Mario Kart: Double Dash for GameCube

MARIO KART DOUBLE DASH!!® EPINIONS REVIEW
1. review
a) basics
b) experience

2. ratings
a) gameplay
b) graphics
c) sound
d) replay value

3. in depth
a) characters
b) carts
c) cups and courses
d) modes
e) items
f) unlockables

4. Legal stuff

1. Review
a) Basics
Mario Kart Double Dash!! is a wonderful "E" rated game for the Gamecube consol. This game is a racing type genre, yet is not one of a Nascar game, where there is simple type racing on a track. This game has items that you pick up to hurdle or trap enemies, as well as shortcuts for you to be able to get one step ahead from the competition. Choose from 8 pairs of people to start out with, that's 16 different people! Of course the newest feature in Mario Kart Double Dash!! is the feature that you can unlock new carts, characters, multiplayer levels, modes and difficulties as long as other various things like title screens. The difficulty of the CPU in this game is amazing, because they aren't as dumb as the other games that come out. HAVE FUN!

b) Experience
This was a really fun game for me, and I'm one of those people who will play a new video game, then go get the newest hot one and beat that, then go back to the other one i had already and beat that. In this case, Mario Kart Double Dash!! is the 'old' game that i had. I went to a game (I don't remember what it was) and then I just recently started going back to it. I love this game then and now! It is so much fun to play, and I trade in the old game and the new game after a year or so after I beat them for the new hot game. Mario Kart Double Dash is just a game that you can't bring yourself to trade in, because it is so good!

2. Ratings
a) Gameplay-9/10
I give this game a 9/10 because of its wonderful replay value and its CPU compatability, as long with the fun that it brings to the overall racing experience. The only reason why I didn't rate it a 10/10, is because it is an easy game to just blow off until later and go to another game and play it later. It doesn't pull you in as much as other games do, but if it does, you will be OBSORBED.

b) Graphics-10/10 (for it's time)
I gave Mario Kart Double Dash!! 10/10 for the clear crisp environments that it gives off, for every ridiculous spin out position, every item, cart, character, course, and design are the same clear beautiful graphics that you would expect out of a game like this. The game doesn't have astounding life like graphics or anything, but the graphics are well rounded and are beautifully shaped to anyone's liking.

c) Sound-8/10
The sound in this game is produced very well, but doesn't exactly give you the feel of where you are. Games like Fable have the background music that make you feel, and know where you are, and the music/sound is a background helper that just lets you know what is going on and helps to the feel of the game. Mario Kart Double Dash!! has wonderful jingles and course tunes, but isn't like a symphony that some games can be. I still say that surround sound can be fun for this game, but isn't as good as others.

d) Replay Value-7.5/10
The only reason this game got a low rating (on a great game scale) is because you will get tired of this game after a while. Throw item, bam bam, go over the loop, I won. Yay. It is a really fun game though for a very long time consuming time, but once you stop, you don't normally want to go back to it.

3. In Depth
a) Characters
There are a bunch of characters to choose from and unlock. I appreciate all of them, but I would say that my favorites would have to be Yoshi and Paratroopa to start out with. Characters come in pairs, but you do not have to pick them in their individual pairs. The characters and pairs are as follows:
Mario & Luigi
Peach & Daisy
Yoshi & Birdo
Baby Mario & Baby Luigi
Koopa & Paratroopa
Donkey & Diddy
Bowser & Bowser Jr.
Wario and Waluigi
Try out different combinations for different cart availabilities, and special items!

b) carts
There are different carts for each set of light, medium and heavy characters. Different carts have different stats, as well as really cool designs!
Kart name Weight For Character Speed Accel Weight
Goo-Goo Buggy - Light - 1 - 5 - 2
Koopa Dasher - Light - 2 - 4 - 2
Red Fire - Medium - 3 - 3 - 3
Heart coach - Medium - 2 - 4 - 3
Turbo Yoshi - Medium - 2 - 4 - 3
DK Jumbo - Heavy - 4 - 2 - 4
Koopa King - Heavy - 5 - 1 - 5
Wario Car - Heavy - 4 - 2 - 4

The weight for each character section is what the weight that the character combinations have to be to be able to access that cart. They are as follows:

Light+Light= Light cart
Light+Medium= Medium cart
Medium+Medium= Medium cart
Light+Heavy= Heavy cart
Medium+Heavy= Heavy cart
Heavy+Heavy= Heavy cart

Now of course this probably doesn't mean anything to you if you don't know who is light, medium and heavy. So because of this, I have decided to give you the list of who's what weight:

