Monster 4X4: World Circuit

"Another bad Wii game"

Monster 4X4 is one of three racing games on the Wii right now. It comes with its own little attachment steering wheel but because this was a rental I didn't get to try that. Anyway, how does this game stand up to Excite Truck? Any other truck racers? Read on!

This game has some very questionable graphics. If I bought this as a Gamecube game I would be slightly worried that it was a port of one of the last PS1 games. It's far from pretty to look at and besides everything looking bland, the vehicles themselves are just tacky.

The sound in the game did nothing for me. Every truck sounded the same despite some being buses, cars or monster truckers. The music was totally forgettable.

Control in the game was very easy. I don't have the little wheel attachment but you just hold the Wiimote like a wheel would be held and tiny little tilts left and right turn you. Tilt forward to boost and then twist in air to do tricks.

This game offers a career mode and a quick race option. That's it besides a multiplayer selection. To be honest I guess a racing game doesn't really need anything but those modes.

The game offers 10 tracks. These 10 tracks will then be reversed bringing your entire track count to 20 if you count reversed tracks as a whole new track. This is fine really but the problem is the fact that a number of the tracks use the same exact backdrop. Every track also ahs a theme be it an amusement park, an ice place, a desert ECT. Very uninspired and so are the track designs themselves

The AI is rather bad as well. It's not that I over lapped them or anything, instead they put up a nice little fight at first and then vanish somewhere behind me to never be seen again. You would think with weapons littering the tracks as well that things would stay heated but they don't.

Speaking of the weapons this game ahs some of the worst weapons around. I'm not even sure what they are but one is a barrel of fire and it has a homing skill to it or something. If it hits you and come on, it will then your tires catch on fire and you slow down. How silly.

So the game takes about an hour or so to finish all of the races in first place. The better you place the more experience you get and you use the experience to upgrade your monster vehicle stats like speed and whatever. I didn't play multiplayer but really, the game play by itself was far from interesting, I doubt a friend or two would make it any better.

I'd recommend passing on this game all together. It's not worth the wheel attachment alone and you can always try out GTO Pro for the Wii since it comes with the wheel. Oddly enough that game is next up for me as it has shipped to me. Either way if you're looking for a racing for your Wii then stick with Excite Truck.

Story - N/A
Graphics - 5/10
Sound - 5/10
Control - 8/10
Game Play - 5/10
Replay value - 3/10

Final Score - 4/10

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 07/27/07