Mario Kart DS Walkthrough

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|         |    Mario Kart DS FAQ   |         |
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|  _| |_  |       Version 0.7      |   (X)   |
| |_   _| |                        | (Y) (A) |
|   |_|   |     Copyright 2005     |   (B)   |
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Mario Kart DS: Table of Contents
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1. Copyright
2. Introduction
3. Version History
4. Controls
5. Characters
6. Karts
7. Items
8. Grand Prix
9. Time Trial
10. Mission
11. Courses
12. Multiplayer
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1. Copyright 2005 NDS_Master
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This guide is copyrighted to me, which grants me full permission to use
this guide and to post it wherever I want. It also gives me exclusive
rights to my guide. Therefore, everyone else does not have permission
to use my guide or to post it on any websites, publications, or other
documents. To defend my rights, the United States has laws and other
countries have international treaties. With its copyright, this guide
is under the protection of many countries, and each of them takes
stealing literary works very seriously. Should someone plagiarize my
works or blatantly steal them, he or she will be performing an illegal
act that can lead to dire consequences.
Fortunately, there is an easy solution if you want to use my guide.
Just ask me. I typically allow websites to publish my works if they
simply ask me permission. If you want to use my guides or reviews,
contact me and I will quickly consider your request and reply. The
answer will usually be yes, but it is imperative that you contact me
first to make your usage of my written work legal. Since my e-mail
became overcome by spam when I posted it, I no longer use it. Instead,
you will have to send me a Private Message via my My Nintendo account.
If you don't have a My Nintendo account, you will have to go to
Nintendo.com to get one. It's free and easy. Once you have one, just PM
me, NDS_Master, with your request. Thanks in advance for only using
this guide when you have my permission.
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2. Introduction
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It's finally here! After months of waiting, Nintendo has finally made
perhaps the greatest release of the year. I am partially talking about
Mario Kart DS, but I am also talking about online play. Mario Kart DS
sets new standards for the popular Mario Kart series, with thirty-two
tracks, hordes of characters, and plenty of new and familiar items.
With so much replay value and excitement, this game is a dream come
true for every racer and Mario fan on the planet.
However, it gets even better. Mario Kart represents Nintendo's first
major attempt to go online, and it has done so successfully. Now
everyone can play against people from all over the world. Gamers will
never go without competitors again!
As a result of its massive game play, Mario Kart DS has more than
enough challenges for both newer players and old pros. Because of its
challenge, gamers will need help with Grand Prix mode, Time Trial, and
Versus. Whatever mode they need help on, this is the place to be.
Maybe you need help just finishing 50 cc Grand Prix. Most likely,
though, you need help with advanced strategies for destroying opponents
and dominating Time Trial. That's what this guide is for. Browse
through it, search for the information you need, and take over the
track.
You will quickly notice that this guide does not have the most advanced
or detailed strategies for this game. Since the game has only been out
a short while, I have barely had time to scratch together a decent
guide with all of the basic strategies that you need. Despite its lack
of expert strategies, this guide will help you with part of the game.
As the weeks go by, this guide will quickly expand into perhaps the
most detailed and complete Mario Kart DS guide on the planet. Just wait
-- and enjoy this first version while you do.
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3. Version History
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What's different between this version and the versions before it? That
is the main question dealing with version history, and that is why this
section is in here. For Mario Kart DS version history is extremely
important, as I will be constantly updating this guide for the first
few weeks of its existence. This section includes the first version
information as well as information about upcoming versions and when I
expect to have them submitted to GameFAQs.
Version 0.2
Monday, November 14
Initial Version
This is the first version of the guide. With partial character, item,
and control information, it provided the basic for this all-new game.
It also had seven course maps and course information for several
courses.
Version 0.25
Tuesday, November 15
Mini-Update
For the second update, I finished a little more of the basic sections
and I added a course information for three more courses. I also started
working on Mission.
Version 0.3
Wednesday, November 16
Update
In this version, I did some more work on the Mission and Courses
sections. Along with that, I fixed a few inaccuracies I found with my
previous version.
Version 0.35
Thursday, November 17
Update
I didn't get as much done in this version as I would have liked, but I
did get some work done on missions, multiplayer, a course, and a few
other basic areas.
