The DS version boasts far improved graphics over the graphical disappointment of Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Along with far improved graphics, the visual and performance upgrading system of Carbon is an improvement over Most Wanted. Two main examples of this are the visual upgrades. In Most Wanted, there as only a choice of kits, nothing else, while in Carbon you have a choice of between one and three kits, a wide variety of spoilers and hood upgrades. Another improvement between games, is choice of car color. In Most Wanted you were limited to a small range of colors, while in Carbon you still have a choice of default colors, but you can create your own unique colors via the touch screen. Along with the visual improvement, Carbon offers a dynamic new steering system that sets it apart from the crowd. Instead of the classic left and right scheme, Carbon gives a choice of light, medium and hard turns. The medium turns are the normal left/right, but light and hard turning requires D-Pad combinations, for example to perform a hard turn you must hold down both left/right and down. The physics are of course dumbed down compared to the console versions, and there are 12 tracks in the Nintendo DS version, 2 for each of the 6 areas. The in game cockpit view shown on the bottom screen is customizable, and once the player beats Area 2, then the player can shift between 3 different handling modes by touching the stereo. This affects gameplay by changing the car's handling characteristics.
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