Super Toy Cars

super-toy-carsCover
7.5 Overall Score
Gameplay: 6/10
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 8/10

Killer Use of the GamePad | Track Editor

No Online | Controls lack Tightness

Game Info

GAME NAME: Super Toy Cars

DEVELOPER(S): Eclipse Games

PUBLISHER(S): Eclipse Games

PLATFORM(S): Nintendo Wii U

GENRE(S): Racing

RELEASE DATE(S): July 24th, 2014

Fresh of the heels of Mario Kart 8 and my second Wii U eShop title since my venture into the PlayStation kingdom, I take on Super Toy Cars from Eclipse Games.  At first glance of this title, it has the look of a kart-racing genre game but the atheistic look of the old Micro Machine games we all loved so much as a kid.  Does Super Toy Cars cross the finish line or does it run out of gas too soon?

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The main chunk of Eclipse Games’ Super Toy Cars traverses a mode called “Career Mode”.  In this mode you will take on opponents in multiple events, some straight racing and others modes, such as time trials and elimination, in the quest to gather the most points in the complete event.  You can earn 10 points for first place, 9 for second place and so on, similar to that of most racing games on the Market.  There is also a “Quick Race” mode in which you can just play a single event to occupy your time.

Within Career Mode, you will gain currency in which you can use to purchase new toy cars, as well as upgrading your currently owned vehicles.  The customization and upgrading of your cars is a really neat addition and reminds me of the Super Off-Road or Rock ‘N’ Roll Racing upgrade systems (I’m probably dating myself with those references).  There are a total of 16 different toy cars to unlock and customize which will keep you busy for a while.

Super Toy Cars comes preloaded with 12 tracks, most of which feel pretty generic and don’t feel like they have the same “WOW” moments that you get when playing Mario Kart.  The saving grace here though is that you can completely build from the ground up your own tracks.  The track editor makes amazing use of the GamePad.  Honestly, it is one of the best uses I’ve seen anyone come up with to date.  With the touchscreen you can add, enlarge, drag, delete and use other commands to completely customize your own tracks.  It’s really simple to use and I made my first within 30 minutes.  I really wish there was a way you could share these tracks with the rest of the Wii U community though.

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The game controls feel like your standard kart racer with the right trigger being your gas and the left being your brake.  You can also pick up power-ups such as missiles and oil slicks to help slow down your opponents.  You can use the hand brake as well to help you drift around turns, which helps build up your boost meter.  Once the boost meter is full, you can unleash your boost to help speed you past the competition.  The turning controls don’t feel as tight as they could be and will take some getting use to so that you aren’t over or under turning your car.  Also, there is 4 player local multiplayer, but the lack of online multiplayer is a bummer.

Graphically the game looks pretty nice.  It is a mix between cel-shading and rendered 3D polygons.  I love the kid’s room and outside backdrops, I just wish there were more environmental moments, where miscellaneous items which you would see in these locations would effect the race and make it more chaotic.  The soundtrack is pretty awesome.  The guitar riffs are super catchy and will have you humming along to them as you are racing around the tracks.  The sound effects are your standard racing engine revs and crashing sounds.

The Recommendation

Coming off of Mario Kart 8, it feels that most racing titles wouldn’t live up to Mario’s latest outing but Super Toy Cars does a great job of distinguishing itself as a formidable racer.  Eclipse Games should really use the track editor as it’s selling point to this game and figure out a way to get it online, that way the Wii U community can create and share their custom tracks with each other.  If you like kart racers and are looking for another racer to play after Mario Kart 8, Super Toy Games will fill that need.

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Author: Anthony DeVirgilis View all posts by
Managing Partner / Editor for Sony/Nintendo I prefer Indies to AAA titles... unless it's Nintendo or Sony Google+ Author

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