Read this if the game doesn't load.
Play Online Mario Kart (NDS)
Mario Kart DS is one of those titles you pick up and instantly fall in love with, even if you’re just messing around in single-player time trials. The courses are bright and imaginative—who doesn’t want to zoom through Bowser’s Castle or zip across a haunted mansion? And it’s surprisingly intuitive to pull off drifts and mini-turbos on that little dual-screen setup. Before you know it, you’re obsessively chasing that perfect lap time, trying to squeeze every last boost out of those tight corners.
The character roster feels just right, too. You’ve got your classic crew—Mario, Luigi, Peach—and you can unlock heavy hitters like Donkey Kong and Bowser as you collect those golden cups. Each racer has its own handling quirks, so it never gets stale. Then there’s the item chaos: get hit by a blue shell at the worst possible moment or launch a well-timed banana peel to wreck your buddy in first place. And don’t even get me started on the fully customizable karts and bikes—you can mix and match wheels to optimize speed, acceleration, or off-road grip. It’s deeper than you’d expect from a handheld game.
But what really made Mario Kart DS stick in people’s memories was the multiplayer. Back in the day, you could hop online with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and challenge folks around the world—the voice chat through the headphone mic was gimmicky but fun. Local wireless play was a blast, too; nothing beats the chaos of four people crowded around a kitchen table, controllers in hand, desperately trying to dodge lightning and shells. Even now, it tops many modern racers in sheer, unpretentious fun. If you’re ever in the mood for some pick-up-and-play action with a dash of competitiveness, this is still a go-to classic.