Review: Speed Racer The Videogame (Wii)

Speed Racer is the latest blockbuster from the Wachowski brothers and even before commencing this review; Gamestyle hoped that the videogame was a more achievable vision than the flawed Enter The Matrix.

Whereas Shiny Entertainment was partly responsible for Neo’s messy experience, this time around development duties rest upon Kiwi studio Sidhe Interactive, who has previously been responsible for Gripshift, Melbourne Cup Challenge and Super Rugby League.  The key title in their curriculum vitae is Gripshift which represents a similar ‘pick up and play’ racing ethic, and one unquestionably that Warner Bros believed would stand this licensed release in good stead.

Speed Racer is based upon a successful manga and anime series, where drivers battle it out in the World Racing League. Of course there is more depth to the storyline but to appreciate it fully then head to the cinema, as the video game focuses purely on the racing events. Christina Ricci and Emile Hirsch may reprise their roles here, but it matters little in the Willy Wonka bubblegum setting, which suits cartoon animation and text boxes more so than live action or scripts.

For experienced players it is easy to spotlight the influence of both F-Zero and Wipeout. The futuristic setting, onscreen clashes; track designs, blazing speed and Day-Glo characters could so easily be an amalgamation of both.  It is unsurprising therefore that Speed Racer lacks an identity of its own, few circuits stand out and warrant repeated play. The game breaks down into a series of championships and finishing in the top three overall, unlocks new characters and allows you progress to the next level.

Speed Racer displays a real scattergun approach to the circuits, more so than seen in Gripshift. Rather than focusing on a few challenging, thrilling and varied layouts, Sidhe have thrown everything into the pot. Some tracks offer sweeping curves and a pedestrian pace, whilst others harness tunnels or death defying leaps of faith, each varying in length. The only benefit to such an approach is that almost every new track offers a new twist for you to overcome.

A real issue that does concern Gamestyle is the AI programming, which is a faithful student of the Ridge Racer School of catch-up driving. No matter how good your performance, victory will often rely on luck rather than any sense of skill. Regardless of your tactics in Speed Racer, the chasing pack will be only a fraction of a second behind you, so one mistake will often result you in dropping to the rear of the field. Such a random nature to the experience may accommodate players of varying skill levels, but surely the game should have shipped with a selectable difficult setting? This flaw only highlights another omission concerning the in-game HUD display, which is undeniably cluttered, but surely Sidhe could have found space for a track radar?

In spite of these shortcomings, Gamestyle cannot deny that Speed Racer is fun to play and favours the approach of the F-Zero series. You can pickup the Wii Remote (either with or without the Mario Kart wheel) and immediately feel in control of your vehicle. The motion sensors work exceptionally well and allow you to focus on the other aspects such as the horribly named Car-Fu attacks.

Yes, Transformers may just hit one another, but here in the world of Speed Racer there exists a fighting style known as Car-Fu and it involves the artful manoeuvring and fighting of cars. Each racer is graded upon their speed, acceleration and strength, allowing you to find someone to suit your style. It is possible to ‘smack down!’ an opponent or even attempt a ‘round house’ or ‘tail toss’, frankly if such features had not been a part of the film itself, we would have gone to town on their inclusion here. The combat is only a temporary distraction as manintaining your speed and boost is key to crossing the finish line is a decent position. For a racing game, Speed Racer lacks a real sense of velocity and not once did Gamestyle find itself hanging on for dear life.

Outwith the short single player mode there is shamefully little else on offer. A default two player split screen mode is bundled as an afterthought and you can unlock hidden items if you are a fan of the film. Overall Speed Racer is not a terrible film license, its just one that fails to grasp the excitement, style and velocity of the WRL. While it represents a modest improvement over Enter The Matrix, it still shares a vital similarity in that it feels unfinished and rushed to market to meet a deadline.

Rating: 6 / 10

Words by Jason Julier