Keep On Trucking
By seaempty. Sunday, 18. February 2007, 22:20:15
If I'm being completely honest, I wasn't all that excited about Excite Truck. I had told myself that I wasn't going to get it, on the back of some mediocre reviews. It has been out in the US since launch, and so plenty of people had a lot to say on the game. All of these people, however are not important. The person that does matter is The Good Cap'n. It was on his recommendation that I decided I'd give it a go. I had, after all, just completed Hotel Dusk, and in my ongoing policy of selling games to fund new games, I decided that I'd purchase it.I have to say that I'm extremely glad that I did. I don't think I've had more fun playing a racing game for a long time. It's been in my machine since Thursday night, and I've been playing it constantly. It's amazingly fun, easy to pick up (my wife, who hates racing games beat me on her first attempt - and I'm not bad at the game either!), and a great all-round experience. I've played it so much, and not once have I become bored. Quite the opposite in fact - I've had to be physically removed from the console. It's got that annoying-but-satisfying attraction that makes you want to come back and complete the races as best you can, and unlock all the features.
The game isn't about the winning - it's about the driving. You get rewarded with stars for spectacular jumps, stunning spins, and even crunching crashes. You need a certain amount of stars to progress to the next races. If you do win, you get bonus stars, so it's in your interest to come higher in the race, but it's not necessary. You are encouraged to drive to the extreme, and I like that. The controls are perfect. You hold the remote like a NES pad, and tilt it to steer the truck. It's very responsive, and intuitive (I think that I'm going to lose count of how many times this will be said of a Wii game).The first thing that struck me about the game was the graphics. I am so impressed. People complain about the Wii not being all HD, and just a "souped-up GameCube", but if this is what the Wii can produced, then I am happy. The speed is incredible, and I have not yet seen any slow-down. The trucks and scenery are very detailed, and the courses are huge. Every course has a wow factor, and I've enjoyed just watching other people playing the game - there's so much going on that you miss when in control of the truck. Things like volcanoes exploding, castle's collapsing, forest fires, and a gigantic tornado to name a few. I have looked on in awe at these, and the dynamic ability to change the landscape around you is genius. It gives the tracks extra life, and is an excellent addition to the game.
The Good Cap'n had stated that he wasn't a fan of the multiplayer. I agree that it's not as good as the single player game, but only in the options available to you. You can only race one-on-one in single tracks. A tournament would have been nice, or even a Grand Prix with AI controlled cars. That's the only thing that's lacking. The courses still look as good, and it's as smooth as the single-player game.Overall it's a really fun game that anyone can pick up and play. Although multiplayer is not as good as it could have been, it's better than I anticipated. The game is very pleasing on the eye, and if you don't mind the fact that it won't take that long to complete if you're a seasoned racer, it's a worthy purchase.
So...onto the N+ Points, and as always if anyone has played the game and wants to add some more, feel free to do so in the comments.
The N+ Points
N+ Great graphics, and incredible mouth-dropping courses
N+ The control is easy to master, and perfectly responsive
N+ The ability to use your own MP3s as backing tracks is a welcome addition
N+ Lots to unlock, including trucks, paint jobs, and courses
N+ There are challenges to complete, in addition to the races. These include jumping through rings, passing through gates, and crashing into cars.
N+ Such great fun to play. Another Nintendo game that I play with a broad smile on my face
The N- Points
N- Maybe a bit shallow. It probably won't take that long to complete
N- The single-player game lacks structure. You just need to onbtain a set number of stars to move on. A Grand Prix would have been ideal.
N- Multiplayer is also lacking in depth.
N- You can create different profiles, but you can only compare your own times and scores against your personal best, and not against the other profiles. A wasted opportunity.
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(6%)
By Wiidark, # 18. February 2007, 22:29:06
It's kind of funny though: I just watched a video review about Excite Truck. I'm going "Game Hunting" tonight. I think I'll pick up Zelda and wait a while for this one. Yes, I still don't have Zelda!!
By lutherjw, # 19. February 2007, 00:14:33
By cheesygoodness, # 19. February 2007, 00:42:35
By CaptainSeagull, # 19. February 2007, 01:56:11
By DotEd, # 19. February 2007, 04:17:29
Also... somehow I remember telling everyone to get Excite Truck a long time ago.
By -MK, # 19. February 2007, 05:26:01