Release Date: 2000-06-26
Developer/Publisher: Atari / Atari
Genres: Racing
Platforms: PC Games,PS2,GAMEBOY,PlayStation,DREAMCAST,MOBILE
All right, race fans! Prepare to welcome the wackiest bunch of racers ever assembled on a Dreamcast near you. No, it's not Sonic & Tails, nor is it Seaman Racing. It's Infogrames' Wacky Races. Based on the Hanna-Barbera franchise of the same name, Wacky Races chronicles the exploits of Dick Dastardly and Muttley throughout a worldwide series of races. With a comfortable couch and some Dreamcast gear, you too can join Muttley, Dastardly, Penelope Pitstop, and the entire Wacky Races gang as they thrash, crash, and trash their way to success.
Wacky Races' soundtrack also plays a significant role in the game's overall quality. When it comes to vehicle effects and background music, Wacky Races sticks to a familiar formula: light background music and realistic engine effects. However, kart-racing games tend to include character voice effects as well. To this end, Wacky Races is auditory expression done right. All the racers have a number of comments and quotations they utter during a race, most of which are taken straight from the cartoon itself. Penelope apologizes constantly, Peter Perfect preens profusely, and Sergeant Blast berates Meeks at every turn. While it would take ages to summarize each character's vocal range, it's safe to say that Wacky Races perfectly captures the auditory experience of the cartoon.
With the exception of random AI, Wacky Races is a license-based racing game done right. The control is wonderful, the gameplay is fun, the visuals are superb, and the sound is delightful. Sure, there are a few quirks to get used to, and the difficulty level is less than forgiving, but these nitpicks are no reason not to give Wacky Races a chance. With a list of features unparalleled by any currently released title, the game offers at least 60 to 80 hours of hands-on gaming. Furthermore, the game gives Dreamcast owners their Mario Kart game and does so in a way that some will find vastly superior.