I'll admit, I was beginning to wonder if the Nintendo DS had any truly great full-3D games left in it since Super Mario 64 DS, but the moment I hit the first track in Mario Kart DS all my fears vaporized and I was left to bask in the game's shell-shootin', banana chuckin', power slidin' goodness. I would find that Nintendo's next installment of its legendary go-kart racing series has lost none of its luster in its transition back to the handheld world.

Shedding most of the gameplay innovations introduced by Mario Kart Double Dash for the Nintendo Gamecube, Kart DSfeels more like its older brother from the Nintendo 64 - but not without its own fresh bag of tricks. Features such as new items that can turn you into a giant Bullet Bill (think: huge, grinning missile), a custom-drawn emblem for your kart, and drafting behind other racers gives the game a fresh feel. One item in particular causes a squid to spray ink over the top screens of the other players, but the effect of this is considerably diminished by an extremely detailed in-race map on the bottom screenthat shows obstacles, items, and the other racers.

Mario Kart DS brings back the old roster of classic Nintendo characters - as well as a few newcomers - with up to three karts each. Kart also features 16 original racetracks, as well as 16 throwbacks from the game's predecessors, making 32 in all. Most of the tracks are very detailed and innovative, such as the Airship Fortress (which blasts you out of a giant cannon) and the nauseating Waluigi Pinball. Much of the new content, however, is not available out of the box and must be unlocked. Playing the same cup (name for a set of races) over and over in an attempt to unlock new tracks and racers can be monotonous, especially for the cups with retro tracks. Some 2D mazes from the Super NES and even Gameboy Advance Kart's feel simply thrown in and become tiresome after the first lap.

One of the more groundbreaking additions to the franchise is the ability to play online via Nintendo WiFi. For Nintendo's first real crack at the online world, Kart isn't bad, but still feels very basic and has some evolving to do. It is much easier to get connected than you might expect, but it can take quite a while to finally find a match. Although up to four people can race against each other using any of the game's courses and characters (if you have unlocked them), the friend-code system for finding specific players is awkward and often requires prior planning before a game if you don't want to play with strangers. Despite these problems, the sense of satisfaction is much greater when beating real people, but, sadly, no one can hear your cries of victory because of the lack of a voice communication feature.

Even if you don't have wireless internet or live near a McDonalds (Nintendo's apparent WiFi partner), air-tight controls and an incredibly competitive feel makes even solo play exhilarating. So much so, that I was able to excuse the DS's lack of an analog stick, which shows more than ever here. The D-pad (directional pad) scheme feels a bit stiff and causes limitations such as making the drift-boost move far more difficult than it seems like it should be. You will want to master the D-pad as soon as possible because the AI racers fight for position with their lives, drafting behind you and often trying to ram you out of the course. A well-aimed turtle shell could mean the difference between 1 st and 5 th place. More than once out of the jaws of victory I snatched defeat due to a spike-shell (the deadliest of weapons) at the finish line. This might seem cheap at times, but anyone familiar with the series knows that it's all part of the game's signature style.
Score: A-

(Jared Downing attends George Washington High School in Denver)