Tag Archives: Racing

Mario Kart: Double Dash (GameCube)

Mario Kart Double Dash

Developers(s) – Nintendo EAD

Publisher(s) – Nintendo

Director(s) – Kiyoshi Mizuki, Yasuyuki Oyagi, Futoshi Shirai & Daiji Imai

Producer(s) – Shigeru Miyamoto, Tadashi Sugiyama, Shinya Takahashi & Takashi Tezuka

PEGI – 3

The fourth installment to the most successful spin-off series in video gaming history, Mario Kart: Double Dash provided gamers with a slightly different take on the kart racing genre, by adding the feature of having two characters to each kart allowing for more weapons to be held at any one given time, and also allowing for online play; though in a much-limited capacity to what gamers of this day and age are accustomed to. Unfortunately, however, I’ve never thought as much of this game as many other entries in the franchise. It would be a choice for me between this and Super Circuit as the two main contenders for “the” worst game in the series, for a number of reasons.

Graphics – 5/10

One reason why I believe this game doesn’t match the quality of most other Mario Kart titles is because the visuals are not the best on the GameCube; either from a graphical or conceptual standpoint. The tracks are some of the worst in the series; even including my all-time least favorite track; Baby Park. Aside from that, it also had most probably the worst incarnation of Rainbow Road in the entire series. There are a select few tracks that stand out, but nowhere on the same levels as the track in entries such as Mario Kart 8, Wii, or even 7.

Gameplay – 6/10

For the most part, the game plays out pretty much like any other Mario Kart game, and the addition of a second driver does make for an interesting twist in gameplay since players can be at a disadvantage if the passenger falls off after taking too many hits from items. The problems are that most of the tracks in the game don’t necessarily make for a particularly grueling challenge, in lieu of the series’ tradition, and they also added something else, which has been a recurring thing in other Mario Kart games since that I have never been a fan of; cannons. In some tracks, there are cannons that transport players from one area of the course to the other, and to me, it’s always been a sign of developers literally cutting corners.

Controls – 10/10

The best thing I can say about this game is that despite the introduction of new mechanics, it stays true to the classic Mario Kart formula, and consequently, there are no complications to address. The only problem that can be even vaguely associated with it is that the sound effects of switching drivers can become relentlessly repetitive.

Lifespan – 8/10

Completing each tournament in each class can take up to 5 to 6 hours, but after that, if players have access to the Internet via the GameCube, they can, of course, indulge in online play, which will add even more to the lifespan; an idea which in all fairness, I am pretty happy to have seen become a stable of the series. There is also a little bit more incentive added in the unlockable characters and unlockable cars; something else that would become a regular feature, much to my delight.

Storyline – N/A (10/10)

The Mario Kart series has never had a story attached to it, and it never should, I don’t think. At this point especially, I believe that trying to add a story to a Mario Kart game would be a pretty bad move on Nintendo’s part unless they can do it in such a way that it does nothing to hinder gameplay to any kind of extent. It worked particularly well in Diddy Kong Racing, so if Mario Kart were to ever become an open-world kart game, a story may work.

Originality – 3/10

As I’ve reiterated, Double Dash ultimately plays out like most other games in the series; only being much less enjoyable. It does have the one saving grace of having two characters to every one kart, but the cannons throughout a good few of the tracks in this series started off a trend, which I personally would rather have not seen started, making this game original, but for what are in my opinion, the wrong reasons.

Happii

To summarize, however, although Mario Kart: Double Dash makes for a bad Mario Kart game, it doesn’t necessarily make for a bad game in general. It’s much more enjoyable than a fair few other sixth-generation games released at the time, and it still beats any other generic racing game out there hands down.

Scores

43/60

7/10 (Fair)

Mario Kart 8 (Wii U & Switch)

Mario Kart 8

Developer(s) – Nintendo EAD Group No 1

Publisher(s) – Nintendo

Director – Kosuke Yabuki

Producer – Hideki Konno

PEGI – 3

Boasting new tracks, anti-gravity mechanics, and of course online multiplayer, Mario Kart 8 has warranted a small boost in Wii U sales over the last two weeks. But for how good this game is, and how good past games for the system have been, I think the Wii U deserved more than a small boost in sales.

Graphics – 9/10

The majority of the new tracks, namely Sunshine Airport, Twisted Mansion, Thwomp Ruins, and Cloudtop Cruise among others, are exceptionally brilliant in design. And posthumously make up for the traditional inclusion of some of the more generic ones. Such as Mario Kart Stadium and Mario Circuit. The level of detail put into every other track is staggering. Making it even more possible than in previous games to get too caught up in the scenery to concentrate on the race.

