============================================================================== Mario Kart DS FAQ/Walkthrough Version 1.02 By Pikachu936 Last Updated: 13th October 2006 ============================================================================== Table of Contents 1. Version History 2. Introduction 3. Controls 3.1 Basics 3.2 Advanced 3.3 Snaking 4. Single Player 4.1. Grand Prix 4.1.1. Mushroom Cup 4.1.2. Flower Cup 4.1.3. Star Cup 4.1.4. Special Cup 4.1.5. Shell Cup 4.1.6. Banana Cup 4.1.7. Leaf Cup 4.1.8. Lightning Cup 4.2. Time Trails 4.3. VS 4.4. Battle 4.5. Missions 4.5.1. World 1 4.5.2. World 2 4.5.3. World 3 4.5.4. World 4 4.5.5. World 5 4.5.6. World 6 4.5.7. World 7 5. Multi Player 6. WFC 7. Characters 8. Karts 8.1. Mario's Karts 8.2. Luigi's Karts 8.3. Peach's Karts 8.4. Yoshi's Karts 8.5. Toad's Karts 8.6. DK's Karts 8.7. Wario's Karts 8.8. Bowser's Karts 8.9. Daisy's Karts 8.A. Dry Bones' Karts 8.B. Waluigi's Karts 8.C. ROB's Karts 8.D. Shy Guy's Karts 9. Items 9.1. Shells 9.2. Hazards 9.3. Speed Boosts 9.4. Miscellanious 10. Credits 11. Legal Stuff 12. Contact Info ============================================================================== 1. Version History 13th October 2006, Version 1.02: Got an E-mail which made me decide to alter the score for the Banana Bunch. I also added a space between the items, they were just too hard to see before. 19th August 2006, Version 1.01: Fixed the last updated time at the top of the page, I can't believe I let it get stuck on january all this time. 6th August 2006, Version 1.0: Finished off the FAQ, took me long enough. 16th July 2006, Version 0.74: Yup, I’ve done world's 5, 6 and 7. 15th July 2006, Version 0.71: February? I haven't touched this for 5 months? Man, I gotta do more updating. I've done Lightning cup, World 3 and World 4 so far. And I’m looking to do a MAJOR update tomorrow. 4th February 2006, Version 0.62: Now to make up for lost time, I’m going to do a massive update today, Leaf cup and world 2. 2nd February 2006, Version 0.57: Banana Cup, I swear I’m getting less time on the computer these days. 26th January 2006, Version 0.54: Wow, long time no update, did the shell cup, I would have done more but I didn't have much time. 5th January 2006, Version 0.51: Did the Special cup and spellchecked the guide. 1st January 2006, Version 0.45: Working on the Flower cup and Star cup 27th December 2005, Version 0.4: Started the FAQ. Not much done really, mainly just the Mushroom Cup and World 1 of mission mode. I have done lots on the General stuff like credits, controls and introduction though. ============================================================================== 2. Introduction Welcome to my first ever FAQ for GameFAQs. After submitting a cheat, I thought I’d have a go at writing an FAQ, and so here it is. Anyway, in my opinion, Mario Kart DS is by far the best DS game out there and I very highly recommend it to anyone who has a DS. Unlike its Gamecube predecessor, it’s gone back to one character per kart. It holds 32 excellent tracks. 16 Completely new, forming the Nitro Cup, and 16 tracks from previous Mario Karts, forming the Retro Cup. It also has 12 Characters useable ingame, The original 8, and 4 Secret Characters. Ok, thanks in advance for reading and I hope you find this FAQ Useful. -Pikachu936 ============================================================================== 3. Controls It’s very clear what controls mean, so I don't really need to explain it. Below there are 2 Types of controls, Basic and Advanced, Without the advanced controls you won't stand a chance in the 150cc, so learn them quick. ============================================================================== 3.1 Basic Controls Example EX Button: Ingame Function / Menu Option A Button: Accelerate / Confirm Choice B Button: Brake and Reverse / Move back one menu Y Button: Change Map / Not Used X Button: Use Item / Not Used Start Button: Pause the Game / Not Used R Button: Drift / Not Used L Button: Use Item / Not Used D-Pad: Steer / Change Choice Touch Screen: Change Map / Confirm Choice ============================================================================== 3.2 Advanced Controls R Button, D-Pad Left, D-Pad Right, D-Pad Left, D-Pad Right: Mini-Boost, This boost is about a half-second Mushroom boost Follow another racer for 3 seconds: Slipstream Boost, A 3 second boost with about the speed of a Star Start Boost: Press the A Button ============================================================================== 3.3 Snaking Snaking is a technique widely used by Players on Wi-Fi and is highly useful in clearing the higher difficulties. To accomplish this, do a mini-boost towards on one side of the track, drift towards the other side of the track and mini-boost when you reach track edge. If you do this the entire track, you could cut about 10-20 seconds off your total time depending on the track, many people use Yoshi's Egg1 for learning how to snake, but I’ve seen Dry bomber and ROB-BLS used as well. ============================================================================== 4. Single Player Single Player is one player, It is also the heart of the game. Without this, you can't unlock the goodies hidden inside. Make sure you play this first. ============================================================================== 4.1 Grand Prix In a grand prix, you must do 4 races against 7 other opponents, there are 4 difficulty levels, 50cc, 100cc, 150cc and 150cc mirror. With each progressing cc, the other racers become smarter, faster and use some advanced techniques to win, they won't show much mercy so I recommend you choose 50cc to start. ============================================================================== 4.1.1. Mushroom Cup Figure-8 Circuit Difficulty: 1/5 Description: A simple Figure 8 Circuit, Similar to those basic Scalextric tracks that people used play with. Strategy: The only main strategy for this level is take the inside of the corners and you should be fine. It’s An easy course to start off and since it has nice big turns, its perfect for practicing Mini-boosts, because it has 2 Slow curves and a very big track. You can't fall off and you can only really lose if you let the CPU Characters win. Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes Yoshi Falls Difficulty: 2/5 Description: It’s an oval shaped track with some waterfalls at parts and a big Yoshi egg in the middle. Strategy: Out of the three waterfalls, you only should only go through the first one right after the start and the third one a little bit before the end. If you go through the waterfalls you'll slow down quite a bit. This shows especially on the second waterfall, which is why you shouldn't take it. the first waterfall is too short for it to take effect and you can mini-boost through the third. Like Figure-8 Circuit, it’s rather easy, However if you take the waterfalls, there's the chance of being swept off the track with the water, which wastes loads of time. So you may want to take the bridges first time through, this is why it’s rated 2/5 for difficulty instead of 1/5. Shortcuts: None that I know of, except perhaps the first and third waterfalls. WFC: Yes Cheep Cheep Beach Difficulty: 2/5 Description: A rather nice relaxing beach with a jungle at the end. Remember, Beach means water, and water means cheep cheeps. Strategy: Don't go in the water, that’s rule number one for this stage. Massive slowdown for anyone who does. Near the start of the stage there is a boardwalk with a 90 degree turn, so be ready for it. Right before the jungle section there are a few cheep cheeps bouncing about near the water, so watch out for them. When you enter the jungle, watch out because it snakes quite fast and may make some weaker players throw the match away. You may also notice that there are quite a few ramps in this stage, if you press the R button at the tip of the ramp, you'll soar even higher then before and that’s good speed. Shortcuts: If you use a mushroom after the second ramp you can go straight through the water and cut out one of the corners entirely. WFC: Yes Luigi's Mansion Difficulty: 1/5 Description: A drive through the Haunted house, goes through to the garden, then to a swamp. Strategy: Make sure you're not staring at the mansion at the start of the level and not concentrating on the road because, even though it may look it, the path is NOT straight, when you're in the mansion there are a few 90 degree turns, but they're quite wide, so you should be able to take them and be sure to steer around the table in the middle of the room. When you're in the garden the track snakes a touch and when you get to the swamp, you should watch out for walking trees, plus heavier weighted characters will slow down more then others when they get here meaning Toad, Yoshi or Peach is recommended by me. Shortcuts: when you exit the mansion, take a 45 degree turn to the left and use a mushroom to cut out a reasonable chunk of the track WFC: Yes ============================================================================== 4.1.2. Flower Cup Desert Hills Difficulty: 2/5 Description: This track goes through a desert, It has a sun that drops fire onto the track in the second and third laps. Strategy: The track starts by doing a slow turn right past an Oasis, then do a sharp turn Left, then right, after this you'll go into a rather long and bumpy straight, watch out for the pokeys here, because they move and can often send you spinning if you're not careful. After a sharp turn, you'll get to a part of the track where it will snake and bank. be careful not to go off the course at this part. After this, you'll be back at the start. Shortcuts: After the first turn you can go in between the pyramid and the wall, you need 2 or more mushrooms for this. when you get to the part near the end where the course snakes, use a mushroom to boost through the middle of the course. WFC: Yes Delfino Square Difficulty: 2/5 Description: This track goes through some of the streets alleys and ports of Delfino Isle, and has Piantas along the end of the finishing straight cheering you on. Strategy: The track starts off with a straight and then does a clockwise turn around the grand pianta statue. Then you drive through some of the back alleys, there are a few 90 degree turns here so be careful. A bit further on and the track forks, one path going left, the other going straight on. I recommend going left because the turning is less harsh and you could miss some item boxes when the track comes together again. After this, you get to a port-like place, and there’s no barriers so make sure you don't fall into the water. The e are also quite a few paths that lead nowhere and crates that slow you down if you hit them just avoid these and you'll be fine, after this you'll face a 90 degree turn right and a slow curve. There will be a drawbridge ahead of you it has boosters on it so just drive over them, also, since it is a drawbridge it will be up at some points, just continue driving, you will not fall into the water. After a zigzag and another 90 degree turn, you will reach the finish line. Shortcuts: Just after you reach the port, on your left there will be an alley where you can drive down, however it is muddy and should only be attempted be light characters or characters with a mushroom. WFC: Yes Waluigi Pinball Difficulty: 3/5 Description: A race through a massive pinball table, including giant balls, flippers and a nice fun tube to zoom up. Strategy: From the