Joystiq

Mario Kart: Double Dash (GameCube)

Coming roughly midway through the Gamecube's struggling life cycle, 2003's Mario Kart: Double Dash had lot riding on it (pun intended). As the title implies, the big conceit here was a two-characters-per-kart system that was intended to add an extra layer of strategy and complexity to the title. While interesting in concept, in practice the feature ended up being a gimmicky way to hold a couple of items at once. Critical reception was mixed.

The game was notable as the first Kart to offer multiple selectable vehicles, a tradition continued in the DS and Wii versions.

Fun fact: Players with four TVs, four Gamecubes, four broadband adapters and four copies of Double Dash could link up for an impressive split-screen free multiplayer match. All 12 people that have actually attempted this feat were reportedly very pleased with the results.

23/04/08