"Believe it! This game IS fun!!"

This is my first review here. I've been addicted to this game, since buying it last week. I figured this would be the perfect place to start, and share my great happiness in finding this fun game.
In the midst of Christmas shopping, I came across this little gem for $10. I could afford to buy myself a present too(hehe), so I picked it up. The older Codemasters NES title, 'Micro Machines', was pretty cool, and I thought that this updated version of that older game looked like fun. And guess what? It was(and still is)!!
In Micro Machines, you drove those tiny vehicles around tracks like countertops in the kitchen, around a greasy tool littered floor in the garage, around a bathtub rim ...stuff like that. The fact that normal everyday things had been converted into obstacles and race tracks was a really cool idea. Am I making any sense?
Okay, anyway, the same premise exists in this game, except that you run the little Micro Maniacs around the tracks. There are occasional vehicles(and a secret tank track), but for the most part you run. You also now have the ability to jump, and use two different types of super attacks. Doesn't sound too exciting, but the quick, and sometimes impossible seeming, gameplay, as well as the cool track layouts, makes this game very addictive.

Gameplay: 9/10
The controls are very easy to pick up. Basically acceleration, brakes, jump, and two different super move buttons. Not too hard. Even a moron could pick up on the basic controls. The fact that you can turn yourself in the air while jumping, was frustrating at first, but later I realized why they added this.
The versus feature is a little bit different than your standard racer, as you try to get a full screen length ahead for 'one point'. The older Micro Machine games featured this same style, but this version is smoother than the older versions. Linking capabilities would have been a really really cool addition though.
And the case says 'up to eight players'??? That might be great fun, or just plain chaos. Hmm, some sort of battle stage might have been cool too.
The tracks start out easy, and later on, just end up crazy. This is the type of game that has you pulling out your hair in frustration and yelling at the rival characters, but I love that type of crap.
There are eight different characters, and five more to unlock. I'm assuming they all have their own good and bad points, but I've just stuck with one character(Vortex) the whole time. Also, the super attacks supposedly grow in strength, but I haven't seen any changes yet.

Story:6/10
I think it has something to do with a scientist making these tiny mutants, with various powers. I'm not sure why they decided to race. I never really read into the story, and it's really not important. I guess it could have a more generic story. I like the fact that they run, instead of drive a vehicle.

Audio/video:9/10
The music is pretty cool. I was expecting weirder music at first, but it grew on me, and now I like it(as it loops through my head at work :P). The sound effects are decent. You know which sound is which. As for the graphics, this is the high point of the game. A lot of cool detail was put into the tracks(as was the case with Micro Machines too). The characters are strange and unique. This game features tons of eye candy. Tons! Even a little gory at times(a race track on an operating table!?!?)

Replay value:6/10
I'm not sure, as I've yet to finish it. There are five characters to unlock, and I'm not sure what this entails(bonus levels as well). I would assume when everything is finished, and you've mastered every track(that could take some time), you might not pick it up for a long while. But, it is easy enough for friends to pick up and play while they're visiting. I think you'll get a lot of use out of this game. the game could actually score higher here, but I'm just not sure yet.

Buy/Rent:8/10
If you can find it for $20 or less, I think you'll enjoy it. If you can find it as a rental, check it out. I got mine for $10 new, and think it was a great purchase! I'll probably buy some additional copies for friends, at that price.

Time spent with game: 1 week(maybe 10 hours playtime)
I'll try to add this to all my future reviews, as I think it is an important feature when deciding to trust a reviewer or not. I hate reading a ''this sucks'' review, from a player who hasn't even given a game more than five minutes in their system. I don't even think I've spent enough time playing to give this game a proper review, but I can tell that I already love it, and swear buy it coolness.

Overview: Just plain fun, and very hip. Well worth the $10 I spent!! BUY IT :)

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/14/01, Updated 12/14/01