start, drive forward into a very long and fast tube and you'll be ejected near the top. Follow the medium turn left and try to ignore the boosters, they don't seem to give any advantage. Jump over the ramp and turn at the next left. Watch out from this point on because you could accidentally hit a pinball which could be devastating. After some more steep turns, You'll get to a booster and ramp, the balls will fall down here so the threat is over for now. Go around a very long and sharp turning and the pinball’s are back again. After some more turning left, you're deposited onto the actual table, the first obstacle to look out for is the pinball’s which have been caught in some bumpers and they have random movement so be careful here. After this there is some spinning bumpers, spinning around one big one in the middle of the track, maneuver round these and be very care of the flippers, after them, there’s just 2 more 90 degree turns then you're back at the start. Shortcuts: None to my knowledge. WFC: No Shroom Ridge Difficulty: 3/5 Description: This track is on an actual road, and so there will be many cars to get in your way, and at the beginning and end there will be no barrier on the right so steer clear. Strategy: From the start, there will be a rather slow turn to the left, but it is hairpin so be careful. Then another to the right, try not to go on the inside here because you could get hit by a truck, bear that in mind for all the other corners here. A little further on there will be yet another hairpin. After a long straight (which is bumpy so watch out for vehicles because you may not see them) there is a small turn to the left then the right and then you'll go into the tunnel which is curving to the left slightly. When you get out of the tunnel, be careful because there is a hairpin and on the outside there is no barrier. The track will do 90 degree turns left and right now until you get to the finish line. Shortcuts: None to my knowledge. WFC: No ============================================================================== 4.1.3. Star Cup To unlock the Star Cup, place first in the Mushroom and Flower Cups DK Pass Difficulty: 2/5 Description: Shroom Ridge with snow to be simple. Watch out for the deadly snowmen and giant snowballs. Strategy: Start off by going into the Tunnel, When you come out, the track is going to be down some serious snaking, so stay on your toes, also the barrier will fade away into nothingness a bit further down the track. Many snakes later and the barrier will go up a hill, follow it onto the snow and you will find a special item box, the only item you can get from this are stars, mushrooms, triple mushrooms and red shells. I've heard rumors that you can get bullet bills from them, these aren't confirmed yet though. After this, the track will start to go down instead of up, and the snowballs will be rolling in the same direction as you now. A little later on and you'll go off a ramp into the field of snowmen, do your best to dodge them all and you'll be back at the start. Shortcuts: There is a point before the item box where the barrier disappears, if you mini-boost, you can keep up a good speed and cut a few seconds off your time. WFC: Yes Tick-Tock Clock Difficulty: 3/5 Description: There are quite a few clock related obstacles to dodge, like pendulums and gears, Simple and fun. Strategy: The first turning is a 90 Degree turn left which will go uphill. At the top, there is a round area with some moving bars and some boosters, take the boosters and exit this area. The road will start going down, take a 90 Degree turn and dodge the pendulum. After this is a 135 Degree turn, with some gears up ahead, if you drive in the same direction as the gears, you will go faster, and if you go against them, you'll take some massive slowdown. Example, If the gears are turning in a clockwise direction, drive on the left side for the boost. The gears will alternate in direction, so it shouldn't be too hard to get past. After 2 more 90 Degree turns there will be a rotating bar, this one is quite hard to dodge because it reaches all the way to the edge. After that and 2 more left turns, drive between the 2 gears to get to the finish line. Shortcuts: On the final stretch there are 2 gears. Each one rotating in a different direction, drive on the one that is rotating towards the finish line for a nice speed boost. WFC: No Mario Circuit Difficulty: 2/5 Description: Set out similar to Figure-8 Circuit (as in nice green grass on the edges), But with added Goombas and Piranha Plants. Strategy: The first turn of the course is a 90 Degree right turn with sand around, so make sure you stay on the road here, Sand is bad. After this you'll go onto a road that curves slightly, but not much, the main highlight of this road is the Goombas, watch out for them and dodge them. Later, the road will go between 2 Piranha Plants and into a pipe shaped tunnel, the plants occasionally spit fireballs at you, but not very often. After the tunnel, there will be a hairpin turn and the track will turn into a dirt road. You'll go over a bridge next, then the track will snake, but on the inside of all the corners, there will be a piranha plant, these ones won't spit fire however. After 2 more hairpins the track will end. Shortcuts: Use a mushroom next to the piranha plant on the right before the tunnel to speed across the sand and shave off a good second. WFC: Yes Airship Fortress Difficulty: 3/5 Description: This looks like a pirate ship, with a castle turret on the other side of the track and a road connecting them, all of this is flying in the air. Strategy: There will be a very long straight after this start, don't relax, you'll be under attack from bullet bills until you reach the first of 2 consecutive 90 degree turns, following the second one is a booster onto the pirate ship. On the pirate ship there will be a load of Rocky Wrenches, Dodge them and do down into the ships interior, dodge the crates and burners, and you'll be shot out of a cannon, after a very nice flight, you'll be going around and around in the castle and you'll come out, eventually, onto a rather broken bit of road, dodge the missing section, take a 90 degree turn left and you’re done with the star cup. Shortcuts: None to my Knowledge. WFC: No ============================================================================== 4.1.4. Special Cup To Unlock the Special Cup, Place first in the Star Cup. Wario Stadium Difficulty: 4/5 Description: A track in the middle of the stadium (though you probably already figured that out). There are a few camera flashes from the crowd so don't get distracted. Strategy: From that start there will be a Hairpin turn left followed by a snaking road, which leads up a ramp with a booster on the top. After a rather slow turn left there will be some mud in front of you, hit the boosters on the islands to get through it fast and don't miss them or you'll be taking a massive hit in speed. Another turn left follows this, and a ramp, at the top of this one are some Podobos, watch out for these and you'll pass them easily. Then there will be another ramp and podobo set, go through again. You'll then drive onto a road that snakes a tiny bit, it has rotating podobos and mud on here, but the podobos are only a danger if you pass underneath them, and the mud if you are careless, if you've reached this far, you've probably got the skills do dodge the mud now anyway. After (yet another) turn left, there will be (yet another) ramp to drive off, do so. After this, the track will go all bumpy, then after a final left turn (which is hairpin) and ramp the finish will be in front of you. Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes Peach Gardens Difficulty: 4/5 Description: It's a garden, so of course there's trees and flowers and such, has some chomps roaming around. Strategy: After a straight you will take a left turn over a river, then go clockwise around a flower bed and out onto another straight. Then go around the flower bed in the middle (either way, but going to the right is quicker), After this you'll reach the chomp maze, just keep going forward and avoid the bushes and chomps to get out safely, dodge the flower beds (piece of cake compared to the chomp maze). Dodge the bushes ahead and the Monty moles of the dirt track further on. Go on the 90 degree right turn then another 90 degree turn further along the long straight to get to the end. Shortcuts: Use a mushroom to be able to cross any of the flower beds. WFC: No Bowser Castle Difficulty: 4/5 Description: Big stone castle with lots of lava and thwomps. Another name I thought for this level is 90 Degree turn land, because all turns are 90 degree. Strategy: A nice long straight to being with, Followed by a 90 degree turn right, and a ramp after a second 90 degree right turn with yet another 90 degree turn right at the top. At this part, the road with start spinning anticlockwise, cross it and go out the door on the other side, Watch out for the thwomp. The road will go up and curve to the left, watch out here because there is no barrier on the inside. You'll come out onto a spinning log, make sure you don't fall, try to stay on top of the log. After another right turn you'll fly off onto some moving platforms, then turn right then follow the road that snakes and you'll be at the finish line in a matter of seconds. Shortcuts: At the rotating floor, turn all the way round, not just out the door and you'll see another path, this leads to the path that goes up and left. WFC: No Rainbow Road Difficulty: 5/5 Description: Nice rainbowy track, looks like the whole track is made of boosters Strategy: There will be a long straight with loads of boosters, which will turn into a VERY long curve to the left, there are boosters and no barriers, be very careful. A bit further on you'll go through a loop, if you get hit with a shell or something here, you fall off if you're at the top, it’s a very nasty technique to use. After a long straight there will be a 90 degree turn right and a long path that goes through a small left turn and then a hairpin turn right, a bit further, there will be a helix loop, followed by a 90 degree right turn and a long turn to the left, then you'll reach the finish. Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes ============================================================================== 4.1.5. Shell Cup Mario Circuit 1 SNES Difficulty: 0.5/5 Description: A small course, surrounded by sand with some hills in the distance Strategy: This course brings back some very nice memories of the older Mario Karts. If you can't win this, sell the game back to the store and give yourself the title "Worlds worst Mario Karter". It's just a simple loop with a couple of pipes in the course. It's quite good for learning how to snake too. Shortcuts: Use a mushroom to cut across the southern bit of the track, make sure you don't overdo it and the 'shroom stops while you're on the dirt WFC: Yes Moo Moo Farm N64 Difficulty: 1/5 Description: A track with cows watching you, listen carefully and hear them moo. Strategy: Easy, it’s like a bigger version of baby park to be honest, a simple loop. If you see little holes in the ground, steer clear. Monty Moles occasionally jump out, and make sure you avoid the bridge at the exit of the course. Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes Peach Circuit GBA Difficulty: 1/5 Description: Similar to Mario circuit, but with a blue background instead of an orange one. you can also see peaches castle at one point. Strategy: Like the rest of the courses in this cup, a simple loop with a few twists and turns. It’s very boring compared to the others because there are no dangers to this course. It has a 135 degree turn left but nothing else that could wreck you. The track will snake a bit and there is a 180 degree turn left but its slow and easy Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes Luigi Circuit GCN Difficulty: 1/5 Description: Not sure how to describe this, similar atmosphere to peach circuit. You can see Luigi's mansion at one side of the track. Strategy: As well as the usual techniques for loops, make sure you steer clear of the chomp. Remember, at the corner, don't take the boosters, they are slower then the actual route. Also, when going down the straight in the middle, watch out for other racers going the other way. Shortcuts: Use a mushroom to speed past the chomp, make sure you don't get hit though WFC: Yes ============================================================================== 4.1.6. Banana Cup Donut Plains 1 SNES Difficulty: 2/5 Description: Lots of fields, track made of dust, track orbits a lake, rather boring... Strategy: At the start grab an item then take 2 45 degree turns right. And over a bridge, then a 90 degree turn right and a small track snake. A hairpin follows this so be very careful. Don't go to close to the inside here, there's some dirt that slows you down, another hairpin will be coming, this time, its to your left. Another straight before a final hairpin (this one has dirt) and this track is over Shortcuts: After the bridge, use a mushroom to boost across the grass and skip the snake. WFC: No Frappe Snowland N64 Difficulty: 3/5 Description: Snowy, A couple of giant ice sculptures and of course, no snowy level would be complete with a vast amount of killer snowmen. Strategy: Ah, Frappe Snowland, my old nemesis made it into Mario Kart DS, as you can probably guess, I hate this course, A LOT. But telling you that I hate it isn't going to fix it, ah well. The track starts off by taking a turn for the right and then for the left, The track then does a hairpin to the left then a slow 90 degree turn to the right, followed by a sharp one to the left and then a jump, straight into the field of deadly snowmen, after this, the track will snake a bit then some massive walls will rise and you'll enter a canyon, it will take a hairpin left, a 90 degree right and then onto a bridge which is next to the finish, watch out on the bridge, I’ve fallen and lost here before, so don't go acting cocky and steer to close to the edge. Shortcuts: You can cut across the snow partway before the canyon. WFC: Yes Bowser Castle 2 GBA Difficulty: 3/5 Description: Lava lava all around, with a couple of Bowser statues in the background...Hey, that rhymes. Strategy: The course starts by taking a hairpin to the right, there is a booster on the outside of the track after this, so hit it and take a 100 degree turn to the left and make sure you dodge the thwomps here, after this and a 90 degree turn to the left, you'll come onto some wire mesh, with boosters either side and jumps in the middle, there'll be another 90 degree turn with a booster on the inside this time, and then to the jumps, there'll be lots of them in this section, and make sure you don't crash into the wall about halfway through this section. Another turn right, 90 degree of course, BE VERY CAREFUL HERE BECAUSE IT IS POSSIBLE TO RUIN YOUR RACE. There will be loads, and I mean LOADS of jumps, dodge as many as possible, especially the later ones, because they will bounce you into the lava and make you burn up. Another 90 degree right turn and it’s onto the home straight. Shortcuts: None that I know of WFC: No Baby Park GCN Difficulty: 1/5 Description: Simplest track in the game, Period. Just a loop, Strategy: Just a loop, if you need help with this, do what I told you to do on Figure 8. However, this course has 5 laps instead of 3 and you can chuck items over the gap in the middle, It's a shame that some of the top items from double dash were removed, they made this course very intense. Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes ============================================================================== 4.1.7. Leaf Cup To unlock the Leaf Cup, place first in the Shell and Banana Cups Koopa Beach SNES Difficulty: 2/5 Description: A small beach, there's some moss on the inside, cheep cheeps bouncing about and Deadly deep water. Very short course. Strategy: After some rather slow left turns, you'll get to the highlight of this rather dull track. You must cross a massive lake with some cheep cheeps. Be careful, because the darker bits of water are deep and you'll fall in if you drive over them, After this there'll be a 90 degree left turn and the track will snake a bit, there will be one more slow left turn and you'll leave this immensely boring track Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: No Choco Mountain N64 Difficulty: 3/5 Description: Cool mountain, somehow the track is between 2 massive walls, looks like it’s made of chocolate (hence the name). Strategy: The track starts with a slow 90 degree turn right, then snakes a bit and then another slow 90 degree turn, the track will then take a massive straight and begin a very slow left into a track which starts to snake and eventually go over a jump, watch out now because there are no barriers on the left and falling down means doom. To make things worse, there are rocks falling down to crush you. A hairpin turn sees the rocks away but the rail still hasn't gone, you want to be especially careful here, because you can fall onto the path below. The track will turn right and then go up and down, and to the finish Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes Luigi Circuit GBA Difficulty: 3/5 Description: Track is shaped like a "K". It's raining so be prepared to dodge puddles on the track. Should have been called hairpin city. Strategy: The track begins abruptly by a right turn and shortly after, a left one and then a hairpin right. with one left (Boy, they don' give us much time to think do they). Another hairpin right and the track hairpin again to the right and again to the left. Onto...A straight longer then a meter! Hooray! After another hairpin the track will snake. Which precedes 2 more hairpins and the finish line. Shortcuts: None that I know of. WFC: Yes Mushroom Bridge GCN Difficulty: 3/5 Description: Very nice track, one of my favorites, Traffic on this track, with a pretty amazing bridge. Strategy: The track begins before a 90 degree slow left turn into the tunnel, after which there will be a 45 degree slow turn left and another 90 right. Straight after you'll enter another tunnel, this one turning to the left slightly, one more 90 degree turn left and you be on the bridge, which is a VERY long straight to the finish. Shortcuts: Use a mushroom after you get out of the first tunnel to go up the path and cut out a nice amount of track. WFC: No ============================================================================== 4.1.8. Lightning Cup To unlock the Lightning Cup, place first in the Leaf Cup Choco Island 2 SNES Difficulty: 4/5 Description: Desert/canyon, lots of mud and piranha plants. With a couple of jumps near the end. Strategy: I have many painful memories of this track. Most of which include me driving to the nearest game store to pick up a new GBA. Anyhoo, start the course by driving into a squiggly bit, shouldn't be too hard. Then there's a 90 degree turn right and quite a long straight. Problem is, the track goes thin here and more often then not you'll be knocked into then mouth of a piranha plant by Bowser or Wario. After this there is another 90 degree right turn and a couple of jumps. Then a big pool of mud. Drive across it to get to another 90 degree turn (this one is quite a bit wider then the rest) into jump country, you'll be bounced about quite a bit here, so go slow when you hit the final 90 degree turn. Shortcuts: Use a shroom at the start of the course to skip the big squiggle WFC: Yes Banshee Boardwalk N64 Difficulty: 3/5 Description: Ghostly track above the ocean or a lake. A Big Blurp (or massive cheep cheep) Leaps over the course partway through. And there’s the castle with the swoops inside. Boo's pop up once in a while too. Also, the Corners are all very sharp so stay on your toes. Strategy: Drive into the 90 degree left turn then into the right (careful not to overshoot and fall into the ocean below. There’s a small turn right after then a long turn and a 135 degree turn left. The Big Blur will jump over the next straight but he's harmless so just ignore him. There is a couple of quick turns next so don't fall through by accident. Then another straight and you'll fall onto the next section of the track below. Follow the 2 90 degree turns left and into the castle. When inside go to the right of the wall and towards the swoop box. Drive around the wall behind the box and you should see the exit and the finish line behind. drive round the 90 degree right turns, then a couple more left turns and straight to the end. Shortcuts: In the castle entrance, take a left instead of a right then hop over the small gap. WFC: No Sky Garden GBA Difficulty: 3/5 Description: Played on some green road on clouds, A couple of beanstalks to slow you down and a Luigi blimp to top it off. Strategy: Defiantly my favorite track in the game, bar none. It starts with a 90 degree right turn, then slims off to the left again into another straight with a jump, after this there is a short 45 degree right turn and then a 135 degree left turn with a very long straight, then a 90 degree left and a hairpin right turn. There's a left turn onto a bridge here and another after then some short right and left turns, with another straight and another hairpin. After another moderate straight there is a short right and another hairpin. followed by some rather short turns to the end. Shortcuts: After the first turn, use a mushroom over the ramp, after the next turn use a mushroom over the next ramp. For those who don't have a mushroom, drive over the jump to the left for a lesser shortcut. Right before the last bridge, there are a couple of clouds on the left of the track, hop over these with the R button. Also, if you have a car with an item stat of nearly full, use a mushroom at the correct angle at the left turn near the second ramp and fly off the edge towards the other road. You need to press R here as you lift off to make it too. WFC: Yes Yoshi Circuit GCN Difficulty: 4/5 Description: Shaped Like Yoshi! Awesome! Strategy: Start with a hairpin right turn and a couple of left turns. With a rather slow hairpin to the right after this. Then we have a small left turn and a VERY slow right hairpin turn. Then we have a rather quicker turn around his eye. With a 90 degree left turn and ANOTHER hairpin to the right. Now the track will start to zigzag, but all you need to do is cut down the middle and avoid the piranha plants. Then we have another hairpin (to the left this time) followed by another straight and then one more hairpin to the right. A couple more turns and we are at the end. Shortcuts: Use a mushroom to boost over Yoshi's hand. WFC: Yes ============================================================================== 4.2. Time Trails Time Trails are when you race on the track alone to get the fastest time. You are given 1-3 Mushrooms at the start