"How can anyone not like this game?"

When I first read about this game in a magazine, my first thought was “Whoa, a cartoon car-combat game? Were they thinking of me?” Since I LOVE cartoons, and I’m all for wanton destruction in a video game, this seemed like the perfect game for me. And whaddaya know, it was!

Visuals (10/10)

As the name of the game implies, cel-shading is used here to give everything that Warner Bros. cartoon look. It’s really beautiful. The weapons are humorously oversized, and the cars (and some other stuff) squash and stretch all according to cartoon physics. For example, if you grab a sledgehammer and clobber someone with it, they’ll become flat as a pancake for a second or two before re-inflating back to their normal shape. Other cartoon rules of physics are applied too. If you drive off a cliff, you’ll stall in midair for a second before plummeting straight down to your death.

Audio (9/10)

The music is very great, and each tune complements its level well. There are some cartoony clanks, bonks, zips, and boings present, but they left out some of the better slams, crashes, and booms. Each character in the game also has a ton of voice samples that fits their personality. The stuff Sinder says is hilarious, and you might find yourself chasing after him (or playing as him) just to hear it. “I could use a good smack in the head!”

Play Control (10/10)

I have actually read in another review that the control setup is too difficult to use. That puzzled me to no end. I was wondering if they were thinking of another game as they wrote that, because the controls here are quite easy to master. The R button is the accelerator, L is brake, A uses your weapon, and B fires off a small and weak primary weapon. Plus, Y will have your character taunt, and X sounds their car horn, but those aren’t necessary to win an event.

Gameplay (8/10)

There are three modes. You have Smack Attack at the start, where you must rack up points by attacking your opponents. The first the be unlocked is Gate Relay, which is like a checkpoint-based race. The last one is Flag Rally, where you must grab flags (that have feet and will run from you) and bring them to the goal tower. Smack Attack is the only easy one of the three. The last two are difficult to beat, and will have you cursing a lot.

Entertainment (9/10)

The events are fast-paced, the speech is funny, the characters are wacky, and there's some hilarious movies to watch. All in all, you’ll have a blast playing.

Buy or Rent?

Believe it or not, some people don’t like this great game. If you’re not sure whether or not you might be one of them, I recommend you rent first. But in all honesty, the only way someone can not like this game is if they lack a sense of humor (or good taste).

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/10/02, Updated 07/10/02