| Developer: Viex Games | Publisher: Viex Games |
| Release Date: April 29, 2004 | Also On: None |
MicroQuad is the Zodiac answer to the Mario Kart franchise. The game plays out more like Super Mario Kart than Mario Kart 64, because there is only a limited 3D surface with 2D pasted backgrounds. From what I can tell, everything is 3D, except the backgrounds, which aren’t the best looking. Everything else is in order, excluding the lame looking characters, which need a tune up.
Here’s a quick control overview. Acceleration is done with the up (blue) button. Steering is handled with the joystick. To fire weapons, lay oil, and use power-ups, click down on the right trigger. Finally, brakes are done with the down (green) button.
The game opens to a MicroQuad screen with a picture of the six racers. Here, you select the mode that you would like to partake in. The options menu allows you to turn on/off auto acceleration rumble effects, and volume control. The three game modes include quick race, grand prix, and multiplayer.
Quick race selects the course and racer for you. If you are in a rush, quick race is a nice feature to have. Most races last about three minutes, so depending on what task you need to get at, the quick race stands by its word of being short.
The grand prix has five cups: baby, junior, pro, master, and expert. Obviously the latter tracks will be more difficult than the beginning, with multiple paths, more obstacles, speed boosts, ramps, etc. Each cup is set up with four tracks.
By placing first in races, you will win trophies. Some cups will be locked and will require objectives to be completed, such as winning a certain amount of races or winning all previous races for the expert cup.
There are a total of six different racers to select from, each of which will have their own specific advantages and disadvantages. Racers have up to five points for various statistics, such as road, off road, and grip.
Let’s quickly discuss the handling of the cars. I didn’t notice much difference between each vehicle, but depending on the surface, your vehicle will either go fast or slow. Grass is the worst surface to be on, with sand being in the middle, and pavement on top.
If you turn on the auto acceleration, the game will play for you basically, with a few turns here and there, a power-up, and a boost. There isn’t much of an intensity factor and both you and computers can come out of no where to win races. For some, this might be frustrating, including myself, but the package is still hard to ignore.
The Zodiac has become a magnet for racing titles and MicroQuad only sweetens the genre. The price, which is below fifteen dollars, isn’t asking much either. My recommendation is to give the MicroQuad demo a try, but a purchase decision is solely up to you.
| Graphics: | 8.5 |
| Sound: | 9 |
| Gameplay: | 9.5 |
| Creativity: | 6 |
| Replay Value/Game Length: | 10 |
| Final: | 9.1 |
| Written by Kyle | Review Guide |