depending on your kart. There isn't anything to do much in this mode however except race staff ghosts, these are the best times that the developers put into the game. You don't get anything for beating them all though except bragging rights. To unlock the ghosts, you usually must have a time of 5-10 seconds out from thier time. The following karts have 1 mushroom when you race: Shooting Star Poltergust 4000 Light Tripper Egg1 Mushmellow Wildlife Brute Hurricane Dry Bomber Light Dancer Gold Mantis ROB-BLS The following karts have 2 mushrooms when you race: Standard MR Standard LG Standard PC Standard YS Standard TD Standard DK Standard WR Standard BW Standard DB Standard DS Standard WL Standard RB The following karts have 3 mushrooms when you race: B Dasher Streamliner Royale Cucumber 4-Wheel Cradle Rambi Racer Dragonfly Tyrant Banisher Power Flower Zipper ROB-LGS Staff Ghost Times and Karts: Figure 8 Circuit 1:36:481 Mario Standard MR Yoshi Falls 0:57:677 Yoshi Egg1 Cheep Cheep Beach 1:43:654 DK Standard DK Luigi's Mansion 1:59:357 Luigi Streamliner Desert Hills 1:31:262 ROB ROB-LGS Delfino Square 1:54:601 Peach Royale Waluigi Pinball 2:23:288 Waluigi Gold Mantis Shroom Ridge 2:05:123 Toad Mushmellow DK Pass 2:13:607 DK Wildlife Tick-Tock Clock 1:54:903 Daisy Light Dancer Mario Circuit 1:56:533 Mario Shooting Star Airship Fortress 2:07:748 Bowser Hurricane Wario Stadium 2:14:868 Wario Brute Peach Gardens 1:52:989 Peach Royale Bowser's Castle 2:18:661 Bowser Hurricane Rainbow Road 2:16:246 ROB ROB-BLS Mario Circuit 1 SNES 0:50:688 Mario Standard MR Moo Moo Farm N64 1:17:751 DK Wildlife Peach Circuit GBA 1:12:011 Peach Royale Luigi Circuit GCN 1:19:759 Luigi Poltergust 4000 Donut Plains 1 SNES 1:08:027 Dry Bones Dry Bomber Frappe Snowland N64 2:08:781 Wario Brute Bowser's Castle 2 GBA 1:52:258 Bowser Standard BW Baby Park GCN 0:50:920 Toad Mushmellow Koopa Beach 2 SNES 0:54:847 Yoshi Egg1 Choco Mountain N64 2:15:571 Wario Dragonfly Luigi Circuit GBA 1:46:581 Luigi Poltergust 4000 Mushroom Bridge GCN 1:30:600 Toad Mushmellow Choco Island 2 SNES 1:01:620 Waluigi Zipper Banshee Boardwalk N64 2:14:403 Dry Bones Dry Bomber Sky Garden GBA 1:44:400 Daisy Power Flower Yoshi Circuit GCN 1:48:793 Yoshi Standard YS ============================================================================== 4.3. VS In Mario Kart DS we welcome back the VS mode, a way to challenge the CPU without having to go into grand prix. There isn't anything to do in this mode except race to your hearts content. It's also worth noting that the difficulty of the CPU karts are chosen by the "CPU Kart" option ingame. The class determines the speed which you go. Also available is the team race option. In this mode, there are two teams of four and the total score of everyone in the team is tallied, the winning team is the one who scores the highest. ============================================================================== 4.4. Battle Here's something new, even though battle mode has been around since Super Mario Kart for the SNES, this is the first game where you can battle CPUs. Plus, 8 player battle! Hoo-rah! There are 6 battle courses which will be discussed later. Team Battle is availible too. The only difference from normal is that if you win, the whole team wins and if you lose but a teammate wins, you win too. Also, each character is in thier Standard Kart at all times. There are two modes to choose from, Balloon Battle and Shine runners, in balloon battle, you begin with one balloon and if it's popped (by taking damage) you lose, you also have 4 balloons saved up and can inflate them by blowing into the mic or holding select while stationary but you can only have three balloons out at the same time. In Shine runners, 9 shine sprites appear around the stage, Grab as many as you can, when a timer of 1 minute ends, the racer(s) with the lowest number of sprites are eliminated and another time from 30 seconds starts, when this timer ends, the racer(s) with the lowest are eliminated again and another timer starts. The last remaining player wins, if you get hit, you'll lose a sprite which will fly away to anywhere in the arena Name: Nintendo DS Notes: A basic NDS. The Bottom half is flat and the top half is slightly tilted red shells are lethal here because there are no walls Fun Factor: 3/5 Difficulty BB: 2/5 Difficulty SR: 2/5 Name: Twilight House Notes: There are 8 rooms connected in a 0 shape and a balcony which goes around the edge, be careful, it's quite thin. Fun Factor: 2/5 Difficulty BB: 2/5 Difficulty SR: 3/5 Name: Palm Shore Notes: There is an island in the middle and a horseshoe shaped island in orbit around it. Water will come and go between the two islands Fun Factor: 4/5 Difficulty BB: 3/5 Difficulty SR: 2/5 Name: Tart Top Notes: Hit a strawberry twirl thing and you'll get the same effect as a blooper, the only items are above the center. Fun Factor: 2/5 Difficulty BB: 3/5 Difficulty SR: 2/5 Name: Block Fort N64 Notes: 4 Massive blocks in each of the corners with bridges leading to the others, good for sneaking up on other players Fun Factor: 5/5 Difficulty BB: 1/5 Difficulty SR: 4/5 Name: Pipe Plaza GCN Notes: There are some Pipes on the north wall, when you drive in you are thrown out of another there isn't much else to say really. Fun Factor: 4/5 Difficulty BB: 3/5 Difficulty SR: 1/5 ============================================================================== 4.5. Missions Here's something completely new to the Mario Kart series. In it you take a break from racing, and take on mission challenges. These are usually like "Drive through the numbered gates in order" or "Collect all coins". There are 7 worlds, each with 8 challenges and a boss. They will be described below. Also, all characters will use their standard kart in mission mode. ============================================================================== 4.5.1. World 1 Mission 1-1: Drive through all 5 numbered gates in order! Character: Mario Stage: Figure-8 Circuit Time Limit: 35 seconds Strategy: Gate number one is easy, it’s right in front of you, pass through it and you'll see a row of 4 mushrooms on the floor in front of gate 2. Grab any of them and pass through the gate. After another part of the curve, you'll see the same mushroom setup with gate 3, and the same again with number 4. After gate 4, you'll come out of the curve and see gate 5 straight ahead. Pass through to clear the mission. Mission 1-2: Collect all 15 coins! Character: Peach Stage: Peach Circuit GBA Time Limit: 30 seconds Strategy: Start off by grabbing the 2 coins in front of you. You should see the next 2 at the hairpin turn, so slow down for them as you may miss coins 5 and 6 which are right after the turn. Coins 7 through 12 are on the straight so grab them, go slow after this because the last 3 coins are easy to miss if not at a correct angle. But unless you are attempting triple star ranks, you don't need to restart if you miss just one, reverse and you should still be able to retrieve the last coins. Mission 1-3: Destroy all 10 item boxes! Character: Yoshi Stage: Yoshi Falls Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: The main challenge here is restraining yourself from taking the waterfalls, no need to take the waterfall just to be slowed down and the only thing the down here is a big waste of time. Remember, the only thing these boxes give you are mushrooms so you may get away with one mistake. Box 1 is in front of you at the start, number 2 is on the bridge over the waterfall, number 3 is on the slope a bit further on. 4 is before the bridge over waterfall 2, while 5 is on the bridge. 6 is on the right side of the booster, 7 is at the end of the final bridge. 8 is on the right path of the next booster. Finally, 9 and 10 are on the straight near the end. Mission 1-4: Get the Star and use it to hit 5 Cheep Cheeps! Character: Wario Stage: Cheep Cheep Beach Time Limit: 40 seconds Strategy: There are 5 Cheep Cheeps flopping about on the beach right before the Jungle and a bunch of item boxes nearby, get one of them to get a star and hit all the cheep cheeps along the beach. Make sure you have your eye on the cheep cheep when about to hit him because they have an annoying habit dodging you, so be careful and you should prosper. Mission 1-5: Drive through all 6 numbered gates in order! Character: Toad Stage: Nintendo DS Time Limit: 30 seconds Strategy: If you know the level well then you should be able to do this easily For gate 1, it's sitting in front of you, go through it. drive the top of the DS and take a hard left to see gate 2, drive through it and follow the edge of the track to find the rest, that’s this easy mission done. Mission 1-6: Drive out of the mansion... backward! Character: Luigi Stage: Luigi's Mansion Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: Easy if you have driven backwards before, just hold the B button instead of the A button and whenever you get to a turning, press the opposite direction. In fact, I think the only turnings in the level are 90 degree right turns, so just hold left while taking them. The course is from the entrance to the mansion, to the exit to the garden. Just focus and you'll easily do it. Mission 1-7: Collect all 20 coins! Character: DK Stage: Moo Moo Farm N64 Time Limit: 35 seconds Strategy: First get the item box in front of you, it contains 3 mushrooms, so be wary when using them because you may miss some coins. After this collect the 4 coins before the ramp, and keep on a straight path because the next 4 coins are after the ramp. There's a group of 5 coins on the corner a bit further on, collect them and continue a bit further. There's 3 coins on the inside of the corner ahead, but the slope they are on could throw you off and make you miss out on them. The last 4 are on the same setup but the slope they are on is less steep Mission 1-8: Perform 4 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap. Character: Mario Stage: Mario Circuit 1 SNES Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: To do a mini boost, look in the advanced controls section of the guide (3.2). After you do 4, just make your way to the finish. On a side note, Getting a triple star here was probably hardest of all missions. It took me an hour of long hard work to get it, I think that snaking may be essential to a triple star. But try hard and you'll get it. Boss Stage: Use Mushrooms to crash into the Big Bully and knock him off the stage! Character: Yoshi Time Limit: 3 minutes Strategy: Defiantly the easiest boss, but what did you expect from world 1? First of all, get the box which will contain triple Mushrooms, after that, just ram into him and use a mushroom before each hit and he'll be in the water in no time. ============================================================================== 4.5.2. World 2 Mission 2-1: Crash into all 10 wooden crates and destroy every one! Character: Wario Stage: Delfino Square Time Limit: 55 seconds Strategy: The first box is in front of you at the start, smash it. Go along the road and you'll see number 2 on the inside and 3 on the outside. Destroy number 4 which is on the pier, reverse and smash the 2 on both sides of the alley and the number 7 which is on the bridge. Drive over then turn right before the stop sign to find number 8. Now, go back to where you found number 4. and drive down the pier to find the last remaining boxes. Mission 2-2: Collect all 10 coins! Character: Yoshi Stage: Figure-8 Circuit Time Limit: 30 seconds Strategy: Reverse to pick up coin number one, the remaining 9 are on the middle of the track. Easy. Mission 2-3: Drive through all 5 numbered gates in order. Character: DK Stage: Donut Plains SNES Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: The first one if just before the bridge, gate 2 is in the middle of the shortcut so pick up the shroom on the track to get through. 