
1 star
18
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Community All Reviews Statuses

TheBeautifulEric

Status TheBeautifulEric Apr 25, 2025 Completed

Mario Kart DS Mission Mode completed with all 3 stars Prepping for Mario Kart World by finishing MKDS mission mode for the first time. I refuse to do the same for grand prix though. Revisiting the game made me long for a Mario Kart with a bit more execution, but I think accessibility is better for the game. I think the mission mode in MKDS is better single player content …

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Mario Kart DS Mission Mode completed with all 3 stars Prepping for Mario Kart World by finishing MKDS mission mode for the first time. I refuse to do the same for grand prix though. Revisiting the game made me long for a Mario Kart with a bit more execution, but I think accessibility is better for the game. I think the mission mode in MKDS is better single player content than the campaign in Diddy Kong Racing because they felt unique and refreshing. Loved how each course was utilized for this.

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3 Comment Permalink
Atag

Status Atag Mar 2, 2024

Mario kart Wii was my introduction to the series and up until today I assumed the previous Mario Kart games were numbered such as 7 and 8 and that Double Dash and DS were spin offs - I guess not!

Really enjoying Mario Kart DS though. Having the bottom screen as a map to see incoming attacks and environmental hazards …

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Mario kart Wii was my introduction to the series and up until today I assumed the previous Mario Kart games were numbered such as 7 and 8 and that Double Dash and DS were spin offs - I guess not!

Really enjoying Mario Kart DS though. Having the bottom screen as a map to see incoming attacks and environmental hazards is quite cool. Keep trying to do tricks as I go over jumps though which isn't working... Mario Kart Wii is still ingrained in me!

Did the ghost come and steal your pickups in other games too? Don't remember that being a thing?

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2 Comment Permalink
Gobelin_Powa

Review Gobelin_Powa 4/5 · Feb 29, 2024

8/10 Jeu de fou, le multi est parfait, j'étais pas très fort par contre. Vincent avec son DK me faisait tomber dans le chocolat de la montagne.

0 Comment
cagebox

Review cagebox 5/5 · Feb 20, 2024

The First Truly Great Mario Kart

Other entries in the Mario Kart series were very good but Mario Kart DS brings the series to its pinnacle. Not only was multiplayer better due to the networking capability of the DS but also making Mario Kart Portable just makes sense. The items in the game are good, the roster and karts are extensive, and the tracks among the …

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Other entries in the Mario Kart series were very good but Mario Kart DS brings the series to its pinnacle. Not only was multiplayer better due to the networking capability of the DS but also making Mario Kart Portable just makes sense. The items in the game are good, the roster and karts are extensive, and the tracks among the best of the series. But what really separates Mario Kart DS is the gameplay mechanics that smooths the controls and rewards better players rather than what was often pure chaos in Double Dash and Mario Kart 64.

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0 Comment
SIGINT

Status SIGINT Feb 9, 2024

Just had a random memory of being excited to go to McDonald's because they had Wi-Fi and we did not at home, and it was the only way I could play this game online. How things have changed lol

7 Comment Permalink
benhenry3

Status benhenry3 Jan 18, 2024

Very big part of my childhood. Dry Bones supremacy!! The controls are perfect, the roster is perfect and the courses are all so much fun. This was also the first game to introduce retro courses and they made them all so well. My favourite course is either Airship Fortress or Waluigi Pinball.

0 Comment Permalink
Mossman154

Status Mossman154 Jul 17, 2023

The peak of Mario Kart for me. From the music to the maps to the challenges (a really clever and smart addition to increase total gametime by a few hours and even came with bosses and a new world if every other level was perfectly cleared) to the battle modes, Mario Kart DS is just a triumph in the racing …

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The peak of Mario Kart for me. From the music to the maps to the challenges (a really clever and smart addition to increase total gametime by a few hours and even came with bosses and a new world if every other level was perfectly cleared) to the battle modes, Mario Kart DS is just a triumph in the racing genre and perfectly encapsulates everything that is so appealing about Mario Kart. I spent countless hours playing this as a kid by myself and with others. Friends who didn't own the game still being able to play together as Shy Guy was simply a genius move by Nintendo.

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4 Comment Permalink
BleppinDrago

Review BleppinDrago 4/5 · Feb 12, 2023

The real challenge in this game was beating the dev's time trials. You basically have to be snaking constantly.

0 Comment
Reset_Tears

Status Reset_Tears Sep 14, 2021

It's Mario Kart on the DS -- if you've played any other entry in the series, you know what you're getting into. No real gimmicks for this version.

The tracks are good, and the game controls nicely. I didn't care for how drifting works in this one. And obviously since it's on a handheld... chances are you'll just be playing …

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It's Mario Kart on the DS -- if you've played any other entry in the series, you know what you're getting into. No real gimmicks for this version.

The tracks are good, and the game controls nicely. I didn't care for how drifting works in this one. And obviously since it's on a handheld... chances are you'll just be playing single-player. Kart racing works best with friends, split-screen on a big TV. But this works fine as a diversion, for fans of the genre. There are "challenge mode" missions which I liked to mess around with. I also think 3D graphics on the DS are really charming. It's kind of a "Gamecube aesthetic with PS1-level power" look to it here, if that makes sense.

As always, I hate the blue shells. They kind of ruin Mario Kart for me, just in general. The lightning shrink ray also sucks, and the squid ink is lame too.

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3 Comment Permalink