Star Wars: Episode I Racer was generally considered to be a solid game when it was released back in 1999. Developed internally at LucasArts, the game managed to capture the excitement of pod racing from the Episode I movie and brought it home for gamers to enjoy. Now, roughly three years later, LucasArts is back with a sequel that was developed by Rainbow Studios, the team behind ATV Offroad Fury and Splashdown. Racer Revenge puts more emphasis on aggressive racing than its predecessor did, and generally, it plays great--while it lasts. Though there are a number of hidden characters you can unlock, Racer Revenge is ultimately a short-lived experience that will keep you entertained, but only for the first few times you blast through its courses.

One of the first things you'll notice about Racer Revenge is the absence of a movie tie-in. Lacking the Episode I or even Episode II branding, Racer Revenge is its own game and takes place free of the constraints of the films' story. Racer Revenge takes place eight years after the events of the first game and more or less centers on the return of Anakin Skywalker and Sebulba to the pod racing circuit. This time, Sebulba is even more determined to destroy Anakin, after having been defeated the first time around.

The core of the game is the tournament mode, which contains a total of 13 tracks spread across five worlds. You'll start off in one of the obligatory Tatooine tracks before heading off to more exotic worlds, such as Mon Calamari, Sullust, and Gamorr. The tracks are all very well laid out and have a number of different routes through each of them. You'll likely need to race on a track a number of times before you manage to try each of these routes. Some of the alternate routes are shortcuts, and others are merely another way to get to the finish line. Even these will come in handy quite often, though, as there are frequent traffic jams, which can be both time-consuming and deadly if you're caught in the middle. Jumping to an alternate route and skipping by the competition can be a lifesaver.

The game sports 18 different racers to choose from, many of which aren't initially selectable characters, and they will have to be unlocked by completing the tournament mode. There are also another five hidden characters, which are awarded to you for each subsequent completion of the tournament mode. Essentially, you'll have to complete the game five times over to unlock all the extra characters, but rest assured, the reward is well worth the effort. After the first completion of the tournament mode, you'll also unlock an art gallery in the main menu, which will reveal a few of the secret characters to you. As you complete the game again and again, extra galleries will be added along with the hidden characters.

Racer Revenge rewards you for racing aggressively. If you spend most of your time trying to defend yourself, chances are that you won't last long. The combat has been beefed up quite a bit since the first installment, as most of the time you'll be trying to take other racers out just to keep ahead of the pack. It's true that you can get through the races pretty quickly if you forgo all the duels, but you probably won't have as much fun. The combat is simple yet entertaining--there are no actual weapons available, but you do have some very large engines strapped to your pod, and they can inflict a hefty amount of damage upon other racers if used correctly. There isn't a set amount of damage that you'll deal in a collision either. The damage that you dish out will depend on the speed and angle of your attack. Smacking up against someone while on a straightaway won't do as much damage as coming from the inside and T-boning someone against the wall, for instance. Something else to consider is that you won't take any secondary damage from attacking an opponent. You'll take damage only if you run into a wall or other background object or are struck by another racer. That alone should be enough to spur players into combat.

In addition to the tournament mode, there is a multiplayer head-to-head mode and a single race option. The single race lets you select any of the tracks you've played in the tournament mode, as well as increase or decrease the number of laps in each set. Multiplayer is pretty basic, as it's essentially a two-player version of the single race mode. It's better than nothing.