TrackMania DS
Description
The TrackMania series is now going portable with this Nintendo DS release.
Race with over 100 tracks by yourself or with your friends. The new modes exclusive to the game are Platform, in which you must navigate through complex levels without using too many retries, and Puzzle, in which you must create your own map with checkpoints and a limited number of building blocks to connect the pieces, and race to the finish, while the Race mode is left intact. The game includes three environments to race: Desert (the environment used in TrackMania Original), Rally, and Stadium (the environment used in TrackMania Nations).
Instead of complex racing simulators where you have to measure a correct speed to turn through narrow roads, this is an arcade-style racing game with high speeds (over 400 km/h!) and simple controls. All you have is accelerate, brake, horn and that's it! Of course, like it's PC counterparts, you can freely reset the track if you fall of the track, or if you want a better medal. There are three types of medals: bronze, silver and gold. You can either race with AI opponents or race by yourself. The main objective is to get to the finish line as fast as possible. The target time is given to you at the beginning of every track, depending on for which medal you are racing.
The game also includes a built-in map editor, which allows you to create a custom map with your stylus.
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Credits (Nintendo DS version)
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 71% (based on 24 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.2 out of 5 (based on 2 ratings with 1 reviews)
The Good
One of the most famous stunt racing games arrives to the portable systems with this TrackMania DS for the Nintendo DS. This game has the same concept as all the other games of the series, featuring time attack races. You can see the other drivers but you can't touch them (no dirty play), you can only beat the time that they've achieved to win credits to unlock new circuits and appearances for your cars.
In TrackMania DS there are three environments to race which are Desert, Rally and Stadium. Each one has different cars with different characteristics adapted to that environment, so, it's like having three different racing games in one.
Besides that, there are new game modes that are really funny. In platform mode you don't need to race so fast because you only have to get to the goal without restarting to a previous checkpoint. As you may guess, there are many holes and jumps in these kind of circuits to make it much harder. It's not an easy task but it's really funny.
The game uses the hardware of the system in a game mode called Puzzle mode, in which you'll have to edit a circuit and place in the right places all the parts of the circuit. To do that you can use your stylus. You can also edit and build circuits just for free playing instead of this mode.
Graphics are good, defined, varied and colored, a bit simple but adequate anyway. TrackMania is not a game that put a lot of effort in graphics and other technical aspects because they're much more focused in things like gameplay and originality.
The Bad
Circuits are as short as always, if you're looking for a real racing experience or just a classic racing game this is not your game. Trackmania has an arcade feeling and if you liked the previous Trackmania games you'll like this one too.
The circuits aren't as spectacular as they were in other games of the series. It's still stunt racing when you play the Stadium mode, but not as incredible as we've played before. About gameplay, there are some problems in ramps and some jumps that could ruin your race. Fortunately, circuits are short and that's not a frustrating problem for the player.
There's only one song for each kind of environment, and there are many circuits, so, there's a lot of time to detest the music. No problems with FX.
The Bottom Line
A good racing game perfect for those who'd love something different and unique. If you've never played a TrackMania game and you're not searching for a real racing simulator this is one of the greatest games of its kind. If you've played a TrackMania game before and you really liked it you should play this one because it has many original new game mods to be played.
Nintendo DS · by NeoJ (398) · 2010
Trivia
1001 Video Games
TrackMania DS appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.
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IGCD Internet Game Cars Database
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Talos.
Additional contributors: Victor Vance, FatherJack.
Game added July 21, 2009. Last modified March 23, 2024.