Mario Kart Series as a whole

[mrgreen4242]

True. I was going off my vague memories of the game, which until today, I haven't played for more than 3 years, so I just needed a refreshing.

Here's what I miss when playing DD:
-triple red shell defense This is the red shell thing I was trying to recall.
-triple green shell defense Forgot about this one.
-jumping I don't know why I stated double jump either?
-holding an item behind the cart as a defense.

<]=)

Hm. I'm pretty sure you can still use shells defensively in DD... you might not be able to drag them, but you can launch them backwards when you get the "incoming" alert... takes a little more skill but the effect is the same. I haven't played in awhile.

Or did you mean DS (as in Nintendo DS) and not DD (as in Double Dash)?

 

[bobber205]

What is snaking?

 

[JackAxe]

Hm. I'm pretty sure you can still use shells defensively in DD... you might not be able to drag them, but you can launch them backwards when you get the "incoming" alert... takes a little more skill but the effect is the same. I haven't played in awhile.

Or did you mean DS (as in Nintendo DS) and not DD (as in Double Dash)?

I meant DD. I played it today and was unable to do so.

<]=)

 

[JackAxe]

What is snaking?

It takes skill and is part of the game, but some consider it cheating. It's where one constantly power slides, so boosting right to left as an example to get a speed advantage. This is why they call it snaking, because it looks like a snake's movement kind of.

<]=)

 

[JackAxe]

I think it's in the DS version but only in 1p mode, not multiplayer. (which is stupid)

Yet they add in snaking which ruins the game...

I forgot about that. Yeah, that was a bummer.

Snaking rocks. None of my friends would do so, and any attempt usually left one of us falling behind as other karts would gain more speed just by accelerating.

<]=)

 

[zero2dash]

What is snaking?

Snaking = power sliding continuously to gain free turbo boosts every inch of the track.

Once someone starts snaking, it is impossible to catch up with them unless you can snake yourself. Which is why it's ridiculous and considered by many (including myself) to be cheating. You could get red shells or blue shells at every item pickup and you'd still never catch up to a snaker.

Skill aside. Yes it takes skill. But when something is put into the game that effectively cuts the playing field in two between snakers who always win and non-snakers who never win...it's BS and pisses me off.

(No, I don't snake.)

 

[bobber205]

The only thing that has consistently disappointed me about the MK games was the lack of more tracks!

 

[Poopface Morty]

I'm surprised at what many have said. Personally, I think the Cube and DS versions would have been great if it weren't for the spiny shell, and think that effectively tarnished what could have been phenomenal games. 150cc mode essentially boils down to luck into either game, moreso on the DS, all on top of skill. You could be doing flawlessly, earning what would be a 3 star performance on the cup, only to be brought back down by a spiny shell (or often in my case, multiple spiny shells), which could cost you rank which may upset perfectionists, but even worse it could cost you overall placing. I don't have a problem annihilating several of the staff ghost times in Time Trial, yet I still get frustrated beyond belief in the main game, and pretty much have avoided Mario Kart DS after playing it for about two weeks upon first purchase. I'm surprised that in this thread it's only been eluded to once in the first post, and briefly at that. This one item, in my eyes, takes the game from fun to ridiculously frustrating. If future games remove it, or make the odds that it appears MUCH less, like you'll see it as often as you would have had a lightning bolt in the SNES mario Kart, then I might have the same appreciation as I did before.

The SNES one was revolutionary for it's time, though dated by today's standards. The N64 one in my eyes is the best all around, and still is. I never could get a feel for the controls on the GBA version, and always did terrible. The Gamecube one is fun, and All Cup mode is great, especially with a friend, but again, the spiny shell really hurts things, but that is nowhere near as bad as the DS version. See, the DS one could have been the best in my eyes, but again, the cheapness of the AI when it comes down to spiny shells (oh, and let's not forget getting hit with lightning bolts while upside down on the Rainbow Road loops...went from 1st to 8th place several times because of that, costing me gold in the cup ) really kills the fun factor and increases the frustration factor. I'm also not a fan of how the games rely on the CPU getting unfair bursts of speed to catch up to you if your whooping them, and you're always stuck against the same close-ranked opponents throughout a cup; at least games like F-Zero GX's grand prix mode mixed it up a bit through a circuit, and the opposition was never cheap (just really hard).

 

[bobber205]

Wow.
Those are really good points. I hate those dang Spiny Shells too but I'm always so far ahead it doesn't matter

 

[Chone]

Snaking = power sliding continuously to gain free turbo boosts every inch of the track.

Once someone starts snaking, it is impossible to catch up with them unless you can snake yourself. Which is why it's ridiculous and considered by many (including myself) to be cheating. You could get red shells or blue shells at every item pickup and you'd still never catch up to a snaker.

Skill aside. Yes it takes skill. But when something is put into the game that effectively cuts the playing field in two between snakers who always win and non-snakers who never win...it's BS and pisses me off.

(No, I don't snake.)

It is not cheating because you can do it as well... its like complaning on an RTS game that you hate their airplanes and you call them cheating because you refuse to build anti-airplane units because they look bad or whatever. It just has turned out that you need to snake to win in Mario Kart DS, cope with it or don't play online. It is not an exploit, it is not something specific to certain players, its just a skill, a driving skill in the Mario Kart game anyone can use and it just so happens to give you a big advantage.

I've never quite understood the people who complain about snaking in Mario Kart DS.

 

[bobber205]

It is not cheating because you can do it as well... its like complaning on an RTS game that you hate their airplanes and you call them cheating because you refuse to build anti-airplane units because they look bad or whatever. It just has turned out that you need to snake to win in Mario Kart DS, cope with it or don't play online. It is not an exploit, it is not something specific to certain players, its just a skill, a driving skill in the Mario Kart game anyone can use and it just so happens to give you a big advantage.

