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Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart DS |
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Developer:
Nintendo
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Mario Kart DS is one of the most popular games on the DS as well as one of the best selling Mario Kart games of all time. It's also the Mario Kart game that introduced the Retro Grand Prix, which has since become a series staple.
Also, R.O.B is a playable character for some reason.
This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes. |
To do: |
Contents
Subpages
Unused Courses Long forgotten circuits never to be driven on again. |
Early Karts Some earlier versions of familiar karts along with some completely new ones. |
Early Objects Early versions of a lot of junk on the road that didn't quite make the final cut. |
Unused Graphics An artist's work is never done. |
Unused Camera Sequences
To do: There could be more. |
Luigi's Mansion
There is an alternative version of the first camera sequence from Luigi's Mansion: a view from the moon and the front side of the mansion, that was replaced by a view through the door.
DK Pass
The second sequence has an alternative version, which is similar to the original sequence, but it has a different angle and was replaced by a more interesting view.
Early Characters
Daisy
Unused | Used |
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An earlier version of Daisy's CPU model, found in the unused KartModelMain.carc archive. Her head and arms are slightly different, matching her current appearance. The crown of the used model has some pink on it, unlike the unused one.
Shy Guy
Unused | Used |
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KartModelMain.carc also contains an early CPU model for Shy Guy, which is carried over from the Kiosk Demo. It is very simple and lacks 3D arms and feet. It is also green unlike the final model which is red.
Oddities
Early Delfino Square Remnants
Early | Final |
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Early | Final |
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Early | Final |
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If you go out of bounds in mission 3-2, where you have to drive though gates in reverse on Delfino Square, you will see that there are crates in different positions with additional crates, different than they are in regular racing. This is a remnant from the Kiosk Demo version. However, the two removed crates before the turn to the goal line were reused in Mario Kart Wii and can also be seen in mission 2-1.
Odd Hidden Skyboxes
For whatever reason, the courses used for the boss battles in mission mode (mr_stage1, mr_stage2 and mr_stage3) have hidden skybox models, that can only be seen in an editor or by using cheat codes to fly out of bounds. They are copies from other skyboxes and doesn't fit the look of these courses at all.
Hidden Bottom Map Graphic
The Paratroopa shaped building in Baby Park cannot normally be seen on the touch screen map because it is too far out of bounds. By using cheats to fly out of bounds, however, it can be seen.
Removed Missions
The file mission.mr is a table containing configurations for missions. However there are 28 entries never used by the game, because they were scrapped. Note that MR stands for Mission Run.
Mission Name | Mission Task | Driver | Course | Time Limit | Notes |
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mr01 | Drive Through Gates | Yoshi | GCN Yoshi Circuit | 00:25:00 | This is a scrapped mission from the Kiosk Demo. |
mr05 | Collect 50 Coins | Luigi | SNES Mario Circuit 1 | 01:00:00 | Another scrapped mission from the Kiosk Demo. Interestingly, Luigi uses his Poltergust 4000, although in missions in the final version, the drivers only use their Standard Kart. |
mr16 | Collect 30 Coins | Peach | Peach Gardens | 00:55:00 | |
mr18 | Drive 2 Laps | Mario | Rainbow Road | 01:00:00 | |
mr19 | Destroy 5 (moving) Item Boxes | Luigi | Figure 8 Circuit | 01:00:00 | |
mr22 | Collect 20 Coins | Bowser | SNES Koopa Beach 2 | 01:00:00 | |
mr23 | Defeat 10 Goombas | Toad | Mario Circuit | 01:00:00 | Seems to be an early version of Mission 7-4 |
mr24 | Boss Battle | Donkey Kong | MR_stage1 (Big Bully Arena) | 05:00:00 | Also uses an unused setting, where the camera is slightly zoomed out |
mr30 | Drive 2 Laps | Wario | N64 Banshee Boardwalk | 01:10:00 | |
mr31 | Do 8 Power Slides | Peach | GBA Peach Circuit | 00:40:00 | |
