Go Speed Racer, Go!

By Chris Morell
March 12, 2008 12:07 PM PST
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The Matrix creators spawn the next Speed Racer game.

When we found out the Matrix-famed, special-effects whizzes the Wachowski brothers had signed on to create a live-action adaptation of Speed Racer, it came as no shock that a video-game version was announced shortly thereafter. But what we didn't expect is that the lead version of Speed Racer would land on the Nintendo Wii.

Speed and the Mach 5 race to the Wii at the same time as the upcoming Hollywood flick directed by the Wachowski brothers.

Mario Kart Meets F-Zero

Published by Warner Bros. and pinned to release alongside the movie, the short-turnaround probably led to no PS3 or Xbox 360 version, so prepare not to be dazzled by cutting-edge graphics or realistic racing action. Speed Racer follows in the footsteps of Excite Truck by producing pick-up-and-play arcade racing that virtually anyone can hop into.

With a Mario Kart formula, Speed Racer brings authentic characters and cars from the movie, along with enough firepower to blast vehicular foes at will. Mario-like pickups are placed throughout the tracks, so from race to race, anything can happen. Races are designed to emulate the ultra fast-paced nature of the series, so there's rarely a moment's pause during these chaotic events. This is accomplished by allowing players to slide almost 180 degrees while still operating their vehicles. So if the Mach 5 takes a hit and spins around into almost certain oblivion (like in the cartoon), you'll still be able to plow ahead just like the real Speed Racer.

Go Wii Racer, Go!

As you might expect, Speed Racer takes advantage of the Wii's motion controls, allocating steering as motion-based. The game is compatible with the Wii Steering Wheel, or just about any circular device you could cram a Wii Remote into, for that matter. The demo we received showcased the Wii Wheel in action, and admittedly it looks a bit easier to control than holding the Remote side-to-side without it. That somewhat goofy steering from Excite Truck looks to be curbed a bit simply by giving the motion controls a circular feel, even if it is really just a piece of plastic.

Our first look at the game was an early one, but we saw a few tracks that used loads of loops, jumps and hairpin turns to provide an overall fast and furious style of racer, similar to F-Zero. The colorful environments and authentic characters should be enough to draw fans of the series (and the upcoming movie) to check out the game, though this Speed Racer experience will probably skew a tad on the younger side. There is also word of a full-feature track editor, though this time we didn't get to see it in action. DS and PS2 versions are also planned.