"How could anyone forget this classic?"

Introduction

A very underrated game, this. I remember renting it many years ago long before Genesis became "obsolete" (yeah, right, obsolete is not a word in my vocabulary; Geneis is awesome, and I will declare this proudly no matter how many rotten eggs get thrown at me). I remember having fun changing the names of the characters to ones I liked, only to turn the game on the following day to find that my sister, always insistent on getting her own way, had changed all the names to suit herself; I was too polite to change them back. Five years ago, unbeknownst to me, this same sister happened to come across this game at a car boot sale and bought it for me. So, I thought I'd write a review.

Gameplay - 9/10

Gameplay is strangely addictive. Four players race around on a circuit, aiming to make first or second place and progress to the next course; if you fail to do so, you lose a life and do the circuit again. What makes this game special is that the circuits are often in bizarre and unconventional places; there are mundane ones set in gardens and on beaches, but also you will find yourself driving around on dinner tables, pool tables (using some of the pockets as warps), kitchen surfaces, and picnics. There is even a circuit that takes place around a toilet bowl (the only other Genesis game I have ever played that featured a toilet was Beavis and Butthead). Many of the circuits are cunningly designed, so that there are obstacles in inconvenient places - for example, one track has a wine spillage that can send you hurtling into a cunningly-placed fork, while in other places you have to make jumps very carefully to avoid flying off the track. The action takes place with a birds-eye view of the circuit, so you have some idea of what is coming up - but it is likely that you will often need to do a few laps of any track just so you know what to do.

There are sixteen characters to choose from, with at least one based on a real person (Jeremy is modelled on one of the presenters of Games World, a very popular show when the game was first released. Apparently, they all have their own driving styles, but I've never actually noticed these at all.

There are a number of different vehicle types, which handle differently; for example, monster trucks are slow and usually easy to handle, while racing cars are fast and tough to handle. Helicopters are perhaps the hardest of all because you have to move up and down to dodge obstacles, rather like a 2D version of the flying sections of Diddy Kong Racing.

In addition to the normal mode, there is also a tournament mode where you enter at the bottom of the 4th Division (kind of like a mini version of the English soccer league, only with racing vehicles), and must gain enough points to be promoted to the division above, and from then on avoid relegation and end up being crowned the champion in as few "seasons" as possible. This mode can be very fun, although also very frustrating if you find yourself relegated a few times.

In addition to this, there is a two player mode, which can be played against a computer, where the object is to either finish the circuit with more lights your colour, or to light all the lights with your colour, which is done by getting so far ahead that the opponent is knocked off the back of the screen. This is very enjoyable, and gets tough very fast, although to be honest, I could have done without a screen at the end of each level detailing the finishing positions in this mode; when there are two competitors, it is usually very easy to work this out for yourself.

Finally, there is also an option to try and see what the best lap times you can get for some of the circuits. Exactly why only certain tracks, and not all of them, were included, is anyone's guess, but this mode can be fun for a while, but lacks competitiveness, and players who just enjoy trying to beat opponents should avoid this mode altogether.

Graphics - 9/10

Graphics are good, with a lot of attention to detail given in the individual circuits, such as rubber ducks seen floating in the bath, and food seen in bowls as you speed around the table tops. The character designs are neat, even though the fact that you can't even SEE them when they are in their cars makes this feel a bit redundant, and they have some hilarious animations - such as Dwayne's "Duhhhh I think I lost" (insert Big the Cat-style voice here) expression when he fails on a track, which I find rather amusing. The game over sequence makes me wonder if the developers actually got themselves sued by Warner Brothers, as it resembles the ending of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, and it's rather amazing that they got away with it.

Sound - 8/10

Okay, this game isn't especially big on music, but the sound effects are neat, with realistic sounds made by the vehicles - such as the propellors on the helicopters, and the car engine noises. Some of the tracks pay meticulous attention to detail, such as a revolving record from which classical music emanates whenever you get close, and a keyboard that actually plays when you drive over it (you will even get a different sound if you drive over the flat/sharp keys). Some character voices would have been neat, though (thankfully this WAS included in Micro Machines 64).

Lastability - 8/10

It might not keep you occupied for a large amount of time after you've played for a while, but it is a game you will constantly be returning to and seeing if you can improve on your last performances.

Final Recommendation

It all depends on how much you enjoy racing games, but if you do, then I would recommend buying it. Make sure that your siblings understand that it's your name and only you are allowed to change the character names (if you are so inclined).

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/06/06