ATV Racers (PlayStation)

ATV Racers (PlayStation)

For gamers who just want a little something to help them forget about the troubles of the day, few games take away the edge as well as ATV Racers does.

I myself have played Miracle Space Race, another racing game by Miracle Designs, and was quite impressed with it in every aspect. In comparison, ATV Racers is its equal from start to finish, the only difference being the characters' choice of transportation (all-terrain vehicles as opposed to hovercrafts). Other than that, this title has very crisp, colorful graphics; semi-realistic sound effects; and merry little tunes that are easy on the ears. Plus, with ten lovable racers, nine challenging race courses, and three levels of difficulty to choose from, this game can keep gamers busy for hours.

Unfortunately, this game does have its drawbacks. Afterall, I DID say there are nine race tracks to compete on, and to make matters worse, there are only three themes among them---"Atlantis," "Red Rock," and "Underground"---which therefore makes them all look suspiciously similar to one another. Plus, a Story Mode would have perked up the gameplay somewhat, as the only real story between these ten racers is what the manual states about each character. Speaking of these competitors, did I mention that the reacing styles between each of them come with little variety? Indeed, the stats for each character's driving ability are exactly alike as those of another racer for the most part (e.g., Hogan the dinosaur having the exact same racing stats as Argyle the aardvark). Truth be told, the only competitors who have their own unique racing stats are Chloe the lioness and Picaso the armadillo.

Even so, ATV Racers is nowhere near as terrible as it could be and makes for a very impressive game for the more casual player. I especially encourage younger gamers (and their parents, for that matter) to give it a try.