A player character (also known as a playable character or PC ) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not controlled by a player are called non-player characters (NPCs). The actions of non-player characters are typically handled by the game itself in video games, or according to rules followed by a gamemaster refereeing tabletop role-playing games . The player character functions as a fictional, alternate body for the player controlling the character.
36-678: MK5 may refer to: Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance , the fifth game in the Mortal Kombat series Mario Kart DS , the fifth game in the Mario Kart series, released in 2005 for the Nintendo DS MK5 , an English postcode district British Rail Mark 5 (CAF) , a rolling stock designation in the United Kingdom British Rail Mark 5A , a similar development of rolling stock in
72-487: A Mario Kart game for the Nintendo DS , releasing some gameplay video footage at the same time. The company offered the game for the public to play for the first time at the 2005 Game Developers Conference , where the game's wireless feature was also showcased. Mario Kart DS was produced by Hideki Konno . The game runs at a consistent 60 frames per second and uses full 3D characters and environments. Mario Kart DS
108-408: A broad category of action games, referring to a variety of games that are driven by the physical actions of player characters. The term dates back to the golden age of arcade video games in the early 1980s, when the terms "action games" and "character games" began being used to distinguish a new emerging genre of character-driven action games from the space shoot 'em ups that had previously dominated
144-488: A larger number of player characters to choose from, with some basic moves available to all or most characters and some unique moves only available to one or a few characters. Having many distinctive characters to play as and against, all possessing different moves and abilities, is necessary to create a larger gameplay variety in such games. Similarly to MOBAs, hero shooters emphasize pre-designed "hero" characters with distinctive abilities and weapons that are not available to
180-674: A multiplayer mode, in which eight players race each other using the DS Download Play feature for consoles without a cartridge or a multi-card wireless LAN connection. This version has limited courses available, and players with no cartridges play as Shy Guy , a character unavailable in normal play. Until its discontinuation on May 20, 2014, Mario Kart DS supported online play via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection , in which up to 4 players could play together. Nintendo announced on May 11, 2004, that they planned to release
216-471: A new red-colored Nintendo DS starting on November 28, 2005, along with "a checkered-flag wrist strap, and racing-inspired decals to customize new red handheld". Mario Kart DS was released to critical acclaim; it holds an aggregated score of 91% on Metacritic . Praise focused on the game's graphics and gameplay, while criticism targeted its repetitive single-player mode. Mario Kart DS received Editors' Choice awards from GameSpot and IGN . The game
252-413: A player typically creates or takes on the identity of a character that may have nothing in common with the player. The character is often of a certain (usually fictional) race and class (such as zombie , berserker , rifleman , elf , or cleric ), each with strengths and weaknesses. The attributes of the characters (such as magic and fighting ability) are given as numerical values which can be increased as
288-685: A side-scrolling playfield. Examples include beat 'em ups like Kung-Fu Master and Double Dragon , ninja action games like The Legend of Kage and Shinobi , scrolling platformers like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog , and run and gun shooters like Rolling Thunder and Gunstar Heroes . "Character action games" is also a term used for 3D hack and slash games modelled after Devil May Cry , which represent an evolution of arcade character action games. Other examples of this sub-genre include Ninja Gaiden , God of War , and Bayonetta . Fighting games typically have
324-805: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Mario Kart DS Mario Kart DS is a 2005 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console . It was released in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Australia, and on December 8, 2005, in Japan. The game was re-released for the Wii U 's Virtual Console in North America and PAL regions in April 2015 and in Japan in May 2016. The game
360-460: Is somewhat common in first-person videogames, such as in Myst , but is more often done in strategy video games such as Dune 2000 , Emperor: Battle for Dune , and Command & Conquer series. In such games, the only real indication that the player has a character (instead of an omnipresent status), is from the cutscenes during which the character is being given a mission briefing or debriefing;
396-607: Is the fifth main entry in the Mario Kart series, and the first to be playable via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection online service. Like other games in the series, Mario Kart DS features characters from the Mario series and pits them against each other as they race in karts on tracks based on locations in the Mario series. The game received critical acclaim and was praised for its graphics and gameplay as well as its Battle and Versus mode but
