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RATING: (weak) 1 2 3 4 5 (awesome)
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IN BRIEF
Pros: Elaborate 3D track designs with lots of shortcuts and power-ups; music that doesn't stick like a Barney song. Cons: Choppy frame-rate in multiplayer mode; single player mode gets a little boring. In a nutshell: Kart racing fun for Wookies and Siths alike! Multiplayer: Up to 4 players *ESRB rating: E (Everyone) |
FACTS
Game Title: Super Bombad Racing Platform: PS2 Developer: Lucas Learning Publisher: Lucas Learning Accessories supported: None Release Date: April 28, 2001 Price: $44.95 |
THE REVIEW by Nate Heasley for Gamers Today
When you saw Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace you probably imagined yourself as young Anakin Skywalker, flying around the racetrack in a souped-up bombad, pushing Sebulba off the road to crash in a billowing cloud of fire and metal. We all did. Now in Super Bombad Racing, you're at the helm of a miniature bombad and you can do just that. Watch out though, Sebulba's got a few nasty tricks up his sleeves....
Super Bombad Racing is a cartoonish "kart racing" game in which players can choose from a hoard of big-headed characters out of the Star Wars series, including Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan, Darth Maul and the much-maligned Jar Jar Binks. Each mounts one of the "bombad" racing vehicles featured in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. Each character has its own animated personality and racing strengths, like Darth Maul whose taunts are not nearly as menacing as he was in the movie, or Jar Jar, who is only marginally annoying when he sticks his tongue out.
There are three different modes of gameplay: race, championship, and arena. The race mode allows competitive races between up to four human(ish) players or up to eight total characters on one of nine tracks. Championship mode just strings all the courses together.
While the initial tracks are relatively easy to master, the later tracks are so chock-full of shortcuts and complicated twists and turns -- sometimes you don't know if you're coming or going! The track designs are excellent, and even after going through them a dozen times you'll likely find a few hidden features, such as a well-timed "jump" that will put you on the rooftops of Mos Espa. Along each track there are a variety of power-ups, including blasters, shields, mines, and speed boosters. The power-ups add a little spice to what otherwise would be repetitive racing. Sending missiles down Sebulba's tailpipes isn't just fun, it can actually help you win the race.
The arena mode pits the players against one another in a head-to-head shoot and scoot, with the goal being the fiery obliteration of the other players. While the arena mode offers some variety to the game, it is limited to just four arenas, and most of them should be called "Planet Dullstar." If you want exciting head-to-head gaming, stick to other PS2 titles like Unreal Tournament.
The overall graphics are cartoonish, but high in detail. The tracks and backgrounds are well rendered with great texture. The scale of the tracks is tremendous, but it's clear that Super Bombad Racing doesn't use the full graphics capability of PS2. Even though it's not pushing the chip-set to the limit, the frame-rate is disappointingly choppy in multiplayer mode. That's particularly bad because the game quickly grows tiresome in single player mode, and the real lasting value of it is multiplayer.
The music and sound effects are just as lighthearted as the rest of the game. It's hard to make music for video games that doesn't eventually get on your nerves. So, credit is due to Lucas Learning for not playing with variations on the Star Wars theme or bar music from Tatooine.
While there isn't really much innovation in Super Bombad Racing, the levels are well designed, the graphics passable, and the overall game is fun to play, especially with a couple of friends. Just remember: when your buddy overtakes you in the Swamps of Naboo, just use the force. And then launch the missiles.
*For a complete explanation of ESRB ratings, check out the official ESRB Web site.
