Great alternative to Mario Kart for PSP owners. (Part Mario Kart, part Ridge Racer)
User Rating: 8.3 | Disney/Pixar Cars PSP
I was hesitant to pick up Cars when it first came out, because, lets face it, movie/cartoon-to-video game titles usualy come off as a cheap way to suck more money out of the license and end up just sucking as games. I came across Cars on sale at a local EB/Gamestop, so I figured it was a good price and I could take a chance on it. I was not disappointed. The racing physics are great, the graphics are top notch, and the soundtrack is enjoyable (however the character voices and licensed songs start to repeat early on, and I wish there were a few more classic rock/fast driving staples like Black Betty and Magic Carpet Ride). While the story is short and only used to tie together the succession of races, it's challenging enough to keep you playing through it to unlock the next track and boss race. The time trial mode is essential in unlocking extra racers and the difficulty is just steep enough to make it feel like a great accomplishment when you grab that first place ribbon, and you'll have to find all the boost pads and shortcuts possible to make that happen. The multiplayer mode is where the game really shines even with only ad hoc support. You may have no oil slicks or koopa shells to launch, but you can still play dirty by drafting your opponent then putting them into the wall with a gentle push. Overall I would say a great investment for fans of racing titles...just make sure you have some friends with the game as well to extend its life.
