Mario Kart DS - Fresh out of the rumor mill

Some interesting new details have arisen regarding Mario Kart DS today. Unfortunately there is not yet a truly credible source to confirm these details but we all love rumors don’t we?

http://www.wired-gamers.com/index.php?mod=article&id=1

New Mario Kart Wireless Info
Admin User

Wireless Communication: Mario Kart DS features three different forms of wireless game play: two kinds of local wireless game play and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection online game play. Mario Kart DS offers two different options for LAN Wireless game play: DS Download Play, in which only one player has Mario Kart DS and all players have Nintendo DS systems, and Multi-Card Play, in which all players have Mario Kart DS and Nintendo DS systems.

DS Download Play:
As with all DS Download multiplayer games, the DS Download Play in Mario Kart DS requires that only one player has a copy of the game. Unlike past DS games, however, DS Download Play in Mario Kart DS allows multiple players who have the game card to play with multiple players who do not have the game card. DS Download Play offers the following features:

* 2-8 player simultaneous wireless game play
* Choice of multiplayer racing, Balloon Battle, or Shine Thief modes
* Players who own Mario Kart DS can choose their own characters and use personalized icons
* Players who do not own Mario Kart DS must play as Shy Guy; they cannot use personalized player icons
* Track selection is limited to eight tracks for racing and three arenas for Balloon Battle and Shine Runner modes
* DS Download Play is limited to the 100 cc engine class

Multi-Card Play:
Multi-Card Play requires all players to have their own copies of Mario Kart DS, giving players more options, modes and tracks to choose from. Multi-Card Play offers the following features:

* 2-8 player simultaneous wireless game play
* Choice of multiplayer racing, Balloon Battle or Shine Thief modes
* Players can choose from different engine classes
* No limits on character choice
* No limits on track choice
* Player’s win/loss ratio is saved and tracked
* Players who race locally are automatically added to each others friend roster and then can race via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
* Players can trade ghost data wirelessly, allowing them to race against each others’ best times.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection:
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is a free online game-play service provided by Nintendo to Nintendo DS owners. It offers seamless access to online game play and an environment that is welcoming to gamers of all skill levels. Features include:

* 2-4 Players racing simultaneously
* Choice of playing with:
o Friends Only (players registered as Friends)
o Rivals (players with similar skills)
o Recent Opponents
o Regional Racers (players in their country)
o World Racers (players anywhere in the world)
* No limit on course choice, but each player votes for a course and the course with the most votes wins (in case of a tie, the course is chosen randomly)
* No limit on character choice
* Players can create and use personalized player icons

Connecting to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection will be quick, easy and seamless. Players can go to an official Nintendo hotspot and immediately go online and start playing. To use their home Wi-Fi routers, players first must configure the DS to connect to their routers by entering the router’s network ID and optional security key or install the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector on their PC and configure the DS to enable it to share the PC’s broadband connection. After that, players can go online anytime without further configuration. Friends are registered to the friends roster either by exchanging and entering Friend Registration Keys or by playing local Multi-Card Multiplayer mode together.

MORE DETAILS

Again, I cannot get a credible source or link for this yet, but the person I am getting this info from says it is from a “Famitsu interview with Hideki Konno”.

-Control will be similar to Mario Kart 64. Nintendo feels they’ve achieved control with the d-pad that compares well with the analog control of the N64 version.

-New mode: Mission Run. In this you are given specific objectives to complete. For example going through tire-shaped gates, and using items to attack crabs. You can unlock new karts in this mode.

OFFICIAL INFO

This little tidbit can be confirmed however, via IGN.

http://ds.ign.com/articles/658/658077p1.html

October 12, 2005 - Not only is the Nintendo DS racing into the world of Wi-Fi with the release of Mario Kart DS, but Nintendo will release a new DS color — and special bundle — to celebrate. The company today announced the Red Hot Nintendo DS bundle, which includes a DS in a scorching new color, as well as a copy of Mario Kart DS.

The bundle is slated to hit stores November 28, just two weeks after Mario Kart DS hits the streets on November 14.