Version 0.4
Friday, November 18
I added quite a bit of mission info along with some other basic info in
this version. However, I don't think this will be my only version for
today.
Version 0.45
Saturday, November 19
Update
I did manage to finish this small update on Friday like I had hoped,
but I wasn't able to submit it until Saturday. I added course
information for two more courses and I wrote some more about Mission
mode.
Version 0.5
Tuesday, November 22
Major Update
Taking advantage of a free weekend, I started working on advanced
strategies for a couple of courses, and I wrote down more basic course
information. Mission mode has a bit more to it now, as does the
Advanced Techniques part of the Controls section. I added quite a bit
to the Nintendo WFC portion of Multiplayer, including a section written
specifically for all you disconnectors. Go to the very bottom of the
FAQ to see it.
Version 0.52
Thursday, November 24
Update
I did some more basic maintenance work on many parts of the guide,
added a map and course information for Pipe Plaza, and I also added
some more three star Mission strategies. Currently I have no set order
for which missions I am covering, as I am just randomly picking levels
and writing strategies for them. Some of the levels have been fairly
difficult, so at least visit the Mission section to see if I have
covered a mission you need help on.
Version 0.55
Friday, November 25
Update
It's not much, but I did get a bit more done on Missions and Courses.
Version 0.6
Thursday, December 8
Update
I realize that this is a small update for the long length of time since
my last update, but I have been busy these past few weeks. Now that the
semester is nearly over, start expected more frequent updates. For this
version, I played around with a lot of minor things in Courses -- I
added some, I revised some, and I fixed the maps so they were easier to
read.
Version 0.7
December 25
Major Update
Just in time for Christmas, I finished course information section of
the FAQ and I gave strategies on how to complete all of the regular
missions. Many of the missions still lack three star strategies, so I
will continue to work on that as time goes on. I will also add more
course maps.
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4. Controls
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A: Accelerate
B: Brake/Reverse
X: Use Weapon
L: Use Weapon
R: Hop/Drift
Y: Change Map View
Touch Screen: Change Map View
Start: Pause
===================
Advanced Techniques
===================
-------------
Power Sliding
-------------
In the midst of a difficult curve, power sliding is an important way to
not only make it through the curve, but to also gain some additional
speed. When you approach a curve, press R and the direction that you
wish to turn. You will want to do this a little before the turn so that
you will be in a full drift by the time you reach the curve.
Once you have started to drift, as is indicated by dust coming out of
your tires, let go of the direction that you are holding for just a
split second to press the opposite direction on the D-Pad. Immediately
return your finger to its normal position. Your action must be
distinct, or it may not work. If done correctly, this will create blue
sparks. Wait about a second and do it again. It will turn the sparks
orange, and when you let go of R you will receive a burst of speed.
Often throughout this guide, I will tell you to start a power slide
early. This is simply stressing a fact that should always be true.
Whenever you decide to power slide, you need to start a good distance
before the actual turn. It takes some time before the power slide is at
a maximum turn, so you need some extra room if you want to make a turn
without hitting a wall.
------------
Rocket Start
------------
Previously, Mario Kart games required that you press A right before the
race began in order to get a power start. In Mario Kart DS, it is a
little different. Immediately after 2 appears and becomes as large is
it will become, press A and hold it down. When the race begins, your
kart will take off with tremendous speed. Should you happen to press A
too early, however, a cloud of smoke will indicate that you have
stalled. It will take a lot longer to get up to speed if that happens.
----------
Slipstream
----------
When you are behind someone else and you need a boost of speed, taking
advantage of a slipstream is exactly what you need to do. As a kart
goes forward, it breaks through the air that is normally stationary.
The air moves to the side of the kart, so that the kart can go through.
In the end, this action causes a slipstream, a V shaped section where
the air has already moved away. At the point of the V is the kart (I
realize that it is upside-down), and the section behind the kart is the
area where the air has moved away.
Now, of course, you want to know what the point of this information is.
