Reviews

- Greg Kot, Tribune Newspapers

Games

MySims Racing *** (3 stars)

Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS. $29.99-$39.99.

MySims Racing plays a heck of a lot like the Mario Kart series but has enough of its own merits to stand out as an alternative to Nintendo's kid-friendly racer.

The driving action is very similar to the Kart games. After designing a little Sim character, players zoom along tracks against several rival drivers, picking up attack and defense items along the way, jumping over obstacles and avoiding hazards.

Each course is littered with colored gems that increase a driver's boost meter for extra speed and in story mode can be used along with blueprints to purchase performance and cosmetic upgrades for the player's cars.

The three kinds of cars (compact, midsize and large) can be customized and kitted out however a player chooses, with new parts becoming available all the time as players complete tasks for various characters who live in the game's racing town.

Outside of the story mode, players can face off against each other in split-screen play or take on solo races, multi-course championships and time trials.

- Justin Heoger, McClatchy Newspapers