There's no Time Trials? Then you weren't playing a Mario Kart game. All Mario Kart's have Time Trials.

There are no Time trials in this particular build, I am almost positive that there will be in the final build.

I got a LOT of play time in on MKDD today (media badge helped me cut the line numerous times).  I now know much more about the control scheme as well as the difference between using different characters and karts.  First of all THE CHARACTERS YOU CHOOSE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR KART'S PERFORMANCE.  I had suspected this and asked several Nintendo reps who confirmed my belief.  The only thing that changes your kart's stats is the actual kart you choose.  If one were to chose two small characters such as baby mario and baby luigi then he or she may chose ANY kart they wish.  If large characters are chosen then the kart options diminish (larger players are limited to larger karts).

The larger karts have higher top speeds but lower acceleration and vice versa.  With the large variations in course types I believe that one kart may be best for one course but not for another.  However, on the courses offered I found that my best times were achieved with the DK kart.

best times:
   times are given to the one-thousandth place now

Luigi Grand Prix: (100 cc Grand Prix mode , no items)
   flap: 37"637

DK Mountain: (8-player lan, I was in first the whole time so I used no speed-aiding items and was shrunk once by lightning)

    3lap: 56"159, 53"156, 1'03"324 (probably would have been around 53"XXX, I got hit on the bridge leading to the finish line by a red shell and proceeded to fall off of the bridge, I still placed first and lapped someone).

I got much better at MKDD after playing about 10 races, but I simply don't see the learning curve that MK64 offers.  Many of the courses have players randomly bouncy around on rough surfaces with relatively little control.  Also, the current implementation of powersliding serves to keep players from slowing down around corners but does not offer the chance for an MT.   Additionally, the controls in general are not nearly as tight as previous MK's... I don't really see this one getting the MK community competeing for years the way previous MK's have....

-Andrew

I played even more MK DD today and managed to find a nice corner cutter on the DK course.  I've gone 3 for 3 on 3 races, so it's definitely going to be the way that non-sc is done.  I actually have one of my races on tape, complete with sliding techniques.  It wasn't my best race of the day, but I think it was good enough.  I've only missed coming in first once today after about 10 races, and I was looking for shortcuts in the race I lost.  Hopefully I'll be able to get the tape of my DK race online for you guys.

-Andrew

not sure if the smallest karters can race the largest karts Andrew...check on that one

great reporting and effort, Andrew and Mark!

I've raced with Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in the Bowser mobile (biggest kart)... so, yes, in this build the smallest characters can still take the big karts.

Something I just noticed though is that IGN's first new video of Double Dash has some different things from what I saw.
1) The start is much more polished looking, with big flashy numbers and an easily timed turbo start.
2) Waluigi  Stadium is shown
3) times are shown as xx'xx"xx which is much more polished looking than what we had at the show (even though the version at the show had time to the thousandths place).
3) the game just looks more polished than what I played in that video.

The controls appear to be custimizable from default because one of the versions on the show floor had a slighly different (and I would argue better) setup.  With L sliding and R shooting weapons... as well as some other small differences that I can't remember off the top of my head.