Mario=Medium
Luigi=Medium
Donkey Kong=Heavy
Diddy Kong=Light
Daisy=Medium
Peach=Medium
Paratroopa=Light
Koopa=Light
Baby Luigi=Light
Baby Mario=Light
Yoshi=Medium
Birdo=Medium
Bowser Jr.=Light
Bowser=Heavy
Waluigi=Medium
Wario=Heavy
So that's all you need to know about the cards in this video game, so feel free to explore some more, for there are MUCH more carts to unlock and to test with. LATA!

c) Cups And Courses
There are various cups in this game, and for every cup there are four levels. Okay, I'll spoil one thing (it is expected though for those who have played Mario Kart games though) there is a Special Cup, so there are four more levels added on. Here is the full list:

Mushroom Cup- Luigi Circuit
Luigi Circuit is a novice level, a basic round the track level, but with baricades that make it look like it's a lot more complicated than it really is. A GREAT level for lapping, speeding over and just bashing people with items.

Mushroom Cup- Peach Beach
This is an extremely short course, and Super Mario Sun Shine plays an important roll in the traps and environment in this level. There are people from the island that you visit cheering you on, and the platypus things are back to get you and flip your cart in the air. GR! HINT: There is one main shortcut on this level, and that is going to the left when you first reach the beach from the cobble stones, and you will go flying off of a ramp, and is most likely helpful if you have some mushrooms, just in case the tide washes in where you land.

Mushroom Cup- Baby Park
EASY LEVEL ALERT!!! This is by far the easiest level in the game, since you just have to go around a small circle. You can see the whole race track while you are racing which is very rare. But to make it seem the normal duration of time spent on a race track, this level has 7 laps in stead of the normal 3.

Mushroom Cup- Dry Dry Desert
Dry Dry Desert is a difficult level, and is the hardest and the longest level in the Mushroom Cup circuit. There is a wide selection of the amount of spikey ball like enemies that you have to watch out for their 'bending' attack. In the middle of the level there is a big sandtrap that goes into the ground. WATCH OUT!

Flower Cup- Mushroom Bridge
This level is a level with a twist-Literally. The only thing that keeps this from being a normal circle level is the little Pac-Man mouth shaped turn that you have to pull off in the beginning of the track. There are cars on the road, and if you run into them you will spin out of control, so watch where you drive. HINT: If you run into the spherical carts with the mushrooms in them, a stray mushroom will fall out, and if you touch it you get a speed boost!

Flower Cup- Mario Circuit
This isn't like a level that you have experienced yet, for the level is an extremely twisty turny level. You want to take advantage of the blue sparks on this one. Items and use of the environment is crutial, for this is anyone's game. HINT: When I say blue sparks, I mean that if you hold the R or L button to slide and jiggle the control stick from left to right, you eventually turn the yellow sparks into orange sparks, and those orange sparks turn in to blue sparks. Then let go for a mini boost. The benifits of this is the ability for a miniature boost, and it gets you around corners without running into a wall guaranteed (only if there's a curb, not if it's just a straight corner, duh.)

Flower Cup- Daisy Cruiser
This course takes place entirely on Daisy's cruiser, where you go in and out of, with falling tables, pools, terrible pit traps and brutal enemies are formed. HINT: right after you go through the rooms with the tables, you turn right, then left, and there is a pit on the right and two item boxes on the left. If you go in the hole, there will be a slight duration of falling time, but then the way you get out is going through a pipe that gets you closer to the finish line, and it gives you a double item box. HINT 2: Right after the starting line when you go from wood to grait, start sliding, and you will come close to the edge, but if you're really good at sliding, you won't hit the wall, so then you should be facing the direction where the stairs lead off, then let go right then to boost over the stairs that slow you down. Those 3 second savers are good if you can harness a bunch for each level and get lucky with your items, you can't lose!

Flower Cup- Waluigi Stadium
Waluigi Stakium is a dirt level, with fire rings for show, and a big screen monitor that follows your cart. Creepy. There are traps such as pirhanna plants coming out of tubes to prevent you from going, or ramps that have a lower level of the track underneath, so don't fall! This level isn't like the old N64 version where you have to go the rest of the way, the screen blacks and you just continue on the other side of the ramp. Lucky you!

Star Cup- Sherbet Land
I doubt you are still reading by now, but I'm still gonna tell you everything I know, and if you are still reading, then I must give you props, you are a very good reviewer (LOL). Anyways...... Sherbet Land is a snow/ice level (duh) that has skating Shy Guys, and Ice blocks that will freeze you upon impact. HINT: Sliding on this level isn't very prefferable, for if you do on the ice you will either run into a wall, or run into an ice block and get frozen. This is such a twisty course that I wouldn't reccomend it anyway.

Star Cup- Mushroom City
This level is a level in downtown, with cars and a bunch of different roads to take. I won't tell you any secrets for there are many roads to take, but I will share one. HINT: Where you come across the intersection to either go right or straight, if you go straight you can go to the side where there is a walkway in the middle of the buildings that is a MAJOR shortcut. Then if you go a little more left and go to the road on the right, you will be on the best shortcut you can.

