Ever wanted the Coyote to win just once ?

The kart racing genre has produced it's fair share of games, inspired by the immortal Mario Kart on the NES . Although, times have changed; systems have evolved and graphics improved, game play is nearly identical to this day and will possibly never sway from its origins.

GAME INTRO

Mega sponsorship backing in games is usually hit-or-miss, and Warner Brothers licensing of the Looney Toons sets the pace wonderfully. The games setting takes place in 12 "far out" tracks, with dozens of features to unlock.

The whole looney crew is here starting with the "core" cast, with likes of; Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam and Wile E. Coyote. Further into the game, you get the chance to unlock "hidden" characters such as; Marvin the Martian and Sam the Dog.

As in all kart-racing types the premise is simple, you have three laps to complete and beat five other racers. Along the way you are supplied with tons of Acme products ranging from anvils to rockets. Use these with the combination of speed and a bit of luck; and you earn tokens to unlock characters and additional tracks.

GAMEPLAY 7/10

Not to sound too repetitive, but if you have played one kart racer, you have played them all. Any producer to this genre is up against some fierce competition, and those who enjoy the games will be critically demanding. I was no different.

I have always loved the kart racing games. It gives you a few minutes of no-brain fun, and also incorporates others to join in the fun, making it a blast for parties and families.

That said, what we have here is a kart racing with great gameplay, but hindered with fair control. Initially, you are thrown on your modified rocket and given the task to get the "feel" of your racer. At first I was let down with the control of my rocket. The controls were sluggish and "icy". Many times, I felt that sharp turns were my demise, and had to slow down to a control to avoid plummeting into the black unknown.

After a few laps, and a few courses; I ended up coping with the loose controls and worked around it, trying not to let it take away from the enjoyment of the game.

Aside from the control, we are given a ton of great weapons and gags. As mentioned, we are given the wackiest of pranks that have been in every episode of Looney Toons. The portable hole, will drop your competitor into space, and your spring-loaded boxing glove will knock the others off the track. There are dozens of tricks and weapons that will keep you rolling.

A bothersome "feature" that Space Race produces is the total randomization of power-ups. The power-ups are randomly given. What that means is that if you are in first place, you could still be given a "high powered" bonus, and the guy in last place could get one of the lower items. As in most kart racings, to keep the competition well.. competitive, a racer in the back could get something that could move them up in the ranks easier; while the front competition could get a semi-useless item, that would lessen the effects.

If you think that this alone would make for an easy win if you are in first place, think again. You can get hit with multiple pranks at one time. So, if you are sliding around the corner from an oil slick, you can fall into a portable hole. Many times being in first for all three rounds, I would magically lose at the final corner by others "tag teaming" me. This is good and bad, but still needed to be noticed.

GRAPHICS 9/10

The game is well over a year old, and I am truly amazed at the stunning textures and beautiful backgrounds. Not only does the game give you a sense of a 2-D cartoon, but also a picturesque 3-D background. Talk about eye candy.

In the successful quirkiness of Jet Grind Radio , Space Race follows in the footsteps and utilizes the "cell-shading" that made JGR so popular. The animation and texturing of JGR was truly revolutionary, and we again get to see it in all its glory.

The animations are so fluid, and the backgrounds so vivid, even your PS2 buddies will gasp.
Aside from the jaw-dropping graphics, the framerate runs at a solid 30 FPS with little to no slowdown. I have yet to experience any pop-up or flicker. The only slowdown occurred when I was playing with two players and the screen was basically blowing up.

Loading times are surprisingly quick, and with "SSX-esque" loading screens, we are given tips and hints during the short 5-10 second load.

AUDIO 8/10

Oh how I love cartoons. I was so anxious to hear the game rather than play it, so I cranked up my speakers and prepared myself for cartoon smacking bliss.

Initially I was served my slapstick humor on a silver plate. All of my favorite cartoon characters had their classic lines all done in near perfection. Of course I played Yosemite Sam at first just to hear him scream "OOoOOooOooOooohhhhhh... I hate rabbits..." All of the one-liners are here, and fit the time appropriately. The voice-overs were top-notch, and had few complaints regarding the authenticity of the voices.

Background music was neo-classic cartoon style, and sound effects came straight out of the Cartoon Network . I mean, who can't smile when you hear an anvil fall on Wile E. Coyote's head?

The only deterrent regarding the sound, is the repetitiveness that permeates each level. After a few levels with the same character, you will be forced to change guys; simply because your ears twitch after hearing the same phrase a dozen times.

REPLAY VALUE 8/10

What makes Space Race and others in the genre is the quality of the replay value. The biggest influence is the multiplayer aspect that kart racing can bring.

You won't be let down, and multi-player racing is a blast. With up to four people racing, you can incorporate this into a great party game. And with the solid framerate and solid graphics, your experience will only be heightened.

Single player still gives you a lot to do, so don't take this for only a multi-player game. There are tons of secrets to unlock, and special characters and maps to access. Keep earning those tokens, and cash them in for new stages and characters.

With challenging A.I., great graphics, sound and gameplay; this is sure to be a long lasting GDROM in your Dreamcast collection.

OVERALL 8/10

Looney Toons Space Race has all of the ingredients to emerge as a near perfect game. Small disappointments such as sloppy control and frustrating power-ups; knock the would-be-champ down a notch or two.

I still highly recommend this game for all DC owners. For parents this is a great game that you can play along with your tikes. It is easy to pick up and just play, and having fun with your kids is invaluable.

Just make sure you run into your own brick wall once in a while, ok?