"Mario Kart DS is celebrating its 20-year anniversary today, November 14, 2025. Below, we examine how the fan community has kept the game alive, and online, long after official servers were retired. When Mario Kart DS launched in 2005, it felt like a glimpse into the future. For the first time, Nintendo's chaotic, shell-filled racer could be played online, pitting players from around the world against each other in real-time competition. It was a leap few handheld games had dared to make at the time."
""Mario Kart DS is without a doubt one of the best games to hit the Nintendo DS to date," GameSpot's reviewer wrote. "The game plays every bit as well as any of its predecessors, and adds just enough new features to the mix to make it worthy of your attention, even if you're still playing any of those games on a regular basis.""
Released in 2005, Mario Kart DS introduced online multiplayer to handheld consoles via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection, enabling real-time races across the globe. Official online servers were later retired, but fan-built tools, open-source servers, and emulation projects have kept online play active. The DS was presented as a "third pillar" device, though Mario Kart DS emphasized traditional controls over touch input while pushing the franchise forward. Critical reception praised the game's gameplay and online component. Players originally connected via local hotspots or home internet, though early matchmaking capabilities were limited.
Read at GameSpot
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