Furthermore, the retro stages are also visually breathtaking. Most of which are re-designed to the point of being seldom recognizable. For example, Grumble Volcano from Mario Kart Wii, a track I’d thought to be somewhat generic in the original version, has been given an extremely different feel. Now looking comparable to the land of Mordor, it’s as if Lord of the Rings has taken over for a part of the game. And it’s a massive improvement on the original version.

Gameplay – 9/10

As a veteran Mario Kart player, I already had a very good idea of what I would be getting. Deceptively unforgiving as normal, Mario Kart 8 present a challenge on a particularly large scale; even on 50cc at times. Though I’ve yet to play online, I can already tell that I am in for something, particularly testing. In terms of gameplay, however, I did find a fault with the implementation of anti-gravity segments. I found that whilst the novelty is there, it doesn’t add as much to the table as I’d anticipated, and doesn’t necessarily add to the challenge either.

There are some tracks where it works a bit better than others. But for the most part, it seems a little redundant. But the worst thing about Mario Kart 8, I believe, is the inclusion of coins being part of the item roster. People may say that adds to the challenge. But in my opinion, that can add quite a bit of unnecessary frustration when players are in front and need something to defend themselves with. It may be in homage to the original game, but there’s a good reason why they were removed. However, despite these two faults, this game is still exceptionally fun to play.

Controls – 10/10

Tailored to play using a variety of different means, I can say that there are no problems with the game’s control scheme. I did have concerns that the controls would suffer because of the anti-gravity feature. But Nintendo has handled it flawlessly. And players can virtually skip from Mario Kart Wii to Mario Kart 8 without skipping a beat. There are two changes to playing the game with the Wii remote. But that doesn’t take any time at all to get used to.

Lifespan – N/A (10/10)

It will take about half an hour to play through each tournament. And there are traditional four classes to complete each tournament. So that should take about 16 hours overall. But after that, there’s the online play to immerse players, which will make for hours upon hours of entertainment. As a racing game, there is no fixed lifespan, simply making for a game that can be picked up and played without much worry about making conventional progress beyond the Grand Prix mode.

Storyline – N/A (10/10)

The Mario Kart franchise has never needed a story attached to it. And there was no reason why they would start now. Maybe in the future, a sort could be implemented to make an installment play out more like Diddy Kong Racing as opposed to staying in lieu of tradition in order to mix things up. But lack of story is nothing that Mario Kart 8 should lose marks for, in my opinion.

Originality – 5/10

A lack of uniqueness, on the other hand, is something I think that the game should lose marks on. On the one hand, it’s wonderful how the developers have designed the latest tracks. And how they’ve painstakingly re-mastered old tracks for the retro tournaments. But on the other hand, I was sorely disappointed by how under-whelming the anti-gravity feature is. Bearing in mind that it has been one of the game’s main selling points for the longest time. Also, I found that the character roster is a little bit generic compared to others in the series. I think the inclusion of Bowser’s minions may have been a mistake, as I can think of many more standout Mario characters than them, who could have been included instead.

Deliirious

Overall, however, I think Mario Kart 8 is a particularly impressive game with all the fun and challenge of a traditional game in the franchise and makes for one of the best gaming experiences of 2014. I would have advocated people buy the Wii U over the Xbox One before the release of this game, but I think this game warrants a lot more units to be sold.

Score

53/60

8.5/10 (Great)

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (PlayStation 2)

Gran Tuismo 3

Developer(s) – Polyphony Digital

Publisher(s) – Sony Computer Entertainment

Designer – Kazunori Yamauchi

PEGI – 3

Released on the back of immense success on the original PlayStation with the first and second installments, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec had a lot of hype to live up to the pending release and was able to do so in spectacular fashion. Even gaining a score of 39/40 from Japan’s Famitsu. Becoming only the eighth game in the publication’s history at that time to receive this honor. Though I do have that I spent a lot of time playing this game when I was a kid. But the more I’ve grown up, I’ve started to see this game as being more generic. Despite the fact I still enjoy playing it to this day.

Graphics – 10/10

It is very easy to look at this game nowadays and see a largely outdated and inferior experience to what is normally portrayed in racing games these days. Especially if you belong to a younger generation of gamers. But the time, a video game that looked as good as this back in 2001 was nothing short of phenomenal. I remember it blew me away at the time.

But it also made me extremely excited for what games could expect to see later on in the shelf life of the PlayStation 2. We all thought the Dreamcast was something else compared to the like of the Nintendo 64 and the original PlayStation. But it was games like this that helped Sony to take gaming visuals to the next level, so to speak. Aside from that, the game also has quite an impressive soundtrack. Featuring songs from bands such as Feeder and Ash.

