The idea of a kart racing game focused on emojis is something that would hardly have occurred to us, but it is also true that these types of games seem like a standard template to fill with anything we can think of, including licensed series. , characters or - obviously - pictographic symbols, so nothing surprises us anymore. However, a somewhat rambling concept would need very solid support in terms of gameplay, and this is where the game fails on several sides, as we see in this Emoji Kart Racer Review. The fact of fixing the entire identity of the game in emoticons that we cannot see 99% of the time, given that the shot is obviously behind the protagonists, says a lot about the strangeness of this project, but it is also quite indicative. of its general consistency.
Furthermore, it arrives at a time quite full of alternatives in this area: beyond the new tracks in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe we have seen the launch of Kartrider Drift and we are waiting for The Karters 2, so there is no shortage of competition.
The features are typical of this subgenre of racing games, that is, a classic arcade that focuses entirely on multiplayer action, possibly paying very little attention to the realism of driving but above all to immediate fun. There is not even a vague narrative context, which is understandable considering that the premise of a race between emojis is probably not a very prominent source of inspiration, while the classic progression between different championships formed by several tracks placed in sequence is present . .
Classic gameplay
The two essential elements in any kart racing game are also very present in this one: the arcade driving model and the use of power-ups located on the tracks. He game of Emoji Kart Racer falls precisely into the canon established for the genre, without trying absolutely anything new but, to tell the truth, rather taking away something, given the small number of variations present in the game and a mere adherence to a tradition consolidated also with regarding the operation of the attacks and the defense system. Driving the karts is not a negative experience, but rather an immediate one: the drift is present but does not require particular management of countersteer to obtain additional acceleration, while the use of the brake is strangely detrimental, since it implies an excessive penalty. The problem is rather represented by the physical management of the cars, which tend to react quite unpredictably to jumps and obstacles on the tracks, with abstruse camera movements and erratic behavior.
All of this tends to provide little reward for actual driving ability, as one often falls victim to rather random accidents, due to elements of the scenery that perhaps wouldn't even be designed to be real obstacles, but end up causing ruinous accidents. . HE power-up They present the classic attack systems or temporary advantages that, in essence, are equivalent to some of the historical options of Mario Kart, although the amount in this case seems quite smaller, with some elements also appearing redundant. This lack of attention to the balance and variety of consumable objects turns them into accessory elements without great interest, far from the strategic characteristics that they should have in a full-fledged karting game, and without even being able to be fully expressed in a battle mode. mysteriously absent.
Tracks, modes and customization.
The moments of satisfaction that can arise when driving in Emoji Kart Racer also depend on the design of some continued, which are more interesting than others, but the results also in this area are contradictory, since many clues seem little studied and decidedly anonymous. Taking into account that the variety of scenarios and vital situations in a game of this type depends on these aspects, in addition to normally having to provide a certain basis for more or less strategic interpretations of the race, it is easy to conclude that only a small Some of the game's tracks actually work, while the rest seem crammed together to create a bit of volume. All of this regardless of the technical creation of tracks and cars, which is generally pleasant even though it is far from the maximum expressions of this genre.
Another deficient trait, inexplicably, is the scarcity of game modes made available: to begin with, in a game that practically bases its essence on multiplayer competition, the absence of online play is an atrocious lack. We can ignore the fact that there is only the standard championship mode, which allows you to tackle the track packs in sequence (4 sets of 4 tracks each, for a total of 16 tracks, is not a bad feature), but it is not. Being able to face it in online multiplayer is absurd, especially considering that the artificial intelligence is incapable of offering an engaging challenge.
Given this deficiency, even the lack of alternative gameplay options, such as arena battle or any other interpretation of the race, almost takes a backseat. There is basically only one mode in the entire game.
La Customization It should be a basic element of the gaming experience, all focused on unlocking new emojis and accessories to use as protagonists, as well as new vehicles and modifications for them. These are purely aesthetic elements that do not change the gameplay, but to tell the truth they are still quite marginal also due to the aforementioned shooting issue, which is why the vehicles stand out above all, some of which have interesting designs. Unfortunately, Emoji Kart Racer does not exude charisma in every pixel, to put it mildly, so this aspect is not particularly convincing either.
Conclusions
Tested version Xbox Series X digital delivery playstation store, Xbox Store, Nintendo eShop Price 29,99 € Holygamerz.com 4.5 Readers (9) 6.2 your voteAlthough they may seem like simple games, finding the right formula to emerge in the field of kart racing games is extremely difficult and Emoji Kart Racer stands out negatively even in a panorama not exactly full of masterpieces. Some tracks are pleasant and the driving model, although poorly supported by the track design, can give some satisfaction, but even overlooking the technical defects and anonymous characterization, the deficiencies in terms of modes and content cannot justify a Launch price starting at 30 euros.
PRO
- Some tracks are nice.
- The driving system can give some satisfaction.
AGAINST
- Few game modes and no online multiplayer
- Basic and poorly thought out gameplay between driving, track design and power-ups.
- somewhat poor artificial intelligence
