| Introduction
Racing fans have been enjoying the Micro Machines
series for some years now and the concept of controlling
tiny cars around 'real' environments has never really
declined in popularity. This was demonstrated recently
when 'Karnaaj Rally' received critical praise and commercial
success for developers Paragon 5, who coincidentally
also produced this title for Atari.
GamePlay
Your ultimate objective in Micro Machines is to come
in first in all the various modes and thus be crowned
champion mini racer. The good news is that there are
an impressive number of ways in which you can achieve
this.
There is for example the 'Championship' race mode
where you can choose exactly how many opponents you
wish to battle it out with through the various cups.
If, however, you need a little practice, then the 'Quick
Race' mode is where you should head for first.
There's also a 'Time Trial' and an incredible 'Bombtag'
game. This places you in an arena with three other cars
as each player (AI or 'real') attempts to pass off an
explosive device before time runs out.
Although they're not available initially, you also
have the option of choosing different vehicles and drivers,
provided of course you are successful in each race in
the 'Championship' mode.
You can also upgrade your racing machine by collecting
enough bonus letters to spell out the words 'Micro Machines'.
The first level only allows you to pick them up from
the track but once you've acquired a few, you can us
them to bet on a race's outcome. You can choose to beat
a course record, collect everything or come in first
place. Obviously, before you get too reckless with your
gambling, it's a good idea to practice the various tracks,
as some of the winning criteria are incredibly difficult.
Success though will provide you with double the bonus
letter you have waged. Actually upgrading your machine,
with anything from speed to handling is essential for
success especially in the latter levels.
Thankfully, multiplayer options are available for
almost all the modes although to get the fully featured
versions, you'll need more than one copy of the game.
Sadly, the developers have ignored the battery back
up option and gone with passwords instead. While it's
not too bad here at a mere four digits, the fact that
there are a number of 'unlockables' means that an auto
save feature would have been better alternative.
Controls
To be honest, controlling your vehicle in Micro Machines
can be a little tricky at first and if you've just played
'Karnaaj Rally' you're likely to find it incredibly
frustrating. Bear with it though, and you'll soon discover
how to utilize the power slides to your advantage and
everyone else's disadvantage. The rest of the controls
are pretty standard and do compliment the easy to navigate
menu system.
Graphics
Micro Machines utilizes an advanced version of the
game engine which first appeared in 'Karnaaj Rally',
resulting in a truly immersive visual experience. This
is due to a clever mix of bit-mapped, multi-layered
planes with 3D elements, all of which combine to give
a wonderful illusion of depth to the levels.
The cars are also very well animated and react differently
to the various terrain. Speed was also good, and everything
runs along at an impressive frame rate. Micro Machines
is probably one of the best-presented games I've seen
for some time; the screen shots really don't do it justice.
Sound & Music
Unfortunately, the music in Micro Machines isn't
a highlight and the initial soundtrack fails miserably
to set the mood for the fast and furious racing that
you're about to engage in. It does get a little better
once you're actually racing around the courses as each
of the tracks has a suitably themed score. One aspect
that really gets the heart rate pounding is the fact
that the music actually speeds up when you reach the
final lap. Obviously, this is wonderful if you're in
first place but if you're behind, then it'll make you
panic even more.
Sound effects are sparse with the odd beep or buzz
to indicate a bonus picked up or a collision of some
type. It's a shame that the sound doesn't really match
up to the visuals as you can't help but feel that a
little more effort would have made a good game a great
one.
Final Comments
If 'top down' racing games are your thing, then Micro
Machines is game that you shouldn't be without. The
attention to detail and overall playability really does
separate it from most of the other racers on the market.
The decision to use a password system as opposed to
a battery back up is a little disappointing but this
is a minor quibble for what is a polished and thoroughly
entertaining title. It's not available in the US at
present but if you're planning a trip to Europe this
summer do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
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