Gameplay – 7/10

Very much like Driveclub for example, I find this title to be enjoyable enough to play and hold my attention for a fair few hours. As far as most see it, it’s simply a carbon copy of the first two Gran Turismo games. But made bigger and better. Perhaps the most effective strategy to employ whilst developing a video game sequel. There’s nothing wrong with giving players more of what they already like and in greater quantities. And it made the third game just as good as its predecessors; arguably better.

Controls – 10/10

For me personally, this was the first game I played that incorporated a fair control scheme in a conventional racing game. And one that also made it feel like an authentic racing experience reminiscent of real-life competitive rally sports. Before that, the likes of Destruction Derby and TOCA Race Drivers were games that I couldn’t get to grips with at all. I even have trouble with Formula One games as it is. This is why I was baffled to get as good a time as I did when I tried out an actual F1 simulator at Play Blackpool.

Originality – 2/10

The only way in which this game innovated in any capacity is indeed in its visuals. Which whilst exemplary at the time, would go on to be outdated relatively quickly. Especially as both Need for Speed and Project Gotham launched shortly after it, and blew it out of the water in terms of graphical advancement. But aside from this, the game is, in essence, the same as every other racing game to have come before and to come after. And especially these days, it’s far too difficult to be able to differentiate between them all in positive ways in my opinion.

Happii

However, to summarize, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, is again regardless not a terrible game and is still quite enjoyable to play. And I would recommend it to anyone who may be a fan of the generic racing game regardless. Racing games remind me of Alan Partridge’s theory of how if there may be too much of something, another way of looking at it could be that people like it, so more of it should be made. Gran Turismo was certainly a catalyst for this theory to be put in play throughout the 2000s in gaming. And the third game was one of many that managed to impress at the time.

Score

29/40

7/10 (Fair)

F-Zero (Super Nintendo)

F-Zero

Developer(s) – Nintendo EAD

Publisher(s) – Nintendo

Producer – Shigeru Miyamoto

Artist – Takaya Imamura

PEGI – 3

One of the two original launch titles for the Super Nintendo in Japan, F-Zero was proved to be one of the most influential titles on the system. And is one of the first to incorporate Mode-7 graphics to allow for 3D rendering. Though Super Mario Kart would arrive a year later and eclipse the popularity of this game, it is not without its merits. And has remained a cult classic to many gamers.

Graphics – 8/10

Aside from the visuals being particularly advanced for the time, it also has a surprising amount of conceptual diversity. Each of the fifteen courses in the game contains its own color schemes, scenery and style, and even soundtracks. Some of which are extremely catchy. Debatably, it’s even a lot more diverse than Super Mario Kart was, but I disagree with this. Since not only are there more characters to compete as. But like Super Mario Kart, there are also a lot of recycled elements in each course despite standing out from one another. I think both Shigeru Miyamoto and Takaya Imamura would really shine together creatively during their collaborative work on the Star Fox series.

Gameplay – 7/10

Going beyond most conventional racing games of the time, the original F-Zero would become known for its surprising level of challenge, and fast-paced racing. Like Super Mario Kart, there exist different tournaments for gamers to compete in, usually consisting of four tracks. There are no weapons to use whilst on the road. But nonetheless, the game still provides an extremely exhilarating experience. Unlike most others on the system.

Controls – 10/10

For one of the first games to use the graphic-rendering techniques it did, it’s actually quite impressive how the control scheme was handled. And would become a massive influence on future franchises, such as Wipeout. The L and R triggers could be used to strafe from side to side rather than simply having the players use the D-pad to turn and skid in different directions. This, in turn, allowed for the creation of some of the many different basic structures of certain tracks, such as Mute City II.

Originality – 8/10

Racing games had already been established as a prominent genre at this point. And it was only natural that Nintendo wanted to capitalize on this ever-evolving style of play. But what has made Nintendo’s approach to this so special is that they’ve never shied away from trying new concepts and ideas. It’s been seen in all of the Mario Kart games since, but it was first seen in F-Zero. This wasn’t the first game to play out the way it does, as Pole Position came many years before it, but it did it at a much faster and more challenging pace.

Happii

Overall, F-Zero to this day remains a must-have for anyone with either the original console or access to the Virtual Console. It went on to have a huge impact on many future racing games and spawn two sequels, and whilst in more recent years has merely made appearances in other Nintendo series (the most recent of which being Mario Kart 8), the original game has earned its rightful place in the industry’s history.

