“Entertainment,
style and, oh yeah, first place!”
For
Lightning McQueen, there is no place like first place. And that goes whether he
is racing competition from around the world or taking on his friends in Radiator
Springs.
Cars
Mater-National is a sequel to the popular console title and delivered on the PS2
from Rainbow Studios and THQ. The game centers on Radiator Springs, where
Lightning has returned to establish his racing headquarters. And because he is a
famous racer, it only seems natural that he also has some races and a stadium
built.
Mater, the
lovable tow truck, can’t seem to remember that it is an “international” racing
event and it comes out as “Mater-National” – hence the name of this game.
Do not
expect a great deal of depth in this title. The tracks can become redundant and
the mini-games, while mildly entertaining for the younger set, are not
particularly innovative. However, where the younger set is concerned,
Mater-National is a simple racing vehicle that has an entertainment value in the
cut scenes that feature the stars of the Pixar movie.
There are
several ways to play the game – story mode, arcade (more racing, but these are
comprised of road races, stadium races, Rustbucket races, monster truck races,
relay races or the mini-games unlocked in story mode) and versus (which is what
passes for the multiplayer and is head-to-head competition). Story mode is a
series of loosely related events that include races and the ability to roam
about the town and launch mini-games when you wish.
The
characters, as always, are well rendered and have a charming quality, which is
highlighted by the voice actors from the movie (yep, Owen Wilson is back doing
the voice of Lightning and Larry the Cable Guy does Mater). There are nice
little quips, and the three-dimensional world of Radiator Springs looks
appealing enough.
However, the
race courses do not have an abundance of variety and some of the turns are not
that clearly marked. Moving off the circuit race and progressing into Fillmore’s
Nature Preserver increased the challenge with tighter turns and chasm jumps, but
even after circling this several times, it becomes old hat.
The
mini-games borrow heavily from tried-and-true scenarios such as hitting the
right button when a musical note reaches it, or racing the circuit and hitting
gas cans to keep the tank full (this mini-game actually challenges you to lap
the circuit as many times as possible before running out of fuel).
The control
scheme is simple to use, so even young players will be able to jump in and have
some success. You have the gas button (X), brake (square), a limited power
booster (R2) and the ability to lean (L1 with the left analog stick). With four
difficulty settings, there should be some challenge here for players of varying
abilities. Unfortunately, regardless of the car you drive (whether as Lightning or
the Hudson Hornet), they all handle the same, so there is no challenge in
learning to handle different vehicles.
Mater-National is a simple game, targeted for a younger set, but it has visual
appeal and some challenge. Don’t expect much depth here; the emphasis is on the
characters with a very forgiving racing model.
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Gameplay: 7.0
Not a lot of
variety here, but the controls are simple to learn and use, and that should be
ideal for younger gamers
Graphics: 8.0
The graphics look
culled from the movie and suited to the PS2 console. This is a decent-looking
title on this platform. The physics are handled well.
Sound: 8.0
A country music
score runs under the game and the voice acting is nicely handled as well.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Concept: 6.8
There could have
been much more here. The mini-games are not innovative and follow familiar
themes.
Multiplayer: 6.8
Versus mode, in
races you can play in the single-player game, is about as good as this aspect
gets.
Overall: 7.0
The score here is
marginal. Given the depth of play it could have been less, but the graphics and
sound help pull it up. This game should appeal to younger fans of the Pixar
film, but more veteran players will want to pass on it.