mr32 | Collect 15 Coins | Donkey Kong | Delfino Square | 00:15:00 | |
mr36 | Defeat 5 crabs | Wario | Cheep Cheep Beach | 00:55:00 | Seems to be an early version of Mission 1-4 |
mr42 | Drive Through 10 Gates | Luigi | GBA Luigi Circuit | 01:00:00 | |
mr45 | Drive 1 Lap | Donkey Kong | Figure 8 Circuit | 01:30:00 | |
mr46 | Drive 3 Laps | Mario | SNES Mario Circuit 1 | 01:00:00 | Uses an unused setting, where the track is in Mirror Mode |
mr52 | Collect 1 Coin | Luigi | MR_stage4 | 05:00:00 | Collect 1 Coin with Luigi, might have been a test for the coin collecting missions. |
mr56 | Destroy 8 (moving) Item Boxes | Bowser | N64 Choco Mountain | 01:00:00 | |
mr57 | Drive Through 10 Gates | Donkey Kong | Yoshi Falls | 00:50:00 | |
mr58 | Destroy 15 Item Boxes | Toad | Bowser's Castle | 01:00:00 | |
mr59 | Collect 12 Coins | Yoshi | GCN Mushroom Bridge | 01:00:00 | |
mr63 | Destroy 10 Item Boxes | Wario | Wario Stadium | 01:10:00 | |
mr65 | Do 10 Power Slides | Mario | Mario Circuit | 01:05:00 | |
mr67 | Destroy 4 rolling Snowballs | Peach | DK Pass | 01:20:00 | |
mr68 | Reach the finish before Luigi | Yoshi | Luigi's Mansion | ||
mr71 | Destroy 20 Crates | Yoshi | Airship Fortress | 01:10:00 | |
mr73 | Destroy 10 moving Item Boxes | Donkey Kong | Tick Tock Clock | 01:00:00 | |
mr74 | Defeat 15 snowmans | Peach | N64 Frappe Snowland | 01:00:00 | The Snowman object has an unused setting where it won't respawn after breaking it.
It seems to have been intended for this mission. |
mr87 | Destroy 10 Item Boxes | Luigi | Delfino Square | 02:00:00 |
Road Collision Oddity
The collision ID used for the roads in Waluigi Pinball and Mushroom Bridge is same as used in the USA demo, despite the fact that it produces a metallic sound in the demo and the normal road sound in the final. This is because rather than changing the collision ID in the KCL (collision model) the metal road sound sequence data was overwritten with the normal road sound sequence data.
In the SSAR sequence data, in SSAR 0 and 1, sequence numbers 84 and 143 belong to the normal asphalt road, and 98 and 154 are the same but belong to the metal road (Waluigi Pinball).
Build Date
There is a file named BUILDDATE in the //data/boot/ folder, which contains the date and time the game was compiled:
Version | Build Date |
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Europe | Build: 2005 10/8(Sat) 23:05:54 |
US | Build: 2005 10/8(Sat) 23:09:34 |
Japan | Build: 2005 10/17(Mon) 20:12:19 |
Japan (Demo) | Build: 2005 11/15(Tue) 11:11:10 |
Korea | Build: 2007 2/21(Wed) 19:59:37 |
Unused Menu Music
There is an unused sequence for a menu in the sound data of the game, called SSEQ_0005. It is one track away from the records screen, so it might have been used there. It has a resemblance to the Wi-Fi menu theme, and the settings theme too.
To hear this sequence on the title screen, use Action Replay code 121DB4A4 000001B0 (US).
Development Text
NitroKart Ghost Data Test 01
Located in the ARM9 binary is text, regarding a Ghost Data test, which suggests the internal project name of the game was "NitroKart".
Memory Filler
To do: Check if this is really unused. The staff ghosts also contains this ASCII art for kart symbols |
Mario Kart DS seems to pad out certain parts of memory with repeated instances of cute ASCII art which depicts Mario from Super Mario Bros.
UUUUU UUUUU UUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUU DDD..D. DDD..D. D.D...D... D.D...D... D.DD...D... D DD...D... DD....DDDD DD....DDDD ....... ....... DDUDDD DDUDDD DDDUDDUDDD DDDUDDUDDD DDDDUUUUDDDD DDDDUUUUDDDD ..DU.UU.UD.. ..DU.UU.UD.. ...UUUUUU... ...UUUUUU... ..UUUUUUUU.. ..UUUUUUUU.. UUU UUU UUU UUU DDD DDD DDD DDD DDDD DDDD
Regional Differences
Main Menu
International | Japan | Korea |
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Wi-Fi mode is labeled as "Nintendo WFC" in the International versions and "Wi-Fi" in the Japanese version. The Korean title screen has the copyright year as 2005-2007. This is because Mario Kart DS's Korean release year was 2007 rather than in 2005, like every other version.
R.O.B.
The most blatant regional differences involve R.O.B.
International | Japan |
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In the International versions, R.O.B. is colored dark grey (the general color of the NES), while in the Japanese version he is white and red (the colors of the Family Computer). Additionally, he is called HVC-012 in the Japanese version.
