• February 27, 2007    Home > Game Reviews > Verdict

    Excite Truck

    Redefining arcade racer expectations?
    Version
     Wii    		Developer
    Nintendo    		Publisher
    Nintendo    		Genre
    Arcade

    Page: 1  2  3 

    Page 3

    The classic rock soundtrack is well fitting for a truck racer, although it does get rather tedious. Sound effects are passable, and if you do overheat the engine the explosion noise comes out of the Wii remote, making it rather more tinny and a lot less bass heavy than it should be.

    "Terraform the track to ruin your rivals' chances... likely, when half a mountain falls on top of them."

    The one thing I really can't stress enough is how much fun Excite Truck is once you master the boost feature, and how fast the game moves. With motion blur as you boost through the levels and the need to swerve around trees, it does bear many similarities to the outstanding Burnout series, albeit minus the heavy traffic.

    Flying through the air between jumps is brilliant and even the most jaded gamer will get a smile on their face the first time they get a Super Ring bonus for flying through five rings at Boeing 747 altitudes.

    There's also a challenge mode, which although a nice distraction is not the adrenaline buzz of racing. Race through gates in a time driven race, hit rings worth more points as you combo them, or the best event, smash other cars on an open level. We could really have done with more tracks and a multiplayer battle mode in this vein; it's a blast, but not worth revisiting once you've finished it.

    "Unfortunately Excite Truck is not nearly as enjoyable in multiplayer."

    So it's all good for the single player game, unfortunately Excite Truck is not nearly as enjoyable in multiplayer. Quite how a company can make a game less fun when you play with your friends almost deserves an award in itself (wooden spoon here please!). Limited to a two player split screen, Excite Truck misses the opportunity for online play, and even a four-player split screen or link up play would have been a vast improvement. To make matters worse, it's just you and your pal on the course; there are no computer trucks to smash into, or add a feeling that it's really a race you are in. A major disappointment indeed.

    Overall, Excite Truck will provide a few days entertainment playing on your own, and it's a game you'll return to for that quick boost injection often enough thereafter to make it worth a buy. Unfortunately, two important elements (challenge mode and multiplayer) should have much more depth than is on show here. In the meantime, enjoy the game for what it is... and we hope to see you online in the sequel!

    Graphics Sound Gameplay Depth Presentation OVERALL
    7.7 7.0 9.0 7.5 6.0 7.8


    THE VERDICT:     Excite Truck has it all for the player looking for a the quick buzz of a top arcade racer, although perhaps not enough of it to last. The boost and jump feature really make this an innovative game in the genre. Unfortunately, the multiplayer mode just isn't up to speed, a cardinal sin when the single player game is so good.

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    Video Coverage
    (Latest Videos & Video FAQ)
    PLEASE DO NOT DIRECT LINK TO ANY MEDIA FILE ON KIKIZO
    DescriptionDur.SizeDetails
    Excite Truck
    Direct feed clip   (Wii - Nintendo)    		 00:18 5MB DF, SD, 16:9
    640x360p30
    2.5Mbps

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