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#1732855346782432-557: Is the first Mario Kart iteration to support online play. Konno remarked that although both Mario Kart DS and the Halo series feature online play, he noted that most of the people who use the feature in Halo games were " hardcore gamers ". With Mario Kart DS , Konno wanted "everyone to go online, and the technology and time is right for that to happen". As the Mario Kart game for the Nintendo DS,
468-465: The arcades in the late 1970s. Classic examples of character action games from that period include maze games like Pac-Man , platformers like Donkey Kong , and Frogger . Side-scrolling character action games (also called "side-scrolling action games" or "side-scrollers") are a broad category of character action games that were popular from the mid-1980s to the 1990s, which involve player characters defeating large groups of weaker enemies along
504-441: The Nintendo DS as of March 2016 and the third best-selling Mario Kart game, behind Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart Wii , with 23.6 million units sold worldwide. Mario Kart DS is a racing game in which the player, as a Mario franchise character, races in a kart against seven other characters. Each course features item boxes that the player can drive through to receive a randomly selected item. Some items allow
540-563: The United Kingdom [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title formed as a letter–number combination. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MK5&oldid=968452884 " Category : Letter–number combination disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
576-567: The categories of " Racing Game of the Year " and " Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay ". Several reviews praised the game for living up to the standards set by its predecessors. Finding the game's online shortcomings annoying, GameSpy still believed that the single-player mode and local wireless gameplay more than made up for them. Nintendo World Report noticed that "the best features of past Mario Kart games are back" and work well with
612-694: The console's release. In the United States, it sold 910,000 copies and earned $ 31 million by August 2006. During the period between January 2000 and August 2006, it was the 23rd highest-selling game launched for the Game Boy Advance , Nintendo DS , or PlayStation Portable in that country. In 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine ranked the game 26th on a list of greatest Nintendo games. As of March 2016, Mario Kart DS has sold 23.6 million units worldwide. Player character Video games typically have one player character for each person playing
648-554: The developers tested several features that took advantage of the device's bottom touchscreen . They considered letting players place items anywhere on the track instead of just behind their kart. However, the developers found it too confusing because the game already had too many distractions, making it difficult to control where to place items while racing. In an interview, Konno noted that tracks from previous Mario Kart games were included in Mario Kart DS so that players who played
684-433: The game a "significant step forward" for the Mario Kart series, partly because it is the first in the series to feature online play. Game Revolution remarked that the game "goes the distance" with its single-player and multiplayer modes. 1Up.com complimented the "surprisingly compelling package", describing it as a "portable racing game on par with anything ever to appear on a console". Video game magazine GamePro
720-522: The game for being simply a "polishing of the Mario Kart concept and little else". The game was the first for the Nintendo DS to take advantage of the console's Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection feature. By the end of its debut week in the United States, 112,000 people purchased the game, of which 52,000 of them had logged onto Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to play against other people over the Internet. Mario Kart DS
756-556: The game play style different. Characters can learn new abilities or augment existing ones over the course of a match by collecting experience points. Choosing a character who complements the player's teammates and counters their opponents opens up a strategy before the beginning of the match itself. Playable characters blend a variety of fantasy tropes, featuring numerous references to popular culture and mythology . In both tabletop role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and role-playing video games such as Final Fantasy ,
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#1732855346782792-453: The game's unique use of Nintendo DS features, such as its microphone and wireless connectivity. GamesRadar named Mario Kart DS the best DS game of all time, beating out Pokémon Black and White (2nd) and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (3rd). Finding it hard to imagine how Nintendo could make a Mario Kart game better than Mario Kart DS , IGN lauded Mario Kart DS ' s gameplay and depth in its design. GameSpot called
828-451: The game. Some games, such as multiplayer online battle arena , hero shooter , and fighting games , offer a group of player characters for the player to choose from, allowing the player to control one of them at a time. Where more than one player character is available, the characters may have distinctive abilities and differing styles of play. A player character may sometimes be based on a real person, especially in sports games that use
864-413: The gamer progresses and gains rank and experience points through accomplishing goals or fighting enemies. In many sports games , player characters are often modelled after real-life athletes , as opposed to fictional characters. This is particularly the case for sports simulation games , whereas many arcade-style sports games often have fictional characters instead. A secret or unlockable character