Since the air has moved away, if you drive within the invisible V that
is behind another kart, you will go faster since you will not have to
battle with the air! Blue streaks will start flying past you when you
are in the slipstream, and eventually a blue circular shaped line will
start pulsing in front of your kart. That indicates that you have just
gained maximum speed from the slipstream, at which time you should pass
the kart in front of you. This is useful for stealing places from your
opponents. However, if you see someone trailing you closely, especially
near the end of the race, you had better do something quickly to get
him out of your slipstream before he passes you.
-------
Snaking
-------
For all the anti-snakers out there who don't want this information
spread: I apologize. But, I will still tell about snaking. Basically,
snaking is doing power slides while going straight. During a
straightway start drifting one direction. Quickly turn that drift into
a power slide by press left and right at the appropriate times. Once it
is a power slide, release it immediately. Hop and start drifting as
soon as you end the first power slide and do the exact same thing. Keep
doing this as long as possible, and you will frequently gain speed
boosts. This got the name snaking because you go right, then left, and
then right again, so you seem to slither back and forth across the
track. However, if you do it well, it will seem like you are merely
driving straight rather than actually snaking (or something close to
that). It takes practice, but it has tremendous benefits.
==============
Screen Display
==============
Team Box
____|______________
Item  ||  |_|      Lap 1/3|
Box--||__|  Lap Indicator|
|                   |
|    Race Screen    |
|                   |
|Position     Wi-Fi  |
|1st          Box \_|
|_________________|_|
___________________
|1__|  Time 0'00"00 |
Character |2__|      Race Time|
Positions-|3__|               |
|4__|               |
|5__|     Map       |
|6__|               |
|7__|               |
|8__|               |
|___________________|
Item Box: This displays any items that you are currently carrying. You
can only have one item at a time, so be sure to get rid of your current
item before attempting to collect a new one.
Team Box: If you are playing on a team, your team color will appear
here.
Lap Indicator: This shows which lap you are on and how many laps there
are in the race.
Race Screen: If it isn't obvious enough, the race screen is where all
the action takes place. You will spend most of your time looking here.
Position: Whether you are in first or eighth, your position will appear
on the lower left side of the top screen.
Wi-Fi Box (When Applicable): This box appears for Wi-Fi races, and it
has up to three bars in it. The more bars, the better the wireless
connection.
Character Positions: When you want to know how your opponents are
doing, look here. It has the positions of every single opponent, along
with what items they are carrying at the time.
Race Time: Displayed in minutes, seconds, and milliseconds, the race
time tells you how long you have been racing.
Map: To see an overview of the course, look here.
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5. Characters
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Mario Kart DS hosts a horde of characters; some them start out as
playable characters, others require certain tasks to be completed
before they will appear on the character select screen. Each character
has his or her individual strengths and weaknesses that will ultimately
determine how well they do in a race.
===================
Starting Characters
===================
----
Toad
----
A faithful servant of Princess Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad is
always ready to help out his allies in any way he can. In Mario Kart,
though, he doesn't have allies. His small size makes him ideal for
acceleration, and he won't be affected as much by tough terrain.
--------------
Princess Peach
--------------
Although the princess of Mushroom Kingdom may seem helpless because she
is constantly imprisoned by Bowser, in Mario Kart she will not need
Mario's help at all. Peach is similar to Toad and excels in the same
ways.
-----
Yoshi
-----
This peaceful dinosaur has helped Mario out in many adventures. He
tries to avoid conflict, but he is always willing to take on anyone who
challenges the peace of his land. As a racer, Yoshi enjoys friendly
competition, and his size, which is between medium and small, makes him
effective in acceleration and tough terrain. It also gives him a slight
advantage in the top speed area.
-----
Mario
-----
In his first game, Mario debuted as a carpenter. Shortly afterward, he
changed his full time occupation so that he became a plumber. On the
side, Mario has taken up several hobbies including saving Mushroom
Kingdom, golfing, playing tennis, and racing. Mario is the most well
rounded character in the game, giving him excellent acceleration and
speed.
-----
Luigi
-----
Often out of the spotlight, Luigi Mario is the brother of the world's
most famous plumber. As such, he is also a well-rounded Mario Kart
character.
-----------
Donkey Kong
-----------
Typically, Donkey Kong stays out of Mario's way, keeping to himself on
his own island. When it comes to racing, however, Donkey Kong is not
afraid of getting in on the action. Though he is a little heavy and
slow to start, he can attain great speeds when he gets going.