3 is on the outside of the next hairpin turn and number 4 on the one after that, there are quite a few mushrooms on the track here, grab them if you want a good rank The last gate is on the outside of the last hairpin. Mission 2-4: Destroy all 5 item boxes! Character: Luigi Stage: Luigi's mansion Time Limit: 35 seconds Strategy: The item boxes will fly along the track, they are all in a line, so they are quite easy to get as the only thing the give are mushrooms. just use them and aim right and you'll go speeding through the item boxes. Mission 2-5: Collect all 20 coins! Character: Peach Stage: Cheep Cheep Beach Time Limit: 30 seconds Strategy: Coins 1 through 6 are in front of you at the start, 7-12 you have to have the right aim or you'll be speeding the wrong direction and needing to brake, all the other coins are at the jump, so just go over and you should get them. Mission 2-6: Use Bob-ombs to destroy all 5 Pokeys! Character: Wario Stage: Desert hills Time Limit: 55 seconds Strategy: Collect an item box to get a bob-omb and chuck it at a pokey to destroy it. if you have trouble hitting your target, get as close as possible, you’ll get hurt too but its easier. Mission 2-7: Drive through all 10 numbered gates in order! Character: Toad Stage: Luigi Circuit GCN Time Limit: 55 seconds Strategy: Gate 1 is in front of you and 2 is along the path, when going down here, you may notice that some gates like number 8 are on the road, so make sure you drive through the correct one. Number 2 is the gate on the left and 3 is on the right. drive through 4 which is right after 3. Gate 5 is on the side with the boosts, 6 and 7 are next to the gates you’ve already driven through and 8 is on the middle line. Get number 9 which is in the middle of the road and the last gate is on top of the boosts this time. Mission 2-8: Perform 6 power-slide turbo boosts in 3 lap. Character: Peach Stage: Baby Park GCN Time Limit: 55 seconds Strategy: The level is tough, because peach has not got any decent mini-boosting skill. And is hard to control, try to pick up the item boxes because they always give stars. Boss Stage: Hit the Eyerok's eyeball 3 times with shells! Character: Mario Time Limit: 5 minutes Strategy: Very easy, first get an shell from a box and fire it at the hand who has his eye open. Rinse, Lather, Repeat. Also, once you've hit him twice, the hands will take it in turns to float into the air, both have their eyes open here so just hit the one not floating. ============================================================================== 4.5.3. World 3 Mission 3-1: Destroy all 5 item boxes! Character: Wario Stage: Waluigi Pinball Time Limit: 50 seconds Strategy: Well, it's hard to give a strategy for this one because the boxes move randomly around the area, they'll always follow the same route but the lack any pattern, however, they always contain stars so that helps in getting the others. Plus the area you drive in is small. Mission 3-2: Drive through all 5 numbered gates in order...backward! Character: Bowser Stage: Delfino Square Time Limit: 50 seconds Strategy: Drive through the first gate which is behind you then turn left (from the camera's perspective) then follow the road more to find the second and take the straight route at the fork to get number 3. Then go left to find the forth gate and left again to find the final gate. Mission 3-3: Collect all 15 coins while avoiding the Chain Chomp! Character: Luigi Stage: Luigi Circuit GCN Time Limit: 25 seconds Strategy: Not hard at all, the chain chomp is only a minor hindrance and you can easily recover if he hits you, just go forward at the start, then turn left into the coin spiral and before you know it, you're done. Easy. Mission 3-4: Reach the finish before Yoshi! Character: Peach Stage: Yoshi Falls Time Limit: Until Yoshi finishes Strategy: Easy, it's just a 1 on 1 race but all items will be either star, red shell, mushroom or triple mushroom, also some of the routes are blocked off. The main route is blocked off on the first 2 waterfalls so you have to drive through them, but the waterfall with items flowing down is blocked so you have to take the main route here. Aside from these, it's exactly the same as grand prix mode. Mission 3-5: Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order Character: Yoshi Stage: Pipe Plaza Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: This one can be quite tricky, get the first gate in front of you and drive through the pipe to find number 2. Stay on the top section and turn right to find number 3 and again to find 4. Go through the second pipe to shoot out at number 5, drive towards the wall and you'll see gate 6. Stay on the same curve and go up the ramp to find 7 and drop down for number 8. Mission 3-6: Hit Monty Moles with shells 5 times! Character: Luigi Stage: Moo Moo Farm Time Limit: 1 minute 5 seconds Strategy: This is very tough, the Monty moles will pop out of their holes very quickly. Try and park right in front of them and hit them when they are about to return to the hole. As long as you focus it shouldn't prove to hard. Mission 3-7: Perform 10 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lab! Character: DK Stage: Shroom Ridge Time Limit: 1 minute 10 seconds Strategy: You have ages so just as long as you miniboost at all corners, you should be fine, also, keep in mind that DK's drifting skill is lacking so be careful. Mission 3-8: Collect all 20 coins! Character: Mario Stage: Twilight House Time Limit: 1 minute 5 seconds Strategy: This can be quite tough if you don't know the locations of the coins but I’m here to tell you, so it shouldn't be hard at all. Coin 1 if right in front of you and coin two is on the left in the next room, go out the door behind and into the next door to pick up coin 3, go through the door on the right to find a dead end and coin 4. Drive back out and through the door across the hall to find yourself outside again, turn right to find coin 5 and right into the next door to find 6. Go through the only other door for 7 and the door on the right to find coin 8 in the corner of the stage. Drive clockwise and collect the coin behind the banana then right into the dead end to find coins 10 and 11, leave the dead end and drive right to see 3 bananas and a coin and 3 banana's, collect the coin to see some more bananas and coin 13. take the corner and enter the door for coin 14 and enter the last room to find the last 6 coins. Boss Stage: Reach the finish before Goomboss! Character: Toad Time Limit: Until Goomboss Finishes Stage: Baby Park Strategy: This giant Goomba can prove quite a challenge to anyone. The trick is to stay behind until the final straight, if you are behind him, he'll stop, turn around, and drop a goomba or a mushroom. If you are in front of him, he won't do this but if you are at the correct position, he may kick you further ahead. Also, when he finishes a lap, he'll grow slightly. But this takes him time so take advantage of it. ============================================================================== 4.5.4. World 4 Mission 4-1: Reach the finish before Donkey Kong! Character: Wario Stage: DK Pass Time Limit: Until DK finishes Strategy: Another simple 1 on 1 race. But this time there are more snowmen near the beginning, and the course is backwards. There's the same item rules as with the race with Yoshi. There’s no noticeable changes after this to my knowledge. Mission 4-2: Blast 20 crabs! Character: Yoshi Stage: Palm Shores Time Limit: 2 minutes Strategy: Easy. Though the crabs are small, just drive up to them when some triple green shells are spinning round you to destroy all the crabs. you have more then enough time to do it twice so just relax and you can do it very easily. Once in a while, you'll get a Bob-omb from an item box, use it near a bunch of crabs for lots of points. Mission 4-3: Reach the finish before the red car! Character: Mario Stage: Shroom Ridge Time Limit: 50 seconds Strategy: The Red car will zoom past you as the time is still counting down, that hardly seems fair, but the red car will always take the outside of the corners so it isn't too hard, plus the boxes contain triple shrooms. Watch out for the car though because if you touch it you will crash and waste tons of time. Mission 4-4: Drove through all 7 numbered gates in order! Character: Wario Stage: Desert Hills Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: The first gate is in front of you at the start, though quite far away, get it then get a triple shroom item box, get gate 2 on the inside of the pyramid and use the shrooms to avoid slowdown and get the 3rd on the right side of the track afterwards. 4 is on top of the hill in the middle of the course and 5 is on the inside of the next corner. 6 is aiming at the hill. Use a shroom to get over it and zoom through gate 7. Mission 4-5: Collect all 15 coins. If you get squished by a Thwomp, you fail! Character: Bowser Stage: Bowser Castle 2 Time Limit: 30 seconds Strategy: Easy as pie. Just do a turbo start to get the first 8 within 5 seconds the others aren't so easy sadly. Aim at them, collect the first then stop, then collect the next 3 when the thwomps start to rise, then brake, then get the final 3 Mission 4-6: Break all 10 item boxes while avoiding the fake items! Character: DK Stage: Choco Mountain N64 Time Limit: 1 minute 10 seconds Strategy: If you look at the touch screen (or this guide) you can see which items are fake easily. At the first line, the item is the second from the left. the second is in the middle and third is second from the left. Forth is the right one and fifth is the one on the left. sixth is on the right, seventh is second from the left, eight is on the right and ninth is in the front-middle. The final one is in the middle. Mission 4-7: Drive through all 10 gates! Character: Toad Stage: Waluigi Pinball Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: This is a strange one, it is the only level where the gates aren't numbered. the first is in front of you, 2 and 3 are in the lanes to the left and right of the flippers. 4 and 5 are on the orange line above these lanes and 6 is in between them. