What is the best game similar to Mario Kart DS?

The closest game to Mario Kart DS is Carmageddon TDR 2000, scoring 100/100 on our similarity scale. They share 5 gameplay attributes, including racing gameplay, multiplayer gameplay and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.

What are the top games like Mario Kart DS?

The three closest games to Mario Kart DS are: 1. Carmageddon TDR 2000 (100/100, 5 shared attributes) 2. Burnout Paradise (94/100, 4 shared attributes) 3. Mario Kart: Super Circuit (95/100, 4 shared attributes). All share Mario Kart DS's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 47 candidates across 5 dimensions.

Is Burnout Paradise similar to Mario Kart DS?

Yes, very much so — Burnout Paradise scores 94/100 similarity to Mario Kart DS. They share 4 attributes, including racing gameplay and single-player focus. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.

What Racing games are similar to Mario Kart DS?

The best Racing games similar to Mario Kart DS are Carmageddon TDR 2000, Burnout Paradise, Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Burnout Revenge. All share the Racing genre alongside other key Mario Kart DS attributes like racing gameplay, multiplayer gameplay and single-player focus.

How is similarity to Mario Kart DS calculated?

We compare Mario Kart DS against every game in our catalog using 5 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Mario Kart DS experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.

47 Games like Mario Kart DS that you should try

Games like Mario Kart DS · Find similar →

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If Mario Kart DS left you wanting more, this list of 47 similar games is for you. Each one shares part of its essence — racing gameplay, dark, oppressive atmosphere and single-player focus — and is ranked by a similarity score computed across 5 attributes. Carmageddon TDR 2000 comes closest (100/100).

iRank86/ 100

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GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

Top games similar to Mario Kart DS

47 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Mario Kart DS. Each one has been evaluated across 5 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Carmageddon TDR 2000

100

iRank74

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

MultiplayerSoloDarkThird PersonMelee

Steam👍 74%· 482

Year 2000Dev Torus Games · Xicat InteractiveOn PC

✓ Fits the arcade racing games cluster, with racing gameplay, dark, oppressive atmosphere and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Its own twist: melee combat, post-apocalyptic world and visual first person

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonSandbox WorldOpen World

IGDB93· 4

Year 2008Dev Criterion Games · Electronic ArtsOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of arcade racing games: racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and open world exploration, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#3Mario Kart: Super Circuit

iRank90

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird Person

IGDB90· 1

Year 2001Dev Nintendo

✓ Nearly identical: racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay.

≠ Missing: dark, oppressive atmosphere.

Details →

#4Burnout Revenge

iRank91

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonFirst Person

IGDB91· 4

Year 2005Dev Criterion Games · Electronic Arts

✓ Fits the arcade racing games cluster, with racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Where it differs: brings visual first person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Xbox

#5Dirt 3

iRank86

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonFirst Person

IGDB86· 7

Year 2011Dev Codemasters Southam · CodemastersOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of arcade racing games: racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Where it differs: brings sports simulation and visual first person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#6Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

iRank84

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonMeleeSandbox World

IGDB84· 3

Year 2005Dev Rockstar Leeds · Take-Two Interactive

✓ Fits the arcade racing games cluster, with racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, sandbox freedom and sandbox world, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#7MotorStorm

iRank85

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonFirst Person

IGDB85· 4

Year 2006Dev Evolution Studios · Sony Computer EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3

✓ Both are arcade racing games — sharing racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Where it differs: brings visual first person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#8Forza Horizon

iRank82

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonOpen WorldExploration

IGDB82· 8

Year 2012Dev Playground Games · Microsoft Studios

✓ Same family of arcade racing games: racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Where it differs: brings open world exploration, exploration and discovery and visual first person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonFirst Person

IGDB81· 5

Year 2007Dev Codemasters Southam · CodemastersOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of arcade racing games: racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Where it differs: brings sports simulation and visual first person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#10Midnight Club 2

iRank79

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonSandbox WorldOpen World

Steam👍 88%· 994RAWG👍 60%· 122MC81IGDB85· 4

Year 2003Dev Sony Interactive Entertainment · Rockstar GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are arcade racing games — sharing racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and open world exploration, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Steam