I've never quite understood the people who complain about snaking in Mario Kart DS.

This is why:

A skill that is not reasonable achievably by everyone gives other players a guarantee win. That's why it's unfair.

 

[GFLPraxis]

Snaking = power sliding continuously to gain free turbo boosts every inch of the track.

Once someone starts snaking, it is impossible to catch up with them unless you can snake yourself. Which is why it's ridiculous and considered by many (including myself) to be cheating. You could get red shells or blue shells at every item pickup and you'd still never catch up to a snaker.

Skill aside. Yes it takes skill. But when something is put into the game that effectively cuts the playing field in two between snakers who always win and non-snakers who never win...it's BS and pisses me off.

(No, I don't snake.)

But where is the line drawn? I originally didn't even realize it was a famed tactic. I powerslid around every corner. Since I knew I got a boost, I tried doing it anytime I could. Pretty soon I was doing it on straightaways.

Then people called me a snaker. All my friends drive that way. Everyone I know drives that way. I know little kids that drive that way. It requires skill, and I can't drive WITHOUT it because it feels like I'm purposefully trying to go slower (as I see every opportunity to get a powerslide in).

Snaking is a valid tactic. It's difficult, it's very easy to mess up, and it gives you boost. It's part of the game. It's not a cheat or an exploit.

 

[GFLPraxis]

This is why:

A skill that is not reasonable achievably by everyone gives other players a guarantee win. That's why it's unfair.

Except that snaking IS reasonably achievable by everyone. Like I said, I've known kids to do it.

 

[zero2dash]

I don't do it, many others don't do it, many others feel like it's cheating (as do I), and those same people refuse to play online because we non-snakers think it's BS.

Personal opinion maybe, but I still say they should've left it out or put a limit/restriction on it to where repeatedly doing it earns you less boost every time.

The game's called Mario Kart, not Mario Snake.

 

[JackAxe]

This is why:

A skill that is not reasonable achievably by everyone gives other players a guarantee win. That's why it's unfair.

Life isn't fair. I encounter this first hand toooooo often.

<]=)

 

[JackAxe]

I don't do it, many others don't do it, many others feel like it's cheating (as do I), and those same people refuse to play online because we non-snakers think it's BS.

Personal opinion maybe, but I still say they should've left it out or put a limit/restriction on it to where repeatedly doing it earns you less boost every time.

The game's called Mario Kart, not Mario Snake.

I never played non-friends enough to get ticked off at it.

At least it's not some kind of user hack, which would be truly cheating.

<]=)

 

[pcypert]

It's like complaining because folks have logged in way more hours playing Halo online and can kill before you have your bearings. It is a skill and something to learn in the game. I can't do it, but appreciate that others took the time to learn it and therefore have an advantage. If I did professional cycling and I moaned because others practiced and new their bikes and their bodies abilities to produce oxygen it'd be just as stupid an argument.

It's not a mod or anything like that. There are even mini games that require you to powerslide a bunch and start to learn that technique...they push you in that direction as part of the game's design. There are some levels that are virtually impossible in the game without it. Either suck it up and learn how to do it or stop whining. If you want to be good learn to do it...if not be content to be average like me

Paul

 

[2nyRiggz]

Snaking should be an option since its a "skill" at least give players a choice to have it in the match or not...I think its fair to have the option but allow players/host to choose.



Bless

 

[0098386]

Since it's not gained by using a cheat device and it's accessible to all gamers, though hard to master - it is a skill. I don't consider it cheating. I do it myself. Though I'm actually a very fair player, if other players aren't snaking then I won't. I don't like massacres as there isn't a challenge.
Plus you don't get some of the more comical and interesting items at the front! I will always snake to avoid enemy weapons.

 

[Antares]

I hate those dang Spiny Shells too but I'm always so far ahead it doesn't matter

Snaker!

 

[Poopface Morty]

Wow.
Those are really good points. I hate those dang Spiny Shells too but I'm always so far ahead it doesn't matter

Usually I am too, but three or four of those things will change that, and Bowser's slow as hell acceleration doesn't help. I guess spiny shells are the games way of saying don't use the heavy characters.

As for snaking, I can't stand it. Cheating or not, it is still annoying as hell.

 

[bobber205]

Snaker!

I don't have the DS game.

lol

On DD and the N64 one I am always so far ahead.

 

[plinkoman]

I can't stand snaking; it ruined the game for me. Either I basically forfeit the race, or try to do it myself (a complete pain in the ***) taking away any joy the game might have provided. I can't just race someone and have fun, I have to try and pull off this ridiculous move the whole time.

The AI isn't the greatest either. I can't say how many times a f!@#ing shell comes flying at me inches away from the finish line, and just as I get moving again, someone is there to pass me.

The DS version absolutely cannot compare with the 64 version. I had some fun with it, but I like a game to be hard because it's challenging, not hard because its frustrating.

64>SNES>DS (never played Double Dash or the GBA one)

I hold high hopes for the wii version.

 

[JackAxe]

I beat the DS version on a 150cc and all tracks reversed. I unlocked every single item. The DS version allowed plenty of tricks and techniques to avoid the frustration. Th only time I got really annoyed, was when I played my friend's son online and he constantly got the blue shells.

The SNES version on the other hand had me and my friend cursing at the AI.

<]=)

 

[plinkoman]

I beat the DS version on a 150cc and all tracks reversed. I unlocked every single item.

Out of curiosity, which kart(s) did you use? I'm half way through the 150cc circuit now and every time I try to finish it I want to beat my head into the table.