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are on the line again a little higher up. Watch out for the pinball here, it can make a difference between a *** rank and a ** rank. Mission 4-8: Perform 9 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap Character: Luigi Stage: Luigi Circuit GBA Time Limit: 1 minute Strategy: Not really anything worth mentioning here, just miniboost and it'll be a piece of cake. Boss Stage: Collect 50 coins while avoiding King Boo! Character: Peach Time Limit: 5 minutes Strategy: This is a very strange level. Though King Boo can't hurt you, you can't dodge him. What you have to do is collect the coins while he circles you once in a while, he'll dive at you making everything go dark and the coins will vanish, as well as taking 10 of your own. Hit him and he'll drop the coins and make everything go back to normal, assuming you face north at the start, the platforms north-west and south-east don't have coins. Plus, you'll find that you'll often have missed one so make sure you haven't ============================================================================== 4.5.5. World 5 Mission 5-1: Reach the finish before the stray Chain Chomp! Character: Peach Stage: Peach Gardens Time Limit: 50 seconds Strategy: A very similar match to the red car race. As long as you don't crash, you'll be fine, collect the triple shroom box from the start and use them to cross the flower beds. Make sure you don't hit the other Chomps as well as this one. Mission 5-2: Drive backward and collect 15 coins! If you hit a snowman, you fail! Character: DK Stage: Frappe Snowland N64 Time Limit: 30 seconds Strategy: Very Easy, its similar to the Bowser mission in world 3, but this time, it's snowmen instead of walls, just go slow and you'll do it easily. All the coins are in the loop, so it shouldn't be too hard. Mission 5-3: Destroy all 5 item boxes! Character: Toad Stage: Koopa Beach SNES Time Limit: 35 seconds Strategy: Rather easy, just don't try and grab the boxes when they zoom over the ocean, that can be devastating. They'll go out to sea 3 times, once near the start, once in the middle of the big lake. And once near the end. Just do what you usually do for these missions and you'll do it easily. Mission 5-4: Drive through all 10 numbered gates in order Character: Bowser Stage: Bowser Castle 2 Time Limit: 1 minute 5 seconds Strategy: Another gate mission, this one is quite hard because of Bowser's lousy turning. Get the first gate which is right in front of you, get number 2 by hitting the boost pad. 3 is on the zigzag, easy to get and 4 is over the first jump, drive over and get it. After 2 more corners use the jump in the middle to drive through gate 5 and take the right path (the one with tons of jumps) to find the next one, 7 is on the left of the long straight and 8 is on the final jump. 9 is on the right of the home straight. 10 is guarded by a couple of thwomps, dodge them and it's mission complete. Mission 5-5: Complete 1 lap in the opposite direction within the time limit Character: Mario Stage: Mushroom Bridge GCN Time Limit: 55 seconds Strategy: Though this is a fun mission, there really isn't anything significant to report except that the bridge only has 2 lanes working, this makes dodging traffic a whole lot harder, but you get out of this and that’s the only change. Mission 5-6: Collect all 18 coins! Character: Yoshi Stage: Tart Top Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: Mmm...hard to give a strategy here because the coins are randomly spread around. Get the coin in front of you at the start and 2 behind the gumdrop thing. Drive a little further and snag the 3 aiming at the middle and coin 6 at the top. Get the next 2 behind the tart on the right. Then aim at the line of coins and snag the next 4. The last 6 are in the same pattern as before. Mission 5-7: Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order. Character: Toad Stage: DK Pass Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: Quite easy, Gate 1 is in front of you and 2 and 3 are round the curve. 4 and 5 are up the mountain in the middle of the path, 6 is just round the curve and 7 is up the slope a little higher up and 8 is at the peak. Mission 5-8: Reach the finish before Mario! Character: Luigi Stage: Mario Circuit Time Limit: Until Mario finishes Strategy: Well, like the others, there really isn’t much to say about this. Just use the same tactics you always use for races and it'll be a breeze. I did notice the dramatic increase in piranha plants partway through the course but they are still rather easy to dodge. Boss Stage: Hit the Big Bob-omb with 3 Bob-ombs! Character: Wario Time Limit: 5 minutes Strategy: Okay, first he'll stomp and make 2 items and a Bob-omb drop and he'll do his really funny little walk over to it and pick it up, the item boxes also contain bob-ombs, hit him with one of these twice. On the third time, he'll jump high in the air and 3 bob-ombs will fall around him with the item box directly underneath him. Collect it and move you tail, fast. When he lands, nail him with the bob-omb and its game over. ============================================================================== 4.5.6. World 6 Mission 6-1: Drive backward across the spinning bridge! If you fall, you're out! Character: Bowser Stage: Bowser Castle Time Limit: 30 seconds Strategy: Just like the other backwards missions, just focus to thrash. Bowser does seem to stick to the bridge bit but don't push your luck. Mission 6-2: Get Stars and run over 15 Rocky Wrenches! Character: Wario Stage: Airship fortress Time Limit: 55 seconds Strategy: The time limit may be a bit tight for a first time. The best thing to do is to run from one side of the arena to the other running over wrenches as you go, watch out though because the stars will eventually run out so keep them topped up. Mission 6-3: Collect all 30 coins Character: Yoshi Stage: Choco Island 2 SNES Time Limit: 45 seconds Strategy: The first 3 coins are in front of you, just stay on the same line and you'll the the shroom and 3 coins behind it. Coins 7-12 are on the thin road and 13-15 are in front of the mud patch. 16-18 are inside the patch and 19-27 are in the jump land, the final 3 are on the home straight. Mission 6-4: Destroy all 10 item boxes Character: Mario Stage: Block Fort Time Limit: 2 minutes Strategy: This level is like the Waluigi pinball where the boxes move randomly, so all I can do is offer tips, I guess search everywhere at least once and the boxes often just slip out of your hands so stay on your guard. Mission 6-5: Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order! Character: Peach Stage: Sky Garden GBA Time Limit: 50 seconds Strategy: Easy, get an item box and a triple shroom and drive through gate 1 zoom over the ramps with the shroom and go through gate 2, number 3 is in front of the ramp, 4 is on the first bridge and 5 is in the middle of the track. 6 is on the cloud shortcut. 7 and 8 are in the middle of the course. Mission 6-6: Perform 14 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap! Character: Yoshi Stage: Yoshi Circuit GCN Time Limit: 1 minute Strategy: I swear I’m getting less to write on these, There isn't much to say except miniboost at any chance. Mission 6-7: Collect all 40 coins Character: Toad Stage: Tick Tock Clock Time Limit: 1 minute 30 seconds Strategy: The coins are arranged in a star shape, you get plenty of time so just focus on getting the coins, also, watch out for the hands of the clock, they hit you and make you drop tons of coins. Mission 6-8: Reach the finish before Peach Character: Bowser Stage: Peach Gardens Time Limit: Until Peach Finishes Strategy: Same rules as the other matches. But with more chomps and stop signs just locate the route through and it's easy. Boss Stage: Use Mushroom boosts to hit Chief Chilly and knock him off the stage 3 times! Character: Luigi Time Limit: 5 minutes Strategy: Remember the Big bully from world 1? This is very similar. The only difference is that you have to K.O. him 3 times. Also, on the 3rd round, he has a nasty habit of jumping out of your way, also, he can grip on the edge, if you give him another mushroom, you can down him. ============================================================================== 4.5.7. World 7 To unlock world 7, Achieve at least a * rank in all previous missions Mission 7-1: Perform 6 power-slide turbo boosts in 1 lap! Character: Peach Stage: Rainbow Road Time Limit: 1 minute Strategy: Pain...that's what this is...though its only 6, you'll have lots of trouble finding good spots to use it. Try 3 in the first ring and others on the corners. Hopefully you won't fall off too much. Mission 7-2: Reach the finish before Bowser! Character: Mario Stage: Bowser Castle Time Limit: Until Bowser Finishes Strategy: The same thing as previous 1 on 1's, easy. This time there are 3 blocked off routes, The middle of the first hall you enter, meaning you have to go around, the normal route after the spin room forcing you to take the shortcut, and the top route after the spin bridge, this means you have to drop down on the bridge Mission 7-3: Complete 2 laps within the time limit! Character: DK Stage: Tick Tock Clock Time Limit: 1 minute 30 seconds Strategy: Lame...it's just 2 laps, no difference, see section 4.1.3 for details, I can't be bothered to type it all out again. Mission 7-4: Use shells to defeat all 30 Goombas within the time limit! Character: Toad Stage: Mario Circuit Time Limit: 2 minutes Strategy: All the Goomba's are near the start, just use the same technique as the crab match to win. Also, try to take down the Goombas near the front first. Mission 7-5: Collect all 20 coins! Character: Wario Stage: Wario Stadium Time Limit: 55 seconds Strategy: Quite hard for a change, get coins 1 and 2 on the zigzag and 3-6 on the next jump, 7-10 are in the mud pit, be careful here because it's very easy to miss them. 11-15 are on the next jumps, 16 and 17 are in range of the Podoboos so be very careful not to get hit, the final 3 are on the last jump Mission 7-6: Drive through all 8 numbered gates in order! Character: Mario Stage: Nintendo DS Time Limit: 11 seconds Strategy: Strange level...the gates are arranged in a circle, just drive round it to succeed, you have to do this quickly though, so be as fast as you can, but don't rush. Mission 7-7: Drive backward and collect all 12 coins! If you hit a burner, you fail! Character: Bowser Stage: Airship Fortress Time Limit: 50 seconds Strategy: Quite easy, take the first 9 in the maze of crates and the last 3 are on the path of the burners, so just take them when the burners move off them. Mission 7-8: Break all 10 item boxes while avoiding the Fake Items! Character: Luigi Stage: Banshee Boardwalk N64 Time Limit: 1 minute 5 seconds Strategy: Similar principle to Choco mountain. I'll just say which is the real one. At the first line, the item is the one of the right. the second is on the left and third is on the right. Forth is the left one and fifth is the one on the left too. Sixth and seventh are the only ones in the lines, eight is on a strange one, it's on the left path instead of the middle. And ninth is in the right. The final one is, like 6 and 7, the only one in the group. Boss Stage: Reach the finish before Wiggler! Character: Mario Time Limit: 1 minute 30 seconds Strategy: This is it...Last Battle, Wiggler is very fast and you can defeat it only by collecting the stars in the item boxes and hitting the cars to collect the hidden mushrooms inside it. Just keep your focus and keep this up and you will prevail. ============================================================================== 5. Multi Player There isn't much to say about multiplayer mode. The only other features that exist are team select if you play a team game and an extra character if you play single card wi-fi. You can play Vs and Battle modes in Multiplayer, and possibly Grand Prix in 2-player mode. ============================================================================== 6. WFC To play WFC, you need two things, A fast broadband internet connection, and either a Nintendo Wi-fi USB connector or a wireless router. Once you have these, you will be able to play wi-fi. There are 4 modes you can play; Friends, where you play only people in your friends list, continental, where you play other people from your continent (Europe, North america, Asia Etc.), Worldwide, where you play anyone, and rivals, where you play someone with about equal skill