-----
Wario
-----
Wario is the nemesis of Mario, and he is also very greedy. In the few
games he has starred in, Wario makes it clear that he is all about the
money. Despite his heavy weight, which gives him bad acceleration yet
good top speed, Wario is not afraid of going for gold on the track.
------
Bowser
------
Once a totally despised criminal, Bowser has occasionally stepped down
from his position of evilness to have some fun with Mario and his
friends. He is still a long ways from perfect, as he often kidnaps the
princess or causes trouble in Mushroom Kingdom. As a racer, Bowser is
extremely heavy. That's good for top speed, but horrible for
acceleration and off-track racing.
-------
Shy Guy
-------
This classic baddie appeared in Super Mario Brothers 2, and he has
caused trouble for Mushroom Kingdom ever since. In Mario Kart DS, he
takes some time off to have some fun racing. Shy Guy is only available
in DS download play, and only the person downloading from the main
cartridge can play as him. As a light racer, Shy Guy has excellent
acceleration and off-road abilities.
=====================
Unlockable Characters
=====================
-----
Daisy
-----
Unlockable: Get gold in every cup on 50cc Retro mode
Daisy is a good friend of Princess Peach a good racer. Her karts put
her in the medium racing class.
-------
Waluigi
-------
Unlockable: Get gold on every cup in 100cc Retro mode
Waluigi is to Luigi as Wario is to Mario. That's right, Waluigi is
Luigi's archrival! Although he doesn't have his own game franchise like
Wario does, Waluigi does participate in many of Mario's multiplayer
games.
---------
Dry Bones
---------
Unlockable: Get gold on every cup in 50cc Nitro mode
One of Bowser's lowly minions, Dry Bones is a skeletal version of a
Koopa. Typically, he lurks around Bowser's castle, waiting to cause
serious trouble for Mario when he arrives. Since there is not much to
him, Dry Bones is a light racer with excellent acceleration and decent
off-road driving.
------
R.O.B.
------
Unlockable: Get gold on every cup in 150cc Mirror Mode Nitro mode.
Okay, this is really weird. You get to race as an accessory for the
NES! Who would have thought of this? Actually, R.O.B. has been in a
game before -- Star Fox 64, where he controlled the main ship, provided
maintenance, and offered advice. R.O.B. is completely metal, which
makes him very heavy and terrible off of the track. His top speed is
good, however.
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6. Karts
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Following the style of Double Dash, Mario Kart DS allows racers to race
in different karts. These karts have their own individual abilities
pertaining areas including speed, acceleration, and handling, so each
player will have to decide which kart he or she feels is best. In this
game, karts even have an indicator of the quality of items that players
will receive while using the kart. I'll add more info on the karts
later, but for now here are the names of the karts and the characters
that are typically associated with them (note the use of the word
typically).
Each character has a light kart, a medium kart, and a heavy kart. Light
karts are typically good with acceleration yet low on top speed, while
heavy karts are the opposite. Also, light karts only get one mushroom
in Time Trial while heavy karts get three.
Toad
Mushmellow
Standard Toad
4-Wheel Cradle
Peach
Light Tripper
Standard Peach
Royale
Yoshi
Egg 1
Standard Yoshi
Cucumber
Mario
Shooting Star
Standard Mario
B Dasher
Luigi
Poltergust 4000
Standard Luigi
Streamliner
Donkey Kong
Wildlife
Standard Donkey Kong
Rambi Rider
Wario
Brute
Standard Wario
Dragonfly
Bowser
Hurricane
Standard Bowser
Tyrant
Daisy
Light Dancer
Standard Daisy
Power Flower
Waluigi
Gold Mantis
Standard Waluigi
Zipper
R.O.B.
ROB-BLS
Standard R.O.B.
ROB-LGS
Dry Bones
Dry Bomber
Standard Dry Bones
Banisher
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7. Items
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Mario Kart games are known for their wacky items. With each ? box, you
get yet another chance to score a valuable item that you can throw you
opponents' way. These items keep Mario Kart interesting, as they
provide an element of randomness while adding a layer of challenge to
the game. If you want to be successful, you will need to know how to
use and defend against the many items you will encounter in this game.