900-536: The names and likenesses of real athletes. Historical figures and leaders may sometimes appear as characters too, particularly in strategy or empire building games such as in Sid Meier 's Civilization series. Such a player character is more properly an avatar as the player character's name and image typically have little bearing on the game itself. Avatars are also commonly seen in casino game simulations. In many video games, and especially first-person shooters ,
936-565: The new features in Mario Kart DS , calling the result "the most impressive game to ever hit the Nintendo DS and also the best game in the Mario Kart series". X-Play shared this sentiment, and remarked that the game shattered all of its expectations, making it the "best kart racing game ever released—handheld or otherwise". GameZone also believed that Mario Kart DS "lives up to its legacy" with its inventive courses, "stellar" multiplayer, and "more replay value than any other racer in its class". Alejandro K. Brown of CBS News appreciated
972-650: The original Super Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System would feel more familiar with the DS iteration of the series. Mario Kart DS was released by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in North America on November 14, 2005, in Australia on November 17, 2005, in Europe in November 2005, and in Japan on December 8, 2005. Nintendo later revealed that Mario Kart DS would also be sold bundled with
1008-420: The other characters. Hero shooters strongly encourage teamwork between players on a team, guiding players to select effective combinations of hero characters and coordinate the use of hero abilities during a match. Multiplayer online battle arena games offer a large group of viable player characters for the player to choose from, each of which having distinctive abilities, strengths, and weaknesses to make
1044-425: The player character is a "blank slate" without any notable characteristics or even backstory . Pac-Man , Crono from Chrono Trigger , Link from The Legend of Zelda , Chell from Portal , and Claude from Grand Theft Auto III are examples of such characters. These characters are generally silent protagonists . Some games will go even further, never showing or naming the player character at all. This
1080-508: The player is usually addressed as "general", "commander", or another military rank. In gaming culture, such a character was called Ageless, Faceless, Gender-Neutral, Culturally Ambiguous Adventure Person, abbreviated as AFGNCAAP; a term that originated in Zork: Grand Inquisitor where it is used satirically to refer to the player. Character action games (also called character-driven games, character games or just action games) are
1116-665: The player to attack other racers to slow them down, while other items can be used to speed up their own kart to pass other racers more easily. The game features a base roster of the eight playable characters from Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit , along with four unlockable characters Daisy , Dry Bones, Waluigi , and R.O.B. for a total of 12. Each character has three unique karts to choose from, each of which vary in attributes such as top speed, acceleration, and handling. The game features five single-player game modes : Grand Prix , Time Trial , Versus, Battle, and Mission. The Grand Prix and Versus modes require
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1152-485: The player to choose an engine class from among 50cc , 100cc, and 150cc. The classes serve as difficulty levels —the higher the engine class, the faster all karts go. In addition, a Mirror mode can be unlocked, in which karts use 150cc engines and tracks are horizontally flipped. The game features 32 courses across eight cups, half of which are new tracks and half of which contain tracks from previous Mario Kart games (known as Retro Grand Prix). The game also features
1188-418: Was criticized for its repetitive single-player mode . Mario Kart DS received several awards, including Editors' Choice Awards from GameSpot and IGN , G-Phoria ' s Best Handheld Game award, and IGN's Best Racing/Driving Game. Mario Kart DS was the best-selling game in its first month of release and held that position the following month. Overall, Mario Kart DS is the third best-selling game for
1224-469: Was nominated by GameSpot for several Best of 2005 awards, including Best Multiplayer Game, Best Driving Game, and Best DS Game, winning the lattermost. The game received G-Phoria ' s Best Handheld Game award. IGN gave the game the awards for Best Racing/Driving Game. During the 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards , the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Mario Kart DS in
1260-489: Was pleased with the variety of racers, courses, modes, and multiplayer options offered, toting the game as a "must play" for any Nintendo fan and a requisite for any Nintendo DS owner to purchase. Computer and Video Games described Mario Kart DS as the "most complete" Mario Kart game, despite a few graphical shortcomings. Eurogamer enjoyed the game's multiplayer mode, calling it "genuinely practical to play with other people". British publication GamesTM criticized
1296-408: Was the best-selling handheld game in its debut month of November 2005 in the United States. It was the 10th best-selling game of 2008, and the best-selling Nintendo DS game of that year. In Japan, the game sold 224,411 copies in its first week. Mario Kart DS sold 3,112,363 units as of July 2008, and 3,224,996 copies as of January 2009, making it the sixth best-selling game for the Nintendo DS since
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