Score

33/40

8/10 (Very Good)

Driveclub (PlayStation 4)

Driveclub

Developer(s) – Evolution Studios

Publisher(s) – Sony Computer Entertainment

Director – Paul Rustchynsky

PEGI – 3

Originally intended to be a launch title for the PlayStation 4 back in 2013, Driveclub suffered from a yearlong delay until it was finally released in the holiday season of 2014. And was met with mostly positive reviews from critics. Criticisms were levied against the game’s alleged lack of replay value. But after playing it myself, It was obvious to me that the problem wasn’t its lack of gameplay. But its lack of originality.

Graphics – 10/10

Like most games made in the exact same vein, the graphics from a technological standpoint are nigh on flawless. The cars and the scenery have been painstakingly rendered to bring the game to the eighth generation on PlayStation 4. It certainly does well to show off the extra 10% of graphical rendering power the PlayStation 4 has over the Xbox One. Normally, I would also look at the conceptual side of a game’s visuals. But it would mean nothing since the developers set out to make it look as realistic as possible. As opposed to going for wonderfully weird or outlandish designs. Even despite the game’s inherent lack of uniqueness.

Gameplay – 7/10

That inherent lack of uniqueness mostly stems from the game’s style of play. Which by in large is the same as every other realistic racing game. Only with this title, the developers looked to bring a sense of social interaction to the table by having multiplayer revolve around cooperation as much as the competition. Somewhat like Forza, there is a small RPG element to it. In that experience, points are earned in order to unlock more cars as well as more tournaments. However, its lack of exceptionality doesn’t necessarily make it a bad game. It’s more evolutionary than revolutionary. A small advantage this game has over other racing games, however, is that, unlike Forza, there aren’t any arrows across the road put in place for the most part, to hold the player’s hand constantly.

Controls – 10/10

With countless racing games released across the sixth and seventh generations, there would have been some particularly serious problems if the control scheme wasn’t anything short of perfect. Especially compared to its closest competitors. It could be argued that this, in turn, would add to its level of banality. Since there were a fair few games like this across the seventh generation that introduced a few unique mechanics, such as Blur. But having it this way is certainly preferable to the developers taking a needless risk. And possibly ruining the game completely.

Originality – 2/10

Since Driveclub was originally going to be a launch title and further judging by many other launch titles released across the eighth generation of gaming, I think it should have been expected that this game was unlikely to stand out to any great extent. Unfortunately, forgotten (at least temporarily, I hope), are the days of launch titles that would introduce players to gameplay as they had scarcely seen before. I saw the likes of Knack and Ryse: Son of Rome to name but a few. B. Eut this title cemented this for me; even if it didn’t end up being a launch title itself in the end.

Happii

In summation, however, despite what negativity I may have perpetuated with this review, I ended up looking at it in a fairly positive light. I’ve played much worse racing games than Driveclub, and despite its lack of individuality, it is a fairly enjoyable racing experience.

Score

29/40

7/10 (Fair)

Crash Team Racing (PlayStation)

Crash Team Racing

Developer(s) – Naughty Dog

Publisher(s) – Sony Computer Entertainment

Director – Jason Rubin

Producer – Grady Hunt

PEGI – 3

Developed to compete with the various different quirky racing games that had been released prior, such as Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, and F-Zero X, Crash Team Racing was Naughty Dog’s attempt at taking one of Sony’s then-flagship franchises into a familiar, yet popular direction. Though it could be easily seen as a mere means to increase sales of the PlayStation, the fact of the matter is that this game remains one of the best games released towards the console’s later shelf life.

Graphics – 8/10

Although the visuals are about the same level of quality as the third Crash Bandicoot game from a technical standpoint, the game itself is just as conceptually diverse as any entry in the series. Each course is based on certain levels of the original trilogy; much like most other kart racing spin-offs contain levels reminiscent of their respective mythology. Unlike in Diddy Kong Racing, each boss doesn’t have their own special stage and their individual races simply take place in a previous track within their respective tournaments, which makes the game less diverse in comparison, but it doesn’t cause too much of a problem.

Gameplay – 9/10

The game more or less has the same amount of substance as the likes of Diddy Kong Racing; arguably more so. Aside from there being an adventure mode, there is, of course, multiplayer, time trial mode, and a plethora of unlockables including new tracks, new characters, and even in-race perks. What separates it from its Nintendo counterparts, however, is its level of challenge, as most of the boss races, in particular, can be quite difficult to win; namely Pinstripe’s race.

