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Hooray!
It's here at last. The game that ruled as the greatest
multi-player racing game for years has finally arrived on the
32-bit console.
I was beginning to believe that Micro Machines V3 was a figment of
my imagination as it must be some ten months since those first
screen shots were released to tempt our taste buds. As October '96
passed by it became obvious that a Christmas release was not
forthcoming and a decision was taken to set a new launching date
for March. The feeling of disappointment at missing out on the
bumper Christmas market must have been replaced by the emotion of
ecstasy when Codemasters realized that their new release date
would coincide with the massive price reduction of the PlayStation
console in Europe. The sight of all those kiddies drooling over
the store demo of Micro Machines V3 will now be replaced by the
chink of their pocket money hitting the back of the tills, talk
about 'every cloud has a silver lining'.
So what exactly are Micro Machines I hear the uninitiated cry? For
those who don't know, they are toys that are similar to the old
Matchbox cars of yesteryear. The difference being, unlike most
toys, they became smaller - much, much smaller...... but they also
grew big, in that they sold and sold and sold. Of course, like
most games or toys that sell well, the computer game followed,
surprisingly with the same sort of success and it eventually
appeared on just about every available format. Then along came the
sequel, updated for the new systems, and once again the formula
worked with Micro Machines 2 proclaimed as an astounding hit.
Now, since the introduction of the next generation consoles,
Codemasters found themselves with a new challenge of updating
their Mega-hit with enough new ideas to persuade both new and old
gameplayers that Micro Machines V3 is the experience for you.
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From
its inception in 1990, on the 8-bit Nintendo system, Micro
Machines video racing game is a universally acclaimed experience.
Micro Machines V3 is a racing game with a difference in that you
drive miniature vehicles around the household taking in courses
everywhere from the kitchen to the back garden and even the
snooker room, all at great speed and fortunately with easy to
handle controls.
The game can be played by any number of player from one to eight
and will not suffer from a screen dissection as all of the players
appear on a single screen.
A new addition to Micro Machine racing is the inclusion of hidden
weaponry which can be added to the players vehicle.
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That
brings me nicely onto the biggest change of all. With its new
graphical capability, the PlayStation in to play host to the first
fully 3D Micro Machines game, as all previous versions have been
in a top down, 2D view format. Each of the racing circuits are now
set in a true 3D modelled world that allows the player to drive
under and over obstacles, while many circuits permit you to
explore the multi-level track designs and even leave the racing
line to search out the many hidden secrets that are scattered
around the scenery.
The perfect example of this feature is displayed in the Cereal
Killer track. The race commences on the breakfast table that is
messed up with pools of spilt milk, sticky syrup running from the
neck of an upset bottle and littered with giant life-like mugs,
jugs of fruit juice and cutlery sets. One lap around the table,
through the tunnels and over the jumps that consist of a cereal
box supported by two coasters, then its straight off the edge,
onto a chair and a final leap onto the floor. Following the line
of the course takes you past the realistic sleeping cat, up and
over the discarded skateboard and past the strewn boots (the
attention to detail is astounding, even the boots have holes in
their soles). At this point you are thinking 'how am I ever going
to get back on the table?' Then right in front of you appears an
ironing board ramp that acts as a conveyor belt to jettison you
through the air, only to land back on the table on the home
straight, where the sticky syrup will grind you to a halt just
before you overshoot the table again. Amazing.
The actual racing tracks you must follow are marked out in various
forms, all of which fit into the surrounding scenario. For example
the breakfast table has tracks made from leftover cereal and when
you move to racing on the wooden floor, the tracks change to chalk
drawn lines. Moving outside into the garden and you will see that
the tracks now consist of twigs and pebbles while the chemistry
lab circuit is lined with a trail of iron filings. The most
colorful interpretation of this idea is displayed on the
restaurant route as you are guided by a line of peas and carrots.
The graphics are clear, bright and realistic and it is easy to see
that a lot of time has been spent coming up with overall design of
the game. All of the vehicles are fully rendered and built up from
polygons while every backdrop has been created as a 3D model that
can be viewed from any angle. Honest, I could go on and on about
the quality of the graphics, whether it be the burning smoke from
your vehicles tyres as you perform a power slide around the fruit
juice chicane, or the rippling effects as your speedboat disturbs
the still waters of the riverbank course, or the water droplets
that grind your vehicle to a sudden halt if you attempt to pass
through them, or the crane flies that hover above the water reeds,
or the...., or the... Faultless.
