Counterpart Kart – MySims Racing Reviewed

With entries that feature drivers as varied as M&M’s and the impish Cocoto crew, there is no shortage of kart racers on the Wii. Unquestionably, the benchmark for the ubiquitous genre is the Mario Kart series, a seventeen-year old franchise that has received a significant amount of critical and commercial acclaim. The series isn’t known for radical innovation- each subsequent offering from Nintendo displays a gentle refinement to the model of miniaturized cars and drivers along with simplified racing mechanics.

The latest challenger for the kart-racing crown emanates from Artificial Mind and Movement, the developer behind the upcoming shooter WET. MySims Racing’s distinction is the title’s myriad of customization options; players can create their own avatar and vehicles using the game’s deep design system. Although many of these options are merely cosmetic, MySims allows players to improve their car’s performance in several ways, adding a bit of depth to the proceedings.

The title’s story mode delivers a collection of challenges via an expanding map, allowing players to befriend Sims in an effort to expand the MySim garage. The game conveniently doesn’t force racers to accept trials in any particular order, meaning players can empower a car to overcome a difficult challenge. Those anxious for a traditional race against the computer or other players, may jump directly into a contest from the main menu.

Unlike a majority of Wii games that forsake some of the Wii’s input methods, MySims Racing generously allows players to choose from a variety on control schemes. The title’s Wiimote, Gamecube, and Classic Controller option work impeccably, while the game’s Wiimote-only method inexplicably requires the device to be held on its side. The game’s driving model is splendidly complex, requiring players to master drifts, jumps, and vehicular combat for success.

Notably absent from MySims Racing is any kind of online multiplayer experience. While the game does have an admirable, split-screen, local component for up to four players, gamers accustomed to the net-play matchups found in Mario Kart Wii may be disappointed by the exclusion. The only other caveat with the title is the lack of selectable difficulty levels. While the game’s colorful and cartoonish graphics may be a beacon for younger gamers, the title’s difficulty may cause a bit of frustration with the under-eight crowd.

Graphically, MySims Racing is capable to exhibiting an impressive sense of speed when player is using the boost, or after being launched from one of the turbo pads that are scattered liberally across the game’s tracks. Although the tracks lack intricate visual sophistication, they are all vibrantly colored, and display a variety of themes, from a dusty old west track, to a shady bayou. The title’s single player framerate is habitually fluid in the single-player game, only dropping briefly when a crowd of opponents surrounds the player.  Split screen multiplayer games reduce the overall refresh rate, although the game always manages a functional performance.