Review: Excite Truck
Excite Truck is fast and satisfying, just like an order of Animal Style fries!
Truck Smashes are difficult to pull off but it's oh so satisfying. Not only do you gain stars but you take your opponents out of the race!
Conceptually speaking, I'm sold on the Wii and its unique control scheme. Anything that moves us away from robotically stabbing at buttons with our simian appendages is definitely a good thing, and Excite Truck, which utilizes the Wii's motion-sensitive controls, is a step in the right direction. To top it off, it's pretty damn fun to boot.
Life In The Fast (and Furious) Lane
Because it's modeled after crash-and-burn arcade racers like Hydro Thunder and Burnout 4: Takedown, Excite Truck doesn't have a lot of room for subtlety. It's a blunt instrument compared to the surgical precision of other, more sophisticated racers. But that doesn't mean it isn't a whole lot of fun.
First, let's talk about the controls: you hold the Wii Remote in a horizontal position, like an NES gamepad, and "steer" it by tilting the controller left and right and front and back. The '2' button controls the gas, the '1' button controls the brakes (not you ever need to use it), and pressing the directional pad activates a turbo boost. The controls work well overall, but require a sensitive touch. The learning curve is also a little steepyou'll probably careen wildly around for the first few minutesbut once you get the hang of it, you'll be drifting and jumping like a pro.
Drive through a stand of trees without hitting one and you'll rack up the stars with a Super Tree Run.
It will be interesting to see how a super-sensitive racer like Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport will translate to the Wii. Excite Truck works because the action is exaggerated, but how will a game that requires precision handling...well, handle on the Wii-mote? Only time will tell.
Watching The Scenery Go By
If there's one thing that Excite Truck demonstrates, it's that the Wii just can't hang with the big boys in the graphics department. The sprawling, hilly terrains look okay, if you're going by yesterday's standards, but the Xbox 360 has (and the PS3 will) push the graphics bar far out of the Wii's reach. Excite Truck does have little visual flourishes like coconuts falling out of trees and marsh water spraying wildly in Scotland's track that help liven things up but it won't make your eyes roll back up into your head. It is nice to see the frame rate stay rock solid, too, even during the split-screen modes. Sadly, you won't find any HD resolutions here, as the Wii doesn't support them, but connecting component cords and playing in 480p sharpens some rough edges and gives the game a cleaner look.
One thing I couldn't stand was the soundtrack, which is distressingly bad. It's a mishmash of wailing guitars and generic rock tunes. Mute it and put on the new Chili Peppers CD or early Cypress Hill instead. The other sound effects are fine, but aside from the ominous gurgle of an overheated radiator, nothing really stands out.
It's All About The Handling
What works about Excite Truck? Simply put, its use of the Wii Remote provides a more tactile feel to an otherwise straightforward destruction derby racer. Without the Wii's controller, Excite Truck would barely be worth a glance, but as it stands, it's a great way to burn a few hours.
Remember that your engine stays cool when you're driving through water, so jam on the turbo!
Land perfectly from a jump for a turbo boost. Perfect this manuever early on, as there are a ton of jumps in the game.
![Screen Update: Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory [PC]](/screens/111246/197628-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: Infamous [PS3]](/screens/134601/197568-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: Mushroom Men - The Spore Wars [Wii]](/screens/135221/125868-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: Midnight Club: Los Angeles [Xbox 360]](/screens/136701/197588-1-1.jpg)