The previously fixed camera angle now pans in and out to provide
the perfect view, showing just enough of the track ahead to keep
you on your toes and not too much so as to spoil the gameplay.
Micro Machines V3 includes the return of all of your favorite
characters only this time they have been brought to life by some
motion-capture magic. This creates 'living' cartoon characters
that not only move with individual flair and personality, but they
talk too, that is all except Spider who prefers to provide a cool
nod of the head when introduced.
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The
sound has also been enhanced with some nice little touches. The
cars sound realistic without getting on your nerves, the crashes
sound, well, like crashes. Try to steer clear of the pets, as they
don't take too kindly to having their tails driven over, while the
busy sound of the bumble bee in the garden cannot fail to distract
you from the task in hand.
Once again Codemasters have given us that little bit extra with
the accurate sounds of your tiny vehicle connecting with any part
of the scenery. A collision with a coffee mug results not in the
sound of porcelain being struck, but it actually sounds like a mug
full of coffee. Likewise with a can of fizzy drink and a collision
with the mobile phone on the dining table sets it off ringing.
Driving over the restaurant tables you can hear the constant
background noise of diners chatting over lunch, while the trips
across the classroom desks are accompanied by the racket of the
school playground.
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The
game opens with the best options screen to date. None of those
boring lists that are a chore to work through, but set out with a
Theme Park style in the form of a drive through, where you pick
your option by steering your car through the appropriate garage,
and what a lot of garages there are. Twenty three in all, now that
must be some kind of record for in game options.
The main options are one player, multi player, four, six or eight
player teams and party play with each being split into a selection
of time trials, tournaments, challenges and head to head
competitions You also get a practice mode that consists of lessons
from the delightful Cherry's School of Driving, where you must
tackle five test circuits, which you must pass to get your
licence. Now Cherry's a bit of a tease with her amusing comments
of "Faster, faster, don't slow down" and the side
splitting "If you don't get it right, you can stay here and
do it all day, twy again!" You will find yourself crashing
into the slalom cones just to rile her. Brilliant idea for young
and old alike.
Controlling your vehicle is easy, but you will need to practice to
become an accomplished player. The basic controls are accelerate,
brake/reverse and jump which are used along side the directional
pad and after playing for an hour or so you begin to feel that you
are controlling a miniature remote control car. A shoulder button
is used to sound your horn or to activate any power ups you have
collected. Each of the 30 Micro Machines vehicles available appear
to have an individual personality in the way that the engine and
horn sounds, the speed and handling, and their own distinct looks,
with the selection ranging from sports cars to tanks and speed
boats to hovercrafts.
A further new addition to the game is that you can now get power
ups and weapons. They are short lasting but can be very handy and
include speed ups, land mines, vanishing potions, force-fields and
a grabber that is attached to the front of your car and enables
you to pick up your opponents and throw them behind you, thus
improve your position. The most impressive weapon of all is
usually found tucked away from the racing line, but if collected a
giant 'roadrunner' type hammer appears from your vehicle to smash
your opponent to smithereens and relegates them to the back of the
pack. The power ups appear in the form of a gift box and to
collect you just simply drive over them, then fire away. Power Ups
are an optional extra and can therefore be turned on and off
accordingly.
There are initially 26 courses available with a further 24 to
unveil and they are split into eight themed groups.
The Chemistry Lab features many wonderful tracks such as Stinky
Sinks, Chemical Warfare and the brilliant Formula X where your F1
racing car is sucked up from the track, squeezed through a
chemistry set, onto a Bunsen burner, then blasted into the air to
land on a higher level to continue the race.
The Pool Hall tracks include Swerve Shot, Rack 'N' Roll, Right on
Cue and Love Triangle where you must skip from table to table by
launching your car from the playing card ramps, travelling through
the racking triangle before landing safely on another table. The
tables are littered with obstacles in the form of pool balls, dice
and wads of cash, whereas the pockets have a dual purpose of
either an early retirement or a shortcut to another part of the
course.
