Mario Kart DS is a racing game in which the player races in a kart against other racers as one of 12 characters from the Mario series. The player has access to Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Bowser by default, while Daisy, Dry Bones, Waluigi and R.O.B can be unlocked through gameplay. Only two karts are initially available for each character. An additional kart can be unlocked once some progress is made, and when all 150cc cups are completed with B rank or higher, each character will have access to all 36 karts.
While racing or battling, the Nintendo DS's top screen offers a third-person perspective of the player's kart, while the bottom touchscreen shows the race's current standings, items carried by each racer, and a map of the course. The bottom screen can be toggled to show either an overview of the entire course, or a bird's-eye view of the player's kart and the immediate vicinity, including nearby racers, course hazards, item boxes, and incoming attacks.
Each course features item boxes that the player can drive through to receive a randomly selected item, which the player can use to gain an advantage over other racers. Some items allow the player to attack other racers to slow them down, while other items can be used to speed up the player's own kart to pass other racers more easily.[1]
There are two new items: the Bullet Bill, which transforms the player into a Bullet Bill that autopilots the track; and the Blooper, which squirts ink on all racers ahead of the user, blocking their vision.
Unlike the other versions of Mario Kart, Mario Kart DS allows players to avoid the Spiny Shell (Blue Shell) without any aid from items. This can be done by releasing the mini-turbo right before the Spiny Shell hits the player. This requires precise timing, and it is one of the most difficult skills to acquire in the game. Furthermore, this trick is mainly only possible in 150cc or Mirror Mode. However, it is also possible in 100cc, but only on tracks such as N64 Frappe Snowland, where the terrain is more slippery.[2]