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Mario Kart DS was released 20 years ago today on November 14th, 2005 (lemmy.world)
submitted 11 months ago by to c/retrogaming@lemmy.world
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20 years of Snaking and Waluigi Pinball !

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[–] 2 points 11 months ago* (11 children)

I didn't like MKDS very much.

I like how they got rid of the left-right bullshit on drifting after it. It's just annoying and achieves nothing. And it's especially bad having to do that on a d-pad.

I also think Wii is the one that really started balancing items a lot more fairly, though 7 and 8 refined it even more.

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  • [–] 16 points 11 months ago (10 children)

    I actually enjoy the drifting and was saddened that it was dumbed down in later entries

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago

    I remember getting in so many stupid internet arguments over this shit as a kid because I couldn't keep up with it LMAO but looking back it added a skill ceiling to this game that I can't say for sure if any future game in the series really matched.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    Double dash had the best drifting mechanics in the series imo. Really only DS and DD are the only ones who have more than hold a drift long enough for mini turbo as their drifting mechanics

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago (6 children)

    You're calling that "dumbed down", but I'd call the old input arbitrary. I don't see the point of hiding a major gameplay mechanic behind a complex input. You don't use a cryptic button combo to jump in a platform game.

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Have you SEEN the movement tech in Mario Odyssey?

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  • [–] 1 point 11 months ago (1 child)

    I have done semi complex move combos with Cappy in SMO, not sure what you consider "the" tech though.

    Doesn't matter. It's cool to pull off, but it's not required in any way. And most importantly in the end those combos are not programmed that way, they're a string of independent moves that are directly associated to their button.

    I have no idea what is supposed to connect "get a boost" to "rapidly alternate left and right direction buttons while you drift".

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  • [–] 3 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    Left-right on the D-pad is hardly a complex input. Just about every child managed to discover it. It was one of the few ways they could make Mario Kart a bit more skill based.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago*

    The way to make MK more skill based was to balance item distribution, which they started doing decently after MKDS.

    It's not like drifting is automatic in modern MK (well, it is in auto mode, but it's meant for complete beginners and it sucks for anyone who knows how to play). You're still calling all the shots regarding when to drift and for how long. It's just less annoying to do.

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  • [–] 0 points 11 months ago

    It's definitely not cryptic I was like 10 or so when i played that and i figured it out. I think one of the missions tells you how to do it. It also added more agency to how you boost with some risk reward instead of just passively earning boost from drifting.

    The best evolution would've been a mix of both. Gain boost passively but speed it up by alternating directions.

    I think i bounced off the wii version (didn't own it only played at friends) because i was confused on how drifting worked. Wasn't until i got 8 on the wii u when i realised that alternating directions wasn't needed anymore. 8 is fun, mostly due to track design and the fact it became second nature like riding a bike but i think DS was more actively fun in the moment to moment. Not to mention the mission mode which is a crime it's never returned.

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