level to you. Sadly, only up to 4 players can race at once. And only 20 tracks can be played. The tracks that can be played are: Figure-8 Circuit Yoshi Falls Cheep Cheep Beach Luigi's Mansion Desert Hills Delfino Square DK Pass Mario Circuit Wario Stadium Rainbow Road Mario Circuit 1 SNES Moo Moo Farm N64 Peach Circuit GBA Luigi Circuit GCN Frappe Snowland N64 Baby Park GCN Choco Mountain N64 Choco Island 2 SNES Sky Garden GBA Yoshi Circuit GCN ============================================================================== 7. Characters There are 13 characters to pick from in Mario Kart DS, 8 availible at the beginning, 4 secret characters to unlock and 1 extra character playable only through single card download play. Depending on the character you are, you will have an effect on the weight stat on your kart (explained later). Name: Mario Appearence: Red Cap with an "m" on it, Moustached, Big nose, red overalls Weight stat: No effect First game: Donkey Kong (1981), but he wasn't called Mario until Super Mario Bros. (1985) History: Years ago, Mario was a carpenter who worked in brooklyn, he was quite happy as he had everything he wanted, including a girlfriend named Pauline. One day, a huge ape named Donkey kong came and kidnapped Pauline. Mario saved her and defeated Donkey kong. A few years later, Pauline left Mario. Mario was so depressed and he got fired. He took up another job as a plumber which is what his brother Luigi was doing, one day, they heard some calls for help coming from a pipe, the Mario brothers rushed through and came upon the mushroom kingdom we all know and love. They followed the calls until they came upon a castle. Inside was the great King of koopas, Bowser. Mario defeated him and saved the person who was behind the calls, princess peach. From then, Mario has defended the princess in many adventures. Name: Luigi Appearence: Green Cap with an "L", thinner and taller then Mario. Weight stat: No effect First game: Super Mario Bros. (1985) History: Most of Luigi's history is included above in Mario's history. Name: Princess Peach Appearence: Blonde, Long hair, wears a dress and a blue pendent. Weight stat: -8 First game: Super Mario Bros. (1985) History: One day while in the mushroom kingdom, Princess peach was captured by the Koopa King, Bowser. The princess sent out a call for help which was heeded by the Plumbers Mario and Luigi. They rescued her and since then they've had many adventures. Name: Yoshi Appearence: Green Dinosaur with a big nose, a saddle and Boots. Weight stat: -12 First game: Super Mario World. (1991) History: The Yoshi's have always lived on Yoshi's Island. A few years ago when Mario and Luigi were kids, the stork was bringing Mario and Luigi to thier parents, Kamek the Magikoopa attacked him and captured baby Luigi. The Yoshi's and Baby Mario saved baby luigi and got them to thier parents. About 20 years later, Bowser attacked Yoshi's island turning Yoshi's friends into Eggs. A fully grown Mario and Luigi helped Yoshi save his friends and princess peach. Name: Toad Appearence: Short Human body and a mushroom for a head. Weight stat: -15 First game: Super Mario Bros. History: Toads have been living in the mushroom kingdom for as long as anyone can remember, they are very faithful to the princess, and offer helpful advise to Mario and Luigi when they try and save her. Name: DK Appearence: Big ugly ape Weight stat: +9 First game: DK Junior (1982) History: When Mario still lived in brooklyn, he defeated DK (who is now cranky kong) and trapped him in a cage. However, DK Junior (who has grown into the current DK) heard his father was captured, rescued him and brought him back to the mushroom kingdom. Since then, the Kongs has been more into the fight against King K.Rools Kremlin army then the fight with Mario. Name: Wario Appearence: A very fat Mario with yellow "W" Cap and Purple overalls. Weight stat: +12 First game: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992) History: Wario was always jealous of Mario as a kid because Mario got all the attention. I'm not sure how Wario got to the mushroom kingdom, I assume he and Waluigi followed the Mario brothers through the pipe to the kingdom. For a few years, Wario was laying low and he planned to take over Mario's castle. When Mario left to save princess daisy from the clutches of the evil space alien Tatanga, Wario took over the castle. Eventually, Mario got it back, and Wario decided to go treasure hunting instead. Name: Bowser Appearence: Massive spiky shell, lots of muscles, Sharp teeth and horns. Weight stat: +18 First game: Super Mario Bros. (1985) History: Most of Bowser's history is included above in Peach's history. Name: Daisy Unlock: Complete Lightning Cup in 50cc Appearence: Think Peach with a Yellow dress and brown hair. Weight stat: -13 First game: Super Mario Land. (1989) History: Daisy was the princess of a neighboring kingdom to the mushroom kingdom named Sarasaland. One day, an evil alien named Tatanga came and captured Daisy. Daisy called for help. Mario heeded this call for help like he did Peach's and defeated Tatanga, a few years later, Daisy heard that a star had fallen named the millenium star which would make one person a superstar. Daisy arrived a bit late, just in time to claim the beauty star stamp, which is one of the seven stars required to become the superstar. However, Luigi objected to this saying that he worked hard to get the other 5 and that she should work for this one too. She accepted the challenge and lost. But gained a new boyfriend in Luigi. Name: Dry Bones Unlock: Complete Special Cup in 50cc Appearence: A Koopa skeleton, simple? Weight stat: -20 First game: Super Mario Bros. 3 History: The evil magic of bowser brought these dead koopa's back to life. They are pretty much invinsible and one has arisen to take on sports. Name: Waluigi Unlock: Complete Lightning Cup in 100cc Appearence: Think taller, thinner Luigi with black overalls, purple cap and backwards L Weight stat: +2 First game: Mario Tennis (2000) History: Waluigi first appeared as Wario's brother and doubles partner in Mario tennis. Before this, I assume he came, with wario, to the kingdom. Since then, he has been lying low until he heard that the millenium star had fallen. Waluigi arrived a bit late, just in time to steal the final star stamp, the mischief one and challenged Luigi to a game on his island. Luigi won and became the superstar. Since this he has been active in sports and not really active in Mario's adventures. Name: ROB Unlock: Complete either Special or Lightning cup in 150cc Appearence: A Column with hi-tech binoculars on top and a magnet shape for his arms Weight stat: +20 First game: Mario Kart DS (2005) History: ROB was a toy in real life and has no history Name: Shy Guy Appearence: A little guy in a cloak wearing a mask First game: Super Mario Bros. 2 History: These little enemys were part of Wart's army to take over subcon. Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad defeated the Wart and freed subcon, since then, they have been living on Yoshi's island with the Yoshi's ============================================================================== 8. Karts In Mario Kart DS, there are 36 karts to pick from, each character has 3 of his own to pick from, but as you get later into the game, you'll be able to select different cars (e.g. Mario driving Yoshi's Egg1). There are 6 attributes that each kart has, they are; Speed, Acceleration, Weight, Handling, Drift and Items. Speed is how fast a Kart goes, Acceleration is how fast it reaches that speed, Weight is how heavy the kart is (heavier karts knocks light ones around more and go slower off-road). Handling is how the kart turns, Drift is how sharply you turn when drifting and Items is how often you get good items. Since the status bar on the game is out of 100. I'll do the ratings out of that when Mario sits in the car. (The weight stat changes with the driver.) Small note, the ratings are my estimations, the only meters that should what the stat are the 10s. But they shouldn't be any more then 3 points off. To use each character's 3rd kart, complete the special cup on 100cc To unlock 4 more karts for each character, complete the special cup on 150cc NOTE: These aren't new karts, they are karts that other characters use, e.g. Mario unlocks the Gold mantis and banisher through this method. To use any kart with any character, complete the Special cup and Lightning cup in mirror mode 8.1. Mario's Karts Name: B Dasher Appearence: Long, White, Basically a Mario-Style Formula 1 car Speed: 58/100 Acceleration: 70/100 Weight: 83/100 Handling: 52/100 Drift: 55/100 Items: 100/100 Name: Standard MR Appearence: Basic go-kart style, red colour Speed: 64/100 Acceleration: 72/100 Weight: 64/100 Handling: 56/100 Drift: 57/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Shooting Star Appearence: The front shaped like a star, the sides look like thunderbolts Speed: 69/100 Acceleration: 74/100 Weight: 45/100 Handling: 60/100 Drift: 59/100 Items: 33/100 8.2. Luigi's Karts Name: Poltergust 4000 Appearence: A vacuum with wheels Speed: 75/100 Acceleration: 76/100 Weight: 49/100 Handling: 78/100 Drift: 32/100 Items: 33/100 Name: Standard LG Appearence: Basic go-kart style, green colour Speed: 71/100 Acceleration: 73/100 Weight: 63/100 Handling: 72/100 Drift: 31/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Streamliner Appearence: Large blue car, looks aerodynamic, has a white strip down the center Speed: 66/100 Acceleration: 71/100 Weight: 73/100 Handling: 70/100 Drift: 30/100 Items: 100/100 8.3. Peach's Karts Name: Royale Appearence: Large, old fashioned pink car. Speed: 41/100 Acceleration: 70/100 Weight: 75/100 Handling: 44/100 Drift: 94/100 Items: 100/100 Name: Standard PC Appearence: Basic go-kart style, pink colour Speed: 46/100 Acceleration: 74/100 Weight: 63/100 Handling: 47/100 Drift: 97/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Light Tripper Appearence: Yellow car, very small, Exhaust pipes look like wings. Speed: 51/100 Acceleration: 76/100 Weight: 52/100 Handling: 51/100 Drift: 100/100 Items: 33/100 8.4. Yoshi's Karts Name: Egg1 Appearence: Yoshi egg with wheels. Speed: 59/100 Acceleration: 92/100 Weight: 46/100 Handling: 90/100 Drift: 41/100 Items: 33/100 Name: Standard YS Appearence: Basic Go-kart style, light green Colour Speed: 55/100 Acceleration: 90/100 Weight: 65/100 Handling: 84/100 Drift: 39/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Cucumber Appearence: Thin, dark green and quite long. Speed: 49/100 Acceleration: 89/100 Weight: 70/100 Handling: 80/100 Drift: 36/100 Items: 100/100 8.5. Toad's Karts Name: Mushmellow Appearence: A mushroom with wheels, Simple. Speed: 43/100 Acceleration: 88/100 Weight: 49/100 Handling: 70/100 Drift: 70/100 Items: 33/100 Name: Standard TD Appearence: Basic go-kart style, blue colour Speed: 39/100 Acceleration: 84/100 Weight: 64/100 Handling: 65/100 Drift: 66/100 Items: 66/100 Name: 4-Wheel Cradle Appearence: Chair suspended by 4 massive wheels. Speed: 32/100 Acceleration: 82/100 Weight: 76/100 Handling: 61/100 Drift: 63/100 Items: 100/100 8.6. DK's Karts Name: Rambi Rider Appearence: A crate with wheels and a Rhino head on the front. Speed: 74/100 Acceleration: 43/100 Weight: 79/100 Handling: 30/100 Drift: 74/100 Items: 100/100 Name: Standard DK Appearence: Basic go-kart style, yellow colour Speed: 80/100 Acceleration: 47/100 Weight: 63/100 Handling: 33/100 Drift: 77/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Wildlife