Controls – 10/10

Thankfully, there are no issues with the game’s control scheme. I say thankfully because there were other development companies and publishers who tried to create racing games with varying degrees of success. The most prominent example of which is the game Sonic R for the Sega Saturn, which had unbearable controls; most probably since it involved on-foot racing as opposed to kart racing, but working on a very similar control scheme to that of kart racing games. But the control scheme in this game is as fluent as any other excellent kart racing game.

Originality – 6/10

The game more or less plays out like a carbon copy of Diddy Kong racing, since it features an open world and an adventure mode. However, I believe it shouldn’t lose out on too many points because of this, since not only did it make for one of the most immersing racing experiences on the PlayStation, but it’s only one of the two prominent open-world racing games that in truth have been developed ever since; at least that I’m aware of. I believe the genre could do with making a resurgence, but until that happens, this game will be about as unique as it could have possibly been then and could possibly be now.

Happii

Overall, despite deriving a heavy amount of influence from many games like it, Crash Team Racing remains a wonderful game to this day, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to explore a classic. It may not have been the first game of its kind, but it’s certainly one of the better ones.

Score

33/40

8/10 (Very Good)

Coffin Dodgers (PC)

Coffin Dodgers

Developer(s) – Milky Tea Studios

PEGI – 12

Released on Steam last month, Coffin Dodgers is a quirky kart racing game reminiscent of the likes of Mario Kart and Diddy Kong Racing, with almost as much variety in gameplay, and a much more sadistic sense of humor in its story, and released to modest critical reception upon release. Whilst it isn’t the best kart racing game I’ve ever played, it provided me with a breath of fresh air, since I’ve found that there hasn’t been a great deal of them released in recent years, and it made for a reasonably decent game.

Graphics – 8/10

Deviating away from conventional generic racing games, this title, as most kart racing games do, stands out in terms of conceptual design as opposed to technological advancement. The visuals of this game are largely outdated, making it look like it could possibly run on the sixth generation. Maybe even fifth-generation gaming hardware. But it stands out for its eccentric and varied character designs as well as its track design and variety in customization.

Gameplay – 7/10

As a kart racing game, it also relies on many stables of the genre. Such as weapons to hit enemies with, melee attacks for when racers are neck-and-neck, the facility to heavily customize the character’s car or mobility scooters in this instance, and even a story mode. It’s like a blend of Mario Kart, Street Racer, Diddy Kong Racing, and Modnation Racers coming together to make something that tries to stand out. But only does so to a certain extent. I can’t help but think that if the developers had taken all these ideas and expanded upon them as opposed to merely perpetuating them, the game could have been even more than what it turned out to be.

Controls – 5/10

The one massive downside Coffin Dodgers has in comparison with most other successful kart racing games is that the controls are mercilessly and unnecessarily difficult to have to cope with. Making turns seem more like a chore than a legitimate challenge. Thus a lot of time will be spent in this game crashing. The game’s Steam trailer even advertises the crash physics as if they are something to be enjoyed. But I’m sure players will feel much different when it keeps on happening every five minutes.

Lifespan – 10/10

The game’s story mode will take around 2 to 3 hours to complete. But after that, it has infinite replay value. Just like any other racing game. Online multiplayer has been a revelation to the kart racing genre. And it has made for something that even I am lukewarm to. As I don’t generally tend to play online with other gamers to any great deal. But ever since Mario Kart went online, I find myself addicted to it with almost every installment. And certainly having it present in this game helps matters a great deal.

Storyline – 7/10

The game’s basic premise is that seven elderly residents of a peaceful town are threatened by the coming of the Grim Reaper. And are forced into a wager stating that whoever wins a series of races against the Reaper. And the remaining six inhabitants can keep their souls whilst the others perish by Death’s hand. The game’s story is unlike most kart racers with a story. It has a much more twisted sense of humor attached to it. Even the title is a dark joke since a coffin dodger is a term cheekily used to describe an elderly person in general.

Originality – 7/10

Rather than this game being one of the most unique racing experiences ever developed, I see it as a blend of different ideas taken from different racing games. And combining it all into one cohesive concept. Which has hardly been expanded upon enough. I think if everything was bigger and better than what players were given with this game, then it would do much better to stand among all of the rest in my opinion. This is why it wouldn’t be particularly difficult to improve on this now already existing formula. Albeit with much improvement to the game controls.

Happii

In all, Coffin Dodgers, whilst could have been more than what it is, is still a relatively good game. And deserving of the attention of any fan of the kart-racing genre. I would, however, advocate that anyone play this game using a PC controller. Since playing it with the keyboard can present a whole series of unneeded problems.

Score

44/60

7/10 (Fair)