This is decent fun, but a poor camera and a surprisingly short campaign stop it being anything too write home about.

User Rating: 6.5 | Micro Machines V4 PC
By Technocactus | Review Date:
Micro Machines V4 is based on the car-collecting series which has fallen out of fashion. This racing game provides a slice of entertainment initially with its setting, tiny cars racing on everyday environments. This doesn't amuse for too long, but for the first lap or two of each circuit, it's a nice bit of added fun. The collectible cars themselves are surprisingly easy to collect, and it really doesn't take too much effort to reach 750 cars. That said, it's a nice bit of fun, and changing which car to use can help a circuit be entertaining for a few more tries. Cars are divided into categories, each category being able to race on certain circuits. On a circuit, you must use a specific category, but which car you like is up to you (so you must use a Dragster on one circuit, but which Dragster is up to you). Each category of car is quite different, and you can see the difference between, say, a Hot Rod and a Gas Guzzler. However, in a category, each car is virtually indistinguishable, and changing your car is purely aesthetic.
Micro Machines V4's biggest undoing is its camera, which frequently makes it near impossible to see where you're going. This isn't so bad on racing or time trial, but in battles, it's really noticeable, and the perilous circuits get harder. The circuits themselves all follow the same plan to beat. Racing through them is really just a matter of knowing where the obstacles are to avoid them, and except for a few shortcuts on some circuits, each circuit is fairly similar, except for its setting, ranging from ships to kitchens, and everywhere in between. The circuits are nice to look at, but all present similar obstacles for you.
One of MMV4's better aspects is its multiplayer, which is frequently entertaining. It is really in this that the game's weaponry is most fun, and hitting friends and relatives with flamethrowers and hammers is a welcome relief from single player.
Overall, Micro Machines is a pleasant enough game. The cars and setting are charming, but beneath it is a usually simple (with the odd devastatingly hard mission thrown in, but thew difficulty rarely feels just right) game with a hard camera. Multiplayer is a relief from this, and one of the game's saving graces. If you're a fan of Micro Machines, or if you're bored and looking for a cheap racing game, this is a decent enough game. You may want to pick this up for a few hours of entertainment, but it really isn't worth paying too much for.

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