Mario Kart 64 Pc Port
Melissa Hassel
Every Mario Kart has brought exciting ideas and game-changing improvements to the series, ranging from technical advancements like motion-controlled steering in Mario Kart Wii to gameplay twists such as underwater driving and paragliders in Mario Kart 7. This constant push for innovation and experimentation has kept the series' chaotic kart races fresh and unpredictable for over 30 years. However, Mario Kart games are defined by more than just their mechanics. Along with added features, each entry delivers unique tracks and a distinct feel to their kart racing that makes even the oldest entries worth playing. Although there are plenty of Mario Kart games for players to choose from, many longtime fans still find themselves returning to one of the most experimental titles in the franchise's history.
Mario Kart: Double Dash is a beloved fan-favorite among many Mario Kart players. Originally released in Japan on November 7, 2003, as a GameCube exclusive (eventually reaching other parts of the world that same month), Double Dash set itself apart from all other Mario Kart games with its unique tag-team concept, which allowed for two characters to share the same cart. While it isn't as feature-rich as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or as popular as Mario Kart Wii, Double Dash remains one of the best games in the series despite being 20 years old. However, with Double Dash currently only being playable on the GameCube, it's time for the game to receive the Nintendo Switch port it deserves.
Mario Kart: Double Dash's tag-team mechanic may initially seem like nothing more than a pointless gimmick, but it lends the game a surprising amount of depth and strategy. When organizing a team, players must consider the weight of their characters, as the heaviest character determines which karts can be driven by the duo. Additionally, each vehicle differs in its speed and acceleration, with some being objectively better than others. Double Dash also introduced character-specific special items, adding another deciding factor to every team composition.
Of course, Double Dash shines the most during its hectic races. Unlike prior Mario Kart games, Double Dash allows players to hold two items at once (one per character), allowing racers to bombard the competition with Koopa shells or reserve a mushroom's speed boost for an opportune moment. With twice as many items available, Double Dash's races can also become overwhelmingly chaotic, even by Mario Kart standards. This chaos is only heightened by the introduction of double-item blocks, which gift racers with two items at once. Between the constant barrage of projectiles along with traps strewn across the track such as banana peels and fake item boxes, there's never a dull moment in Double Dash. This nonstop excitement combined with the strategy of swapping between two characters helps Double Dash's races feel more energetic and involved than in other Mario Kart games.
Players don't have to take the wheel by themselves, however. Double Dash also provided the option for two players to team up in a single kart. One takes the role of the driver while the other tosses items from the backseat, though players can swap positions at any time during a race. This can be especially useful for players with differing strengths, as skilled drifters can tackle sharp corners while those who are better at accessing shortcuts can momentarily take the wheel to launch their kart into the lead. Learning to cooperate on each course can help two players become an unstoppable racing duo. For those who are new to Mario Kart or simply prefer cooperative experiences, this is the perfect way to play Double Dash.
Double Dash's additions to the series don't stop at its tag-team races. The game also expanded the series' battle mode with two new rulesets: Shine Thief and Bob-omb Blast. In Shine Thief, racers compete to retain control over a star known as a "Shine Sprite" until the timer runs out. Whichever duo is holding the Shine Sprite at the end of the round is declared the winner. However, hitting the current holder with an item will cause them to drop the Shine Sprite, giving everyone else a chance to take it for themselves. As for Bob-omb Blast, much like Balloon Battle in prior Mario Kart games, players battle each other in a small arena using items collected from item blocks. However, rather than using the game's wide selection of projectiles and obstacles, every item block contains a bob-omb and players are able to carry dozens of these walking weapons at once. What ensues is an explosive battle royal that is guaranteed to provide some of the most bombastic and entertaining moments in any Mario Kart game.
Perhaps the most important addition from Double Dash was its inclusion of LAN play, allowing up to 16 players to compete in multiplayer races. While this may not sound like an impressive feature today, it was a massive step forward for the series at the time of Double Dash's release. With larger groups of players able to race against each other, Double Dash provided a way for Mario Kart to be enjoyed at large gatherings and even small tournaments. More importantly, it showed that the Mario Kart community was much larger than Nintendo may have ever realized and likely inspired the online multiplayer in future entries.
The newest Mario Kart games are undoubtedly among the best in the series with their polished controls, gorgeous visuals, and spectacularly imaginative courses. However, their numerous new features and bloated item lists leave some fans wishing for a return to the simplicity of earlier titles. Double Dash strikes a satisfying balance between the simple designs of previous Mario Kart games without being nearly as dated as its predecessors.
As the first fully 3D game in the series (Mario Kart 64 relied on prerendered sprites), Double Dash wasn't limited to the flat roads and simple ramps of prior entries. Tracks were now far more elaborate and imaginative than ever before, allowing for creative courses that featured uneven terrain and dynamic obstacles. DK Mountain takes players through bumpy roads alongside a volcano and steep cliffsides with sharp turns, while Bowser's Castle has racers dodging fireballs, thwomps, and volcanic pits. Even straightforward stages like Mario Circuit and Waluigi Stadium use road bumps and environmental hazards to create equally exciting challenges in their races. Although Double Dash contains a slim selection of courses (only 12 in total), each one manages to be memorable and completely unique thanks to the game's unrestrained inventiveness.
Much of Double Dash's appeal also comes from its unique handling. While the vehicles in most Mario Kart games usually have a tight grip on the road, the physics of Double Dash makes its karts far more unwieldy. Small bumps in the road can launch karts for a considerable distance. Likewise, being hit by another racer can easily throw players off course. As a result, the karts of Double Dash feel lightweight and bouncy in a way that the other Mario Kart games have never replicated. Fortunately, these changes to the handling are balanced out by the game's precise turning and drifting. It may take some time for new players to grow accustomed to the controls, but those who learn how to utilize the looser physics and rougher terrain to their advantage will find that Double Dash is the most challenging yet rewarding game in the entire franchise.
Despite its age and gimmicky concept, few other Mario Kart games have come close to matching the energy and complexity of Mario Kart: Double Dash. The two-seater karts added an element of strategy to races that hasn't been seen in any other Mario Kart game (though double item boxes returned in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe), and features like the unconventional track design and inclusion of LAN play were invaluable additions to the series. Most importantly, Double Dash holds up as an amazing kart racer and easily the most creative game in the franchise. Because of this, there's no other Mario Kart game that's more deserving of a rerelease on the Switch than Double Dash.
Thankfully though, Bloodborne fans still have something to keep them occupied on PC, thanks to the free, unofficial racing spin-off, Nightmare Kart. You might remember it by a different name, but alas, it was changed to become "legally distinct." With that said, the game itself, its Bloodborne vibes, and gothic aesthetic remain delightfully intact, and it's been a massive hit since its launch, having now surpassed 500,000 downloads across Steam and Itch.io.
If you're yet to dive into Nightmare Kart, it comes with 15 tracks to zoom around on, 21 racers, 13 different karts, and an entire campaign mode, which, like its inspiration, includes boss fights. It even has split-screen multiplayer, so you can race against a friend. Sure, it's no Bloodborne Remastered, but it's a pretty radical alternative.
Speaking of Bloodborne, FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki recently revealed in an interview that he's well aware fans want the action RPG ported to PC, but "if I say I want one, I'll get in trouble as well." However, he added: "But it's nothing I'm opposed to." It seems a port might have Miyazaki's blessing, but it's not up to him to decide.
I'm one of GamesRadar+'s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite."}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Catherine LewisSocial Links NavigationNews WriterI'm one of GamesRadar+'s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.
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