#11Colin McRae: Dirt 2

iRank79

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonFirst Person

IGDB79· 9

Year 2009Dev CodemastersOn PlayStation 3 · PC · Mac

✓ Fits the arcade racing games cluster, with racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Stands apart with sports simulation and visual first person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#12Crash Nitro Kart

iRank77

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonSci-Fi

IGDB77· 2

Year 2003Dev Vicarious Visions · Universal Interactive Studios

✓ Both are arcade racing games — sharing racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Stands apart with setting scifi, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#13Driver: San Francisco

iRank77

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonMeleeOpen World

Steam👍 75%· 2.0KIGDB82· 6

Year 2011Dev Ubisoft Reflections · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PC · Mac

✓ Fits the arcade racing games cluster, with racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, adventure storytelling and open world exploration, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Steam

#14Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

iRank73

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonMeleeSandbox World

IGDB73· 2

Year 2006Dev Rockstar Leeds · Take-Two InteractiveOn PlayStation 3

✓ Same family of arcade racing games: racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, sandbox freedom and sandbox world, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

#15Need for Speed: The Run

iRank67

GenreSportsSubgenreRacingSub-subgenreArcade Racing

SoloMultiplayerThird PersonFirst Person

IGDB67· 9

Year 2011Dev EA Black Box · Electronic ArtsOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Same family of arcade racing games: racing gameplay, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Its own twist: visual first person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Complete list of Mario Kart DS alternatives

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Mario Kart DS, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Forza Horizon 3

Racing

Dirt Showdown

Sports · Racing

SSX Tricky

Sports · Racing

SSX 3

Sports · Racing

Metal Drift

Sports · Racing

Mario Kart 8

Racing

Crash Tag Team Racing

Sports · Racing

Mario Kart World

Racing · Adventure

Need for Speed Undercover

Racing

Insane 2

Racing

Mario Kart 7

Racing

Tony Hawk's Underground

Sports · Racing

Mario Kart Tour

Racing

Trackmania United Forever

Racing

Aquapark.io

Racing

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

Sports · Racing

Carmageddon

Racing

Asphalt 8: Airborne

Racing

Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit

Racing

Death Track: Resurrection

Racing · Shooter

Driveclub

Racing

Road Fighter

Racing

Excitebike

Sports · Racing

Need for Speed™ Unbound

Racing

Mario Kart Wii

Racing

Zero Gear

Sports · Racing

1080° Snowboarding

Sports · Racing

Sonic Riders

Racing

nail'd

Racing

Driver 2: Back on the Streets

Racing

The Simpsons: Road Rage

Racing

LEGO Racers

Racing

Rankings in the same genre

Best Arcade Racing Games Best Racing Games Best Sports Games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to Mario Kart DS?: The closest game to Mario Kart DS is Carmageddon TDR 2000, scoring 100/100 on our similarity scale. They share 5 gameplay attributes, including racing gameplay, multiplayer gameplay and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like Mario Kart DS?: The three closest games to Mario Kart DS are: 1. Carmageddon TDR 2000 (100/100, 5 shared attributes) 2. Burnout Paradise (94/100, 4 shared attributes) 3. Mario Kart: Super Circuit (95/100, 4 shared attributes). All share Mario Kart DS's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 47 candidates across 5 dimensions.
Is Burnout Paradise similar to Mario Kart DS?: Yes, very much so — Burnout Paradise scores 94/100 similarity to Mario Kart DS. They share 4 attributes, including racing gameplay and single-player focus. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Racing games are similar to Mario Kart DS?: The best Racing games similar to Mario Kart DS are Carmageddon TDR 2000, Burnout Paradise, Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Burnout Revenge. All share the Racing genre alongside other key Mario Kart DS attributes like racing gameplay, multiplayer gameplay and single-player focus.
How is similarity to Mario Kart DS calculated?: We compare Mario Kart DS against every game in our catalog using 5 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Mario Kart DS experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.