Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo

Year released: 2003

Number of Players: 1-4, 1-16 with LAN play

Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is the fourth game in the popular Mario Kart series. MK: DD adds a new feature: two characters in one kart!

Graphics: (92%)
Courses are bright and vivid with color. Each of the characters are well animated.

Controls: (100%)
The controls for MK: DD are really easy to learn and get used to. The A button accelerates, B brakes, X/Y uses an item and the Z button switches characters. The L and R buttons are used for power sliding, much like it MK 64, but you don’t have to hop. The front character drives, while the rear character uses the items.

Sounds: (88%)
The music in MK: DD is pretty good. Not excellent, but the background themes for each course are catchy. Drivers verbally taunt each other once again, which has been a feature since MK 64. The voices are well done, but can be very repetitive.

Gameplay (95%)
If you’ve played a MK game before, it’s pretty much the same formula. The only difference is obviously the double character racing. The front character drives, while the rear character uses items. You can switch character at any time with the Z button. Each character can hold one item. Yes, the wacky items in previous MK games are back. You still pick them up after running through item boxes. You will receive a random item, sometimes depending on your position and, this time around, each team has their own Special (gotten from item boxes); Mario and Luigi have Fireballs, Koopa Troopa and Paratroopa have Triple Shells, etc. There are a total of 16 courses, including the four hidden ones. More courses would have been great, but the existing ones are fun.

Replayability: (90%)
MK: DD is an excellent multiplayer game. Four player Battle Mode and/or Co-Op racing is a blast. MK: DD features unlockable characters, karts, and tracks (in the Special Cup). Those who are playing alone will miss out on the great multiplayer action, as they will only have a choice between Grand Prix and Time Trial.

Bottom Line:
MK: DD is arguably the best Mario Kart yet. Double character racing is just awesome. I would only recommend buying this game to those who have other people to play with.

Final Score: (93%) A-

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