Inside the Classroom you can tackle diverse tracks such as
Calculator Risk as you race from desk to desk that use rulers for
bridges or perform flying leaps launched from calculators and
folders. Take a spin around the geology class in Truckers Luck or
chance your luck at surviving Learning Curves where the opened
school books act as tunnels and ramps. Once again the attention to
detail is amazing with the desk tops defaced with humorous
graffiti and chewing gum stuck on the inside of a chicane. Even
the school books provide a wry smile with the titles of 'Learn how
to be a Super-Model' or 'Learn how to be a Dolphin Trainer'. Huh,
the kids of today.
The Restaurant tracks are jam packed with obstacles as crusty
baguettes are used for the bridges, wine bottle bends, after
dinner mint barriers, vegetable lined racing lines and look out
for the mobile phones and open wallets with credit cards at the
ready.
A visit to The Beach is recommended if you fancy a spot of beach
racing across the bumpy sands in Beach Buggies, Bikini Blazer or
Pebble Dash, while you can even drive up the outside of a sand
castle, into the keep and out through the back door during the
Sand Blaster race.
The Garden is the setting for Destruction Dirtbox and Beware of
the Dog as you speed around the patios, launching from the
skateboards straight into the cold nose of a basking dalmation,
grrrrr.
Crash and Fern is set down by the riverbank where you can launch a
speedboat among the reeds and the water flowers. The fluffy white
clouds are reflected onto the still waters and are broken only by
the ripples from your duel outboard engines, while a little jump
will see the water react with an impressive ever growing circle.
The tables are set for a session of breakfast time fun as you
return to the house and take in the tracks Wire Up, Brake-fast
Bends, Cheesy Jumps, and Breakfast at Cherry's. Now our Cherry is
quite a messy eater as the tables are strewn with alphabet cereal,
pools of milk and dollops of jam everywhere. Wedges of cheese are
used as ramps, condiment sets are bridged by a teaspoon and if you
get too close to the toaster you will be drawn inside, browned off
, then ejected high into the air with your machine bursting into a
ball of flames.
Depending on the racing mode selected, the objective is to
complete a predetermined number of laps before your opponents.
However in the dual player mode, you have a set of eight lights at
the left side of the screen - half your color, half the color of
your opponent. The idea is to get all of the lights lit as your
color and this is achieved by gaining a substantial lead over the
opponent you are racing, about one screens length. The winner is
the first person to turn all the lights to their color.
Each time you complete a group of races you will be awarded a
Prize Car which should be saved on your memory card. Now get your
mates to bring over their memory cards and you can now have a game
of Keepsies. The rules are simple, if you lose a race, the winner
gets to keep your car as it is transferred onto their memory card.
Brilliant.
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Micro
Machines V3 is everything that we could have hoped for, and much
more, and will surely prove to be the best multi-player game
available on any format. The long delay has allowed the developers
to provide a treasure that you will hold in your collection for
many years. Go out and buy this game now and if your store is sold
out, then order it, and if the list is too long then nick your
mates copy.
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MARTIN |
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GRAPHICS: |
19/20 |
If
you have got any kids, buy it for them, but I can guarantee that
many a tear will be shed as they won't get you off it. This game
has everything, user friendly and responsive controls, easy
learning curve, addictive gameplay and many superb examples of
interactive scenery. Even the Time Trials provide a shadow of the
best time for you to compete against. |
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SOUND: |
9/10 |
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PLAYABILITY: |
47/50 |
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VALUE: |
19/20 |
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OVERALL
94% |
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JIM |
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GRAPHICS: |
Brilliant |
This
game is fun with a capital "F". Lots of tracks to keep
the solo player busy for a long time, but where this game rises
above the competition is in its multiplayer modes. Its guaranteed
to cause bust-ups with both family and friends as you knock each
other off tables, hit each other with mallets and blow each other
up with mines. The 3D effect works very well and the detail in the
graphics are up there with the best - this is a winner! |
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SOUND: |
Brilliant |
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PLAYABILITY: |
Brilliant |
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VALUE: |
Brilliant |
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OVERALL
9.5/10 |
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