Mickey's Speedway USA

Overall: A-
Violence: A-
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Disney Interactive
ESRB rating: E

Uh, oh... Mickey's having a bad ear day! According to the ransom note he found, those dirty rotten low-down Weasels have dognapped Pluto--diamond collar and all. But where in the USA have they taken him? Well, rather than waste time simply wishing upon a star hoping his dreams would come true, the friendly little rodent has enlisted the help of a few close friends. And thanks to some souped-up cars courtesy of Ludwig Von Drake, they're going to do all in their power to find the pilfered pooch...

Mickey's Speedway USA is strictly kart racing, so you can forget about the back-story for a while. The first thing a player must do is choose from a field of six racing legends--Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pete. Two other well-known Disney characters, Dewey and Louie, can be unlocked later in the game. Racers are chosen based upon their performance capabilities. For instance, Minnie and Daisy accelerate quickly and turn on a dime, while Goofy and Pete can attain higher top speeds and plow their way through heavy traffic.

Competition is divided into a series of five tournaments, two of which are locked until certain requirements are met. Each of these are composed of four tracks that can be raced on an Amateur, Intermediate, or Professional difficulty setting. Keep in mind that no one knows where Pluto is; so game action takes place all over the continent. Venues include an Alligator-free Everglade swamp; the lawn and corridors of the White House; a late-night dash through the streets and storm drains of Seattle; the treacherous ice of Alaska; and the bright lights of Las Vegas. There's even a stopover in Hawaii, which just goes to show that it's a small world after all.

Perhaps due to a preoccupation with saving Pluto, each racer wants to be the first to find him. Von Drake has placed some handy tools along each track, adding an extra dimension to the friendly contest. Picking up oomph tokens will increase your kart's top velocity, and the carbo-beverage spritzer provides some temporary zippity-doo-dah. Drivers can also take advantage of exploding baseballs and other devices that home in on a vehicle, temporarily disabling it. Further impedance comes in the form of sticky goo and stormy weather. I know...it's hard to believe someone like Mickey Mouse would ever resort to using such tactics, but at least he apologizes afterwards.

Mickey's Speedway USA can be enjoyed by up to four players, and accommodates both young and old, novice or expert. Initially, it only takes a matter of minutes before you're off to the races, burning rubber, and whistling while you work; but as the difficulty level increases and more tracks become available, you'll have to start looking for shortcuts and mastering things like powerslides if you entertain hopes of placing in the top four. Oh, and as for Pluto? Well, I didn't get good enough--I mean play long enough--to unlock Frantic Finale, the fifth tournament. Since this is where the Weasels are holding him hostage, he'll just have to wait for another day; but rest assured...I'll be back.

Jim Fleming

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