Appearence: A Wildlife preserve ranger car, simple, no? Speed: 84/100 Acceleration: 50/100 Weight: 55/100 Handling: 36/100 Drift: 80/100 Items: 33/100 8.7. Wario's Karts Name: Brute Appearence: Black and white checked colour, wide and short. Speed: 93/100 Acceleration: 52/100 Weight: 55/100 Handling: 51/100 Drift: 49/100 Items: 33/100 Name: Standard WR Appearence: Basic go-kart style, purple colour Speed: 89/100 Acceleration: 50/100 Weight: 74/100 Handling: 48/100 Drift: 47/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Dragonfly Appearence: Red tractor. Speed: 82/100 Acceleration: 45/100 Weight: 80/100 Handling: 43/100 Drift: 44/100 Items: 100/100 8.8. Bowser's Karts Name: Tyrant Appearence: A Bowser claw on the front, orange and looks scaly. Speed: 90/100 Acceleration: 24/100 Weight: 81/100 Handling: 24/100 Drift: 63/100 Items: 100/100 Name: Standard BW Appearence: Basic go-kart style, orange colour Speed: 96/100 Acceleration: 30/100 Weight: 63/100 Handling: 29/100 Drift: 66/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Hurricane Appearence: A plane with the Koopa clown car face on the front. Doesn't fly... Speed: 100/100 Acceleration: 33/100 Weight: 61/100 Handling: 32/100 Drift: 70/100 Items: 33/100 8.9. Daisy's Karts Name: Power Flower Appearence: A mini with no roof, orange and yellow in colour. Speed: 58/100 Acceleration: 61/100 Weight: 67/100 Handling: 34/100 Drift: 84/100 Items: 100/100 Name: Standard DS Appearence: Basic go-kart style, light orange colour Speed: 63/100 Acceleration: 63/100 Weight: 63/100 Handling: 40/100 Drift: 89/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Light Dancer Appearence: Same as peach's light tripper, but red. Speed: 66/100 Acceleration: 66/100 Weight: 52/100 Handling: 43/100 Drift: 90/100 Items: 33/100 8.A. Dry Bones' Karts Name: Banisher Appearence: A large Dry bones but with wheels instead of hands and feet Speed: 24/100 Acceleration: 98/100 Weight: 67/100 Handling: 91/100 Drift: 44/100 Items: 100/100 Name: Standard DB Appearence: Basic go-kart style, light grey colour Speed: 30/100 Acceleration: 99/100 Weight: 63/100 Handling: 97/100 Drift: 46/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Dry Bomber Appearence: A tank, still simple. Speed: 33/100 Acceleration: 100/100 Weight: 58/100 Handling: 100/100 Drift: 49/100 Items: 33/100 8.B. Waluigi's Karts Name: Gold Mantis Appearence: A bit yellow construction truck. Speed: 75/100 Acceleration: 65/100 Weight: 61/100 Handling: 60/100 Drift: 60/100 Items: 33/100 Name: Standard WL Appearence: Basic go-kart style, blue-purple colour Speed: 71/100 Acceleration: 62/100 Weight: 64/100 Handling: 56/100 Drift: 57/100 Items: 66/100 Name: Zipper Appearence: Motorbike with two wheels at the back instead of one Speed: 65/100 Acceleration: 60/100 Weight: 67/100 Handling: 51/100 Drift: 54/100 Items: 100/100 8.C. ROB's Karts Name: ROB-BLS Appearence: A seat with 5 strange colourful disks around it Speed: 100/100 Acceleration: 65/100 Weight: 57/100 Handling: 70/100 Drift: 28/100 Items: 33/100 Name: Standard RB Appearence: Basic go-kart style, black colour Speed: 97/100 Acceleration: 63/100 Weight: 64/100 Handling: 63/100 Drift: 26/100 Items: 66/100 Name: ROB-LGS Appearence: Looks like robotic legs with wheels at the bottom. Speed: 90/100 Acceleration: 58/100 Weight: 70/100 Handling: 61/100 Drift: 24/100 Items: 100/100 8.D. Shy Guy's Karts Name: Standard SG Appearence: Basic go-kart style, colour varies depending on what player you are (E.g. 2p, 3p). Since you are forced to use shy guy in the game with this kart, you cannot see the stats, but it is worth noting that he does handle in a similar way Yoshi does in his Standard YS. ============================================================================== 9. Items What's a Mario Kart game without items? This section will uncover all the juicy little weapons hidden inside the item boxes scattered on the track. 9.1. Shells: Shells are good offensive and defensive weapons. You throw them forward and they will cause moderate disruptions to whoever they hit. Also, if you hold down on the D-pad you will drop them behind you. Green Koopa Shell: This is the most basic of the shells, there are no special abilitys with them. Just throw them forward. You'll usually get these in first place, which limits thier usefulness and they can hit 3 walls without smashing. I'd give it a 4/10. Triple Green Koopa Shell: Also simple, three Green shells, nothing big. You usually get them in forth place, which increases how useful they actually are. 6/10 works for me. Red Koopa Shell: Very, Very nice weapon. It's homing so it will be a killer in battle games. Don't throw them backwards though because they will lose thier homing attribute and they are also more fragile then it's green counterpart, cracking after only one touch of the wall. Still, it's a lot harder to block then in previous Mario Karts because it aim's for thier sides. Usually achieved in third place. I'd say an 8/10. Triple Red Koopa Shell: Three of these beauties is more then enough to get you back from the awful position you must have been in to get them. The only flaw is that you can't get them in any higher position then fifth. 9/10. Blue Winged Spiny Shell: The mother of all shells, Fire this and it will zoom ahead of where you are to the leader of the group and detonate, causing him, and any other racers nearby, to suffer very painfully (big explosion). You can't throw this backwards (I can't see why anyone would need to), and you can only get this in very low positions, about seventh. It can really save your bacon in a grand prix though if you detonate the top three racers and have two others take first and second. I think this shell earned a 10/10. Perfect score! 9.2. Hazards: Hazards are the opposite of shells, they are dropped behind you and can be throw ahead by pressing forward on the D-pad. unlike shells however, they stay still and are easily dodgeable and unless you plant them in a good spot. And you have to be a real good shot to hit other racers when throwing them ahead. Banana: Rubbish, thats all I can say for this, rubbish. It's just a basic hazard which is hard to hit with and gives next to no slowdown if you hit it. Plus you get it in first which stop you from getting shells to defend yourself with. Still, they are better then shells when blocking homing shells. But they still suck. 2/10 Banana Bunch: Three bananas, these do tend to be better then the normal Banana, I got an E-mail from WittZi giving some tactics which increased the original score of 3 1. In normal racing, you have three attempts at slowing someone down behind you which normally results in a good deterrent for people trying to overtake and / or gives you a good chance of hitting them if you do try and get them. 2. They offer 3 layers of protection if you position your kart right against red shells. Its also means you don’t have to keep your finger on the top left button the whole time whilst racing which can give you an edge. 3. In WFC, you can’t hold items behind you for protection. The bunch allows you to do this and is the only item that does. These tips increased the score to 5/10. Fake Item box: Better then a banana, because you can plant them in good spots (next to other item boxes) and people will try and hit it (I have no guarantees for this, so don't blame me if it doens't work). They show up red on the mini-map on the touch screen so you should see one coming. They appear in first place often too so that really does help a bit, it still has the drawbacks of a banana though so i'll have to give it a 5/10. 9.3. Speed boosts: Boosts will give you a small speed boost that will get you across some shortcuts and often steal items and, in battle, balloons. Mushroom: The basic, as with the shell and hazard group, I haven't really got much to say as I said it all before. You get it in about third and occasionally second, and I think it will score about a 7/10. Triple Mushroom: Another triple, what a surprise. It's nothing that I haven't said before, just don't use them all really quickly, wait until the effects of one have finished before you use the next one. You'll get it in about fourth and i'd give it an 8/10. Golden King Mushroom: This is a funny little item. When you use it once, a timer will start and you have about 20 seconds to press it as many times as you can, every press is a mushroom boost. If you press it 5 times a second that's about a hundred boosts. That will probably get you to first from about sixth where you find it, it earns another hard earned 10/10. Starman: A Mario game without the starman...I can't imagine it. The Starman will not only increase your speed, but all the stats on your kart too plus invincibility! Who could want more! Even though you'll find it in last or seventh only, it's still worth it. Another hard earned 10/10 9.4. Miscellanious: The items in the miscellanious group will have unique effects, I won't describe them here so read below if you want to find out. Boo: This ghosty will steal one item from an opponent. With it you can get the Starman in first or banana in last easier, plus it gives you invisibility, invinsibility and the ability to drive offroad without losing speed. You get it around fourth place and gets a 9/10 Bob-omb: Not terribly good. After about 2-3 seconds, it will explode with blue shell force. Other then this it acts just like any other hazard, usually found in third. Gets a 6/10 Bullet Bill: All hail the almighty bullet bill! Best item in the game in my opinion! You think the Starman is good? Old bill here will take over the controls and increase speed for about 15 seconds, how cool is that? Too bad you only get it in last place and very occasionally seventh. Still, 10/10 is perfect for this. Blooper: The worse of the two new Mario Kart DS weapons (Bullet Bill being top). Blooper will shoot ink in the faces of all other racers ahead of you. If you are in first, he will squirt you in the face instead. It's not very useful, the CPUs will never have any difference and good players know the courses will enough to do them blindfolded, plus, there is the minimap. And since you usually get it in fourth and third, it won't effect many racers. Only scores a 4/10 Lightning bolt: This item used to be so good in the previous games. Now, it has degraded terribly, everyone is shrunk to mini-size with this item, except you. The effect will last 2 seconds to the racer in last, 3 for seventh and so on upwards, also, it's a LOT easier to snake while you've been shrunk, and since it appears in sixth and seventh only, it's not worth it, 6/10. ============================================================================== 10. Credits Pikachu936 (me): For writing the entire thing. You: For reading this, CjayC: For creating one of the greatest game sites I know, and hosting my FAQ on it. ============================================================================== 11. Legal Stuff This guide is Copyright to Pikachu936 and the only site I give permission to host it currently is Gamefaqs.com E-mail me if you would permission to have it on your website or if you see it outside GameFAQs. ============================================================================== 12. Contact Info If you would like to E-mail me, Remember that I will only answer questions where the answer is not in the guide. The E-mail address is Shadow_The_Roadhog@Hotmail.com. =============================== END OF DOCUMENT ==============================