-------
Bananas
-------
Bananas are the most boring items in the game. All they do is sit on
the track, waiting to slip some character. Once you have a banana, you
will want to hold it behind your kart by using the L button. When it is
behind your kart, the banana will block one item that is thrown at you
-- or it will cause major problems for any opponent that decides to get
a little too close. Since the banana is behind your kart, it will also
be removed from the inventory slot, allowing you to acquire another
item.
Despite the advantages to constantly holding a banana behind your kart,
you will eventually want to lay the banana so that you can fire another
item. Find a narrow stretch of track and lay the banana in a place
where your opponents are most likely to run over it. Remember, if all
of your opponents avoid the banana, there is a chance that you will hit
it on your next lap. Take that into consideration when you are choosing
a drop site.
Although simply laying a banana is good, it will not help you earn any
leads. If you want to gain a position, you will need to throw your
banana forward by pressing up when you release L. The banana will go
straight for a short distance and drop to the ground, which only gives
you a small chance of disrupting your opponent. It is worth the
attempt, but beware that you will have to avoid the banana if your
opponent escapes.
------------
Banana Bunch
------------
The banana bunch is just like the banana, only more useful. After you
get a banana bunch, tap L to hold three bananas behind your kart. These
bananas work just like regular bananas, as you can throw them forward
or drop them. With three, it's really easy to litter the track and slow
your opponents.
-------
Blooper
-------
A new item for Mario Kart DS, Blooper has one of the most interesting
attacks. To release Blooper, press L and send him at an opponent. He
will fly over to the opponent and put ink on him or her. If you receive
a Blooper, large blobs of ink will appear on the top screen for a
while, which will make it difficult to see. To eliminate the ink
quickly, use a mushroom or go over a boost plate.
-------
Bob-omb
-------
With a massive range of effectiveness the Bob-omb is extremely useful,
especially on narrow sections of the track. When you get a Bob-omb, you
can hold it behind your kart by holding down L. Letting go of L will
throw the Bob-omb far ahead of you, where it will bounce for a few
seconds and explode. All karts within its explosion will wipe out or
fly into the sky. You can also drop it behind you by pressing down when
you let go of L. A little later, someone behind you might be feeling
some pain.
---
Boo
---
Dastardly ghosts have infested nearly all Mario games, and Mario Kart
is included in the selection. In Mario Kart DS, Boo will steal an item
from an opposing played and make you invisible. You can use the item
immediately, and the invisibility will last several seconds. Also, you
are invincible when you are invisible.
-----------
Bullet Bill
-----------
A new item for Mario Kart DS, Bullet Bill is a great item to have no
matter what place you are in. When you activate this item, you will
turn into a Bullet Bill for several seconds. After that, you will not
need to do a thing. Bullet Bill will fly across the course on his own
at a rapid speed, taking out any enemies he hits along the way. Once a
few seconds are up you will return to normal, most likely with a
position a few numbers lower.
----------
Fake ? Box
----------
Functioning similarly to bananas, fake ? boxes add another layer of
treachery to the game. When you lay a fake ? box, it is exactly the
same as a regular ? box -- except it does not have a ? inside it. If an
opponent isn't paying attention, it is really easy to mistake it for
the real thing. Other than its appearance, the fake ? box is exactly
like a banana in every way.
-----------------
Green Koopa Shell
-----------------
These basic items make racing time very exciting. They not only bounce
for a long time but also cause major harm to any karts they come in
contact with. Upon discovering a green Koopa shell in your inventory,
you should hold it behind your kart by holding the L button. It will
block shells and harm tailgaters. To throw the shell, simply let go of
L. The green shell will spin straight forward, bouncing of any walls
that it comes in contact with. Because it can bounce back and hit you,
I recommend that you don't shoot it forward unless you are fairly
certain that you can hurt the opponent in front of you. If there's
little chance that you can score a hit, press down when you let go of L
to shoot the shell backwards. With its surprising speed the green shell
can quickly stop someone who is trailing you on a straightaway.
