It seems
inevitable that every time there is a racing game, with an arcade feel, it draws
some comparisons to Mario Kart. In fact, my 13-year-old daughter first said it
reminded her of the Nintendo classic even as her first race had barely started.
But MySims Racing tries to push away from that and while it certainly does not
do a lot that is new, what it does do is provide a decently rounded
entertainment experience that younger gamers, as well as older games can enjoy.
It’s a family affair, with offline multiplayer featuring up to four competitors.
The game
does feature some customization, and as players move through the story mode,
they can collect blueprints that will allow them to alter the three main stats
of their rides, as well as alter the looks of the vehicle.
You begin
the game by creating your own avatar (which is along the lines of the Mii
characters) and then you can enter the story mode and work from the tutorial
through the races and challenges. The challenges come in several varieties:
there are the races against NPCs, timed challenges and collection challenges.
There are variations on those themes, but generally everything falls under those
categories.
The set-up
is simple – pick a racer or race track and then start the race. The Wii remote
is held on its side and acts more like a steering wheel. The No. 2 button on the
face of the remote is the accelerator and the No. 1 button is the brake (also
used for backing up). The D-pad will trigger power-ups collected during the
race. The latter also come in many flavors, from boosts to alien space ships
that will zoom the player’s kart around the track, to attacks on other karts
(like planting a tree in the middle of the track, splashing slippery pumpkins
onto the track to force spin outs, launching soccer balls at opponents, or
leaving water bubbles behind that envelop and stop pursuit temporarily). Some of
the tracks have obstacles on them in the form of low barriers. You can pump the
Wii remote upward to jump your kart and hurdle those.
Each of the
tracks have gems to collect (which translate into items you can purchase in the
garage to improve your ride), presents that are the power-ups, in-built track
speed boosts (for a short distance you can go fast) as well as jumps and a few
alternative routes. The tracks can also have some dangers like the tornadoes
that embrace your kart and turn the world upside down (which means all your
controls are backwards). There are even the chance you might get gummed and your
view fills with pink bubblegum for a short spell meaning you drive blind. There
are 12 power-ups in total.
As for game
modes, there is the Quick Race, Multiplayer (split-screen for up to four, each
with their own Wii-motes), and the Story mode. The latter will guide players
through a town that was once considered the epicenter of racing but the top
racer moved on and the town fell on hard times and awaits a new champion racer
to lift it out of lethargy.
The game has
a decidedly young flair to the presentation and story, but should find a broad
appeal with family-oriented gamers.
MySims
Racing won’t appeal to hardcore kart racers, but for younger gamers, this is a
title that they will play for hours on end. The game could have been a bit
deeper of an experience, but for what it is, and for younger players, it should
provide several hours of entertainment value.
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Gameplay: 7.0
Easy to
understand controls and intuitive gameplay makes this an easy pick-up-and-play
for all ages.
Graphics: 7.0
Serviceable about
sums it up. The colors are bright and the animations are Ok.
Sound: 6.5
The sounds –
especially the reaction of the racers – can get a tad repetitive.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Concept: 6.8
Nothing truly
innovative here, but a nice combination of elements nonetheless.
Multiplayer: 7.2
This is of the
split-screen variety and you will need a Wii remote to participate, but racing
against others is much more entertaining than racing against the AI.
Overall: 7.0
There is nothing
particularly new or fresh about this title, but it still manages to be
entertaining to a wide age group. Hardcore gamers might find this a little too
juvenile in its approach, but younger players and rookie kart drivers should
find it accessible and fun.
