NY POST Cars 2: A 'licensed' game that impresses
July 12, 2011
By Zoey Sachs and William Vitka
What we wouldn’t give to have played Mario Kart at every social gathering we’ve ever been to. Who needs talking when you can express yourself by sending a red shell into the butt of Princess Peach or Wario? It’s the familiarity, the simplicity, and feeling of joy that comes only when you’ve won against a particularly obnoxious family member that has made Mario Kart iconic.
Disney’s newly-released Cars 2, with its plot tied to the movie (it doesn't follow the plot precisely: you’re a secret agent training on a high-tech simulator), exhibits many Mario Kart-like qualities. However, reviewing the game by only comparing it to Nintendo’s classic would be an injustice, since Cars 2 happens to be awesome in its own right.
The main way to enjoy Cars 2 is to follow the campaign as a C.H.R.O.M.E. agent. Your goal being to stop Professor Zundapp and his ‘lemons’ from gaining control of the all the world’s oil reserves. Mission mode allows players to train with simulated missions and race against computer opponents to gain points to access new racing tracks and cars. This mode also helps players familiarize themselves with the controls and introduces them to an array of powerful weapons (none of which are Mario Kart cute, and all of which have a nifty James Bond-ish feel) with which to destroy the competition.
There is also a co-op mode where up to 4 players can race on the same screen.
One trick Cars 2 picked up from Burnout (no shame in that) is building your turbo up by drifting. And drifting. Is. Awesome – allowing you to take crazy turns and maneuvers. It, along with jumping certain objects and destroying other cars, helps players build up their turbo gauge, which can be the key to clinching victory. When that gauge is completely filled, a double-tap of the button turns players into invincible comets that rush down the track.
The backgrounds of the tracks – borrowed from the film -- seem ominous, but beautiful: a stereotypical Tuscan village, a faceless metropolis with looming neon buildings, a pseudo San Francisco Bay area, etc. Unfortunately, the tracks can go from cool to tired in a hurry as the game progresses and you find yourself on familiar ground doing familiar things.
Players are also given the option of exploring the “World of Cars Online”. This online feature is probably more for fans of the Car series than just those of us who like to race, since it allows players to investigate new worlds and unlock new items, all having to do with the Cars franchise.
In the end, Cars 2 is an impressive – and more importantly – very fun racing game.
Final Grade: B+
Cars 2 is rated E for Everyone and is available for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC and DS.
July 12, 2011
By Zoey Sachs and William Vitka
What we wouldn’t give to have played Mario Kart at every social gathering we’ve ever been to. Who needs talking when you can express yourself by sending a red shell into the butt of Princess Peach or Wario? It’s the familiarity, the simplicity, and feeling of joy that comes only when you’ve won against a particularly obnoxious family member that has made Mario Kart iconic.
Disney’s newly-released Cars 2, with its plot tied to the movie (it doesn't follow the plot precisely: you’re a secret agent training on a high-tech simulator), exhibits many Mario Kart-like qualities. However, reviewing the game by only comparing it to Nintendo’s classic would be an injustice, since Cars 2 happens to be awesome in its own right.
The main way to enjoy Cars 2 is to follow the campaign as a C.H.R.O.M.E. agent. Your goal being to stop Professor Zundapp and his ‘lemons’ from gaining control of the all the world’s oil reserves. Mission mode allows players to train with simulated missions and race against computer opponents to gain points to access new racing tracks and cars. This mode also helps players familiarize themselves with the controls and introduces them to an array of powerful weapons (none of which are Mario Kart cute, and all of which have a nifty James Bond-ish feel) with which to destroy the competition.
There is also a co-op mode where up to 4 players can race on the same screen.
One trick Cars 2 picked up from Burnout (no shame in that) is building your turbo up by drifting. And drifting. Is. Awesome – allowing you to take crazy turns and maneuvers. It, along with jumping certain objects and destroying other cars, helps players build up their turbo gauge, which can be the key to clinching victory. When that gauge is completely filled, a double-tap of the button turns players into invincible comets that rush down the track.
The backgrounds of the tracks – borrowed from the film -- seem ominous, but beautiful: a stereotypical Tuscan village, a faceless metropolis with looming neon buildings, a pseudo San Francisco Bay area, etc. Unfortunately, the tracks can go from cool to tired in a hurry as the game progresses and you find yourself on familiar ground doing familiar things.
Players are also given the option of exploring the “World of Cars Online”. This online feature is probably more for fans of the Car series than just those of us who like to race, since it allows players to investigate new worlds and unlock new items, all having to do with the Cars franchise.
In the end, Cars 2 is an impressive – and more importantly – very fun racing game.
Final Grade: B+
Cars 2 is rated E for Everyone and is available for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC and DS.