Mario Kart DS

Each course features item boxes that the player can drive through to receive a randomly selected item. Some items allow the player to attack other racers to slow them down, while other items can be used to speed up their own kart to pass other racers more easily. B. for a total of 12.

Each character has three unique karts to choose from, : 31 each of which vary in attributes such as top speed, acceleration, and handling. The game features five single-player game modes : Grand Prix , Time Trial , Versus, Battle, and Mission. : 13–21 The Grand Prix and Versus modes require the player to choose an engine class from among 50cc , 100cc, and 150cc. : 13 The classes serve as difficulty levels —the higher the engine class, the faster all karts go.

In addition, a mirror mode can be unlocked, in which karts use 150cc engines and tracks are horizontally flipped. The game features 32 courses across eight cups, half of which contain new tracks (known as Nitro Grand Prix), and half of which contain tracks from previous Mario Kart games, such as Baby Park from Mario Kart: Double Dash (known as Retro Grand Prix). : 13 The game also features a multiplayer mode, in which eight players race each other using the DS Download Play feature for consoles without a cartridge or a multi-card wireless LAN connection. : 27–29 This version has limited courses available, : 27 and players with no cartridges play as Shy Guy , a character unavailable in normal play.

: 34 Until its discontinuation on May 20, 2014, Mario Kart DS supported online play via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection , in which up to 4 players could play together.