Star Cup- Yoshi Circuit
The outside of this level is cleverly designed to look exactly like yoshi. That goes without saying that you have a bunch of twists, turns and shortcuts that you can go through on this circuit. HINT: You will laugh at yourself for days if you fall for this trap (like I did) right after the first two turns on the level, there is a little arch that you can go around, but there is a little hill in the middle that looks like you can just dash on through. Unless you have a mushroom DON'T. The grass slows down and you fall right in water. If you have a mushroom though, so it won't do that to you. Have fun! HINT 2: Right after you come out of the tunnel and turn, there will be a little gap between two sides of a railing. It's hard to notice, but there is a little hump on the side of the beginning of the rail. If you get the item box before it (I think it's always a mushroom) then go ahead and jump. I dare you. Lol jk, but if you use the mushroom to launch off of the hump, you land straight on a little landing, that will take you through a tunnel that leads you straight through a LOT of obstacles in the level.

Star Cup-DK Mountain
This level is a very challenging cliff hanger level that you need to make sharp turns faster, and don't take your eyes off the road. Warning: If you lose terribly at this level, don't feel bad, you'll probably still pass driver's ed. HINT: Don't put a banana peel at the beginning of the blaster that launches you from one side of the level to the volcano, because they'll spin out, but they keep going and still get shot out of the cannon so it's just a waste of a banana peel. In stead, put it a few seconds after you land, then they will run into it right after they get off!

Special Cup-YA RIGHT!!
Sorry, but you have to find out the levels and their goodness for yourself. I have to leave some of it up to you, right?

d) Modes
The basic modes in this game are the 50 CC, 100 CC and the 150 CC levels. After you complete those however, there is a new Mirror mode, where you do the course backwards! Not much else more to say about the modes, except for the higher the CC gets, the harder it gets.

e) Items
There is a HUGE list of items in this game. There are ones that normally occur when you are in first, second, third and fourth place, and there are ones that only happen when you are really behind, so that it's fair and all.

Green Shell- This item can be thrown behind and in front of you, just by a simple gesture of the joystick. This is a richocheting item that will make carts spin out on impact.

Red Shell- Can be thrown behind or front, and is a heat seeking weapon that if hits a wall explodes.

Banana- Can be lobbed in front or dropped in back, and makes carts spin out upon impact. The banana is stationary.

Spiny Shell- This weapon is aimed at the leader of the race, and when reaches the leader explodes upon them, and they will pay for being first. Anyone else who is caught in its path will be flipped upon impact. (This weapon is not in battle mode) (Item available when losing)

Fake Item- An item box, except instead of being a transparent box with a question mark (normal item box) the question mark is upside down and makes a cart flip out upon impact. (Can be lobbed forward or dropped behind.)

Mushroom- An item that gives you a speed boost for a quick period of time.

Triple Mushroom- Three mushrooms in one item box. Duh.

Star- Stars make carts temporarily invulnarable for a short amount of time, making others spin out when you touch them, and making you a bit faster. (Does not effect impact on cars. Used to, but doesn't now.) (Item available when losing)

Thunderbolt- This item makes everyone on the course except for you shrunk for a period of time, and you can squash, them like a pancake, literally! They flop around and everything! If you are spinning out during the time a thunderbolt is activated, it will not have any effect on you. (Item available when losing)

If there is an item I have not named, don't worry. That means that the item is a special item, which can only be used by one person. Experiment and find out what they are!

f) Unlockables
There are SO many unlockables in this game. There are carts, characters, items, levels and more that you may unlock. Unlocking characters will also unlock new items, think of it that way >:)

Special Cup- Beat Star Cup in 100 CC
Toad & Toadlette Special Item- Repetetive mushroom-Keep pressing the item button for a continous stream of mushrooms!
Mirror Mode- Beat all levels all difficulty!

5. Legal Stuff
There's not much to say about legal stuff. This is an Epinions.com exclusive, but feel free to talk about my tips and tricks, as long as you give psyko7 credit for it. Or you can just e-mail me at jargenjoy@yahoo.com for more questions, as I will answer them the best that I can. Thanks a lot for reading, and do not copy this article for any reason. Well actually. Here. To make it official, here's the title of the article and one of those weird copywright symbols.

The review double dash, double carts, double fun= Mario Kart Double Dash!!® is protected by the sacred symbol of copywrightness. E-mail or give credit to me if use of this article or mentioning of it occurs. To make it official.........© HAHAHA! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT, CAN YOU!!! HAHAHA! ©©©©©©©©©©©©©

Sorry I'm really bored. L8r!
--Psyko7
p.s: This is my 9th review, do you think it's good for a 9th review? Do you like the way I make chapters? Please tell!