International | Japan |
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The ROB-LGS kart was similarly recolored.
International | Japan |
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...As were his icons.
International | Japan |
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The title screen that appears after you beat the game was also changed. It's worth noting, however, that these changes aren't actually a direct replacement of any files - viewing a Time Trial ghost replay or playing multiplayer with a different version of the game will allow you to see both R.O.B. and HVC-012 at the same time. This is most apparent when viewing/racing a staff ghost using HVC-012 in the International versions of the game.
VS Screen Computer Names
International | Japan | Korea |
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The names for the computer players in the Japanese and Korean versions are COM then a number, whereas the names in the US and European versions are CPU then a number.
Pre-Game Note
North America | International |
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In the North American version of the game, before showing the title screen, a note will appear saying "ESRB NOTICE: Game Experience May Change During Online Play.", whereas in the other versions (European, Japanese and Korean) the note says, "All rights, including copyright of Game, Scenario, Music and Program, reserved by NINTENDO." The North American text is in bold, whilst the other text isn't. The International copyright screen also has incorrect grammar.
Course Names
Some tracks and karts have different names depending on the region. Retro courses keep their original localised names in each region.
English-Speaking Countries | Japan |
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Figure-8 Circuit | Eight-Cross Circuit |
Cheep Cheep Beach | Pukupuku Beach |
Luigi's Mansion | Luigi Mansion |
Desert Hills | Sun Sun Desert |
Delfino Square | Monte Town |
Shroom Ridge | Kinoko Ridgeway |
DK Pass | DK Snow Mountain |
Airship Fortress | Killer Ship |
Peach Gardens | Peach Garden |
Bowser Castle | Koopa Castle |
Palm Shore | Southern Reef |
Tart Top | Sweet Tart |
Kart Names
English-Speaking Countries | Japan |
---|---|
B Dasher | B Dash |
Poltergust 4000 | Ovacuum |
Streamliner | Steamline |
Royale | Peerless |
Light Tripper | Light Step PC |
Mushmellow | Mush |
Standard TD | Standard KO |
Rambi Rider | Jungle Cargo |
Brute | Brutal |
Standard BW | Standard KP |
Power Flower | Flowery |
Light Dancer | Light Step DS |
Banisher | Banish |
Standard DB | Standard KA |
Dry Bomber | Karon Cannon |
Zipper | Tripper |
ROB-BLS | HVC-BLS |
ROB-LGS | HVC-LGS |
Unused Menu Archive
There is an unused archive called "KartModelMenu.carc" that was apparently planned to be used to house the models and textures of the karts and drivers on the selection menu.
Unused HUD Palette
In the palette files for the global maps of unused courses (which are copies of an early GCN Yoshi Circuit minimap), There are unused Palette rows used in the E3 2004 prototype.
Palette row 0 is empty, palette row 1 is used by the actual map, while palette rows 2, 3, 4 and 5 are E3 2004 leftovers; palette row 2 contains the palette for the "TIME" and "LAP" labels. Palette rows 3 and 4 have 8 sets of blue and a set of yellow colors used on the rank list. Palette 5 is from when the global map BG was baked into the same file as the global map it's self, this is no longer the case in the Kiosk Demos, or Final game, so this palette goes unused as well.
There being 8 sets of the same shades of blue in palette rows 3 & 4 may suggest that each player was going to have their own color on the rank list.
Unused Grand Prix Intro Graphic
Palette: //data/Scene/Race_gp.carc/race_start_gp_m_o.NCLR
Texture: //data/Scene/Race_gp.carc/race_start_gp_m_o.NCGR
This seems to be a graphic that was used for the course titles' background in the course intro. The NCGR file is empty, but editing it will show a background behind the course's name in the intro.
The graphic uses the first line of the palette file above (shown below).
Hidden Code
To do: Research the potential contest |
If you press Up, Down, L, R, Y, A in the Time Trials records, a 16 character code with information on your ghost will appear. It might have been for a contest, like in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
A decoder is available online at https://simonti.me/mkds.html.
Cleanup > To do
Cleanup > Works In Progress
Games > Games by content > Games with hidden development-related text
Games > Games by content > Games with regional differences
Games > Games by content > Games with unused areas
Games > Games by content > Games with unused graphics
Games > Games by content > Games with unused models
Games > Games by content > Games with unused music
Games > Games by developer > Games developed by Nintendo
Games > Games by platform > Nintendo DS games
Games > Games by publisher > Games published by Nintendo
Games > Games by release date > Games released in 2005
Games > Games by series > Mario series