Freaky Flyers

Aerial racing disappeared after Rare?s Diddy Kong Racing. With Freaky Flyers, it?s back, but is it any good?

The Xbox version of Freaky Flyers is as engaging as the others, except that the lacking multiplayer is an even bigger disappointment. It?s simply too late in the Xbox?s lifespan to get away with ignoring four-player support?especially after making a kart-style racer as copacetic as Freaky Flyers. The ingredients for endless multiplayer racing suspense are present, but sadly, Freaky Flyers only provides a succulent single player with a side of very cold two-player racing.

The Freaks of the Industry
The racetracks are the game?s biggest highlight. Each of the 12 maps contain plenty of breathtaking areas and unlockable extras. You?ll want to stop racing to explore the temple of doom mineshafts or to dogfight with a Japanese monster. On top of the visuals, completing subgoals (? la Tony Hawk) reveals speed boosts or unlocks maps and characters within the single-player campaign. The tiny planes control perfectly and provide a decent sense of speed without dizzying the pilot or constantly running into walls. Firing weapons such as homing missiles or aerial mines guarantees a smile on your face as planes scream to their fiery death just before passing the finish line. Yes, piloting Freaky Flyers is surprisingly fun.

Freakin? Close To Being Flawless
The fact that the game is so close to perfection is what makes the multiplayer so damn disappointing. Every aspect of this game demands solid multiplayer to justify all the detail given. Most likely, playing with a fourth of your original screen proved too difficult as the two-player mode already feels like looking through the wrong end of a pair of binoculars. If you?re looking for a beefed up version of Diddy Kong Racing, you?ve found it?as long as you?re willing to play alone.

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