Each race is broken into three segments by “traps”, which is just this game’s name for its mini-games. Twice during every race, Dick Dastardly will speed past the pack to signify that yet another mini-game is imminent. None of these are incredibly entertaining, mostly having players completing menial tasks such as sorting screws and pumping up rotating flattened tires. Since there are also very few of these traps available in the game, you will find yourself completing these same boring events countless times.

Regrettably, much of the game’s racing is done from a side scrolling perspective with only the occasional and unpredictable shift to a more three-dimensional view. The camera will follow the action rather than the actual player, keeping all the racers within eyeshot of each other at all times. This makes gaining and maintaining the lead during any race virtually impossible. Combine this with the segmented approach of these races and the Mad Dash Cog mechanic, then suddenly much of game begins to feel entirely unnecessary. Absolutely nothing that transpires before the race’s finale will make any difference, assuming that you are able to easily accumulate and save several Mad Dash Cogs. All that is necessary for victory is slightly participating in the first two parts of each race and just waiting for your inevitable chance to shake your way to first place during the race’s final stretch.

Along with redeeming qualities, play modes are also in a very short supply in Wacky Races. There are only three options for players in the form of Crazy Circuit, Wacky Race, and Trap Challenge modes. Wacky Race allows for a single-race, while Crazy Circuit has you competing in six events made up of four races each. Trap Challenges provide the player with the undesirable option of repeatedly tackling the game’s limited selection of mini-games to see how many times they can successfully complete each.

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With gameplay that will undoubtedly bore all but the incredibly young, and characters that likely won’t resonate with anyone under the age of forty, I’m not quite sure if this game will appeal to anyone. Furthermore, when you factor in the unnecessarily repetitive and limited nature of this title, it becomes more apparent that this game is doomed. Unfortunately, Wacky Races’ limited charm and humor does little to overcome what is easily one of the most disappointing experiences that can be found on the Wii. If you are a fan of the old cartoon, this game’s forty dollar price tag would honestly be better spent on purchasing a DVD compilation of the show.

By Adam Brown
CCC Freelance Writer