-------------------------
Triple Green Koopa Shells
-------------------------
When you need a shield and a few good weapons, this is the item to
have. Press L once and three green Koopa shells will circle your kart,
giving you protection against land-based attack. If you want to attack
someone, just press L once to shoot a single green Koopa shell. Once
you have shot all three shells, your shield and this item will be gone.
As with regular Koopa shells, you can shoot these forward or backward.
---------------
Red Koopa Shell
---------------
An advanced form of Koopa shells, the ones with the color red have
homing abilities. You can hold it behind your kart, but when you
release one it will slide forward (or backward, depending on which way
you shot it), acquire a target, and roll along the course searching for
that target at tremendous speed. Whenever a red shell hits a wall, it
will become useless.
-----------------------
Triple Red Koopa Shells
-----------------------
Perhaps one of the best items in the game, the triple shells mean
serious trouble for your competitors. Like the triple green shell, you
can press L once to have the red shells circle around you kart. Each
one you shoot will home in on the nearest opponent that is ahead of (or
behind) you and track him down. Don't shoot all three at once, however,
or they will all hit your opponent at about the same time, causing less
damage than it would if you waited until he was back on track before
pounding him again.
------------------------------
Blue Winged Spiked Koopa Shell
------------------------------
The granddaddy of all Koopa shells, the spiky blue one packs a powerful
punch. It is neither stopped by items nor hindered by speed. Once it
locks onto its target, there is no stopping it. As soon as it is
launched, the blue Koopa shell will fly through the air and seek out
first place -- a massive explosion will signify its success.
---------
Lightning
---------
As the most coveted Mario Kart item, lightning is rare and useful. The
only negative part is that you will usually only get it when you are
way behind. Unleashing a lightning bolt will zap all opposing players
(except for those protected by stars and Boos), causing them to spin
out and shrink. In their diminished state, the opposing karts are easy
to run over, which will damage the kart and force it to wait a few
seconds to return to normal. Small karts can't go as fast as large
karts, and they also can't use mushrooms, stars, or Boos. With
lightning you have a hefty wild card that you can play against your
opponents; just don't give an opponent the chance to steal it from you
with a Boo.
--------
Mushroom
--------
Why are wild mushrooms dangerous to eat? They contain the Mario Bros.
equivalent of nitroglycerin! When you utilize it, the mushroom provides
a single burst of speed, useful for completing shortcuts or passing
competitors. Unfortunately, it only lasts one time and it is not good
for much else, unless you happen to hit an opponent and knock them off
course. In Balloon Battle you can steal opponents' balloons by hitting
them when you are using a mushroom.
---------------
Triple Mushroom
---------------
The triple mushroom is exactly like the mushroom, except that you get
to use it three times. This feature is extraordinarily useful.
---------------
Golden Mushroom
---------------
All mushrooms need something to look up to, and this is it. The golden
mushroom lasts for several seconds, and you can get as many velocity
increases out of it as you want. Continuously tap the L button to use
this item, and you will keep going faster until the mushroom's time
expires. It's the ultimate organic speed device.
----
Star
----
This item is one of the oldest items in Mario history; it has long
helped Mario to become invincible and defeat foes. In Mario Kart DS, it
does the same thing. Upon activating a star, you will start to flash
and exciting music will begin to play. This signifies that you are
invincible. When you are invincible nothing -- not bananas, not Koopa
shells, not lighting bolts -- will hurt you. It's perfect if you want
to avoid a lightning strike, want to knock out competitors (which you
can do easily in your powered state), or just want an easier ride to
victory. And if being invincible is not enough, the star also makes you
go faster.
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8. Grand Prix
*=*=*=*=*=*=*
While regular races and Time Trial attempts are fun, they are not
necessarily the masterpiece of the Mario Kart games. Some would argue
with me, and I will let them argue. However, when you are ready for
something big, Grand Prix races are the way to go.
Grand Prix consists of four circuits placed together in a single cup.
Mario Kart DS has eight cups and thirty-two circuits. Depending on how
well you place in a specific circuit, you will receive so many points.
Once you finish all four circuits, you may or may not receive a trophy
depending on what place you earned. A gold cup is for first place, a
silver cup is for second, and a bronze cup is for third. Here are the
point values for each position.
1st: 10 Points
2nd: 8 Points
3rd: 6