Wii Fanboy Review: SPOGS Racing
As the latest game available on Nintendo's WiiWare service in North America, SPOGS Racing offers players customizable rides and a variety of game modes. Coming in at 1,000 Wii Points, is the game really worth your hard-earned cash? Read on and find out!
SPOGS Racing is very much a game that shows what one shouldn't look for in a WiiWare title. The game lacks the polish that comes from actual development, instead offering up a product that seems hurried and unfinished. It's not without its depth, however, as the game throws plenty of game modes and customizable options at you. The problem, however, is that you really won't feel like you should spend any kind of significant time with these features.
First up, we've got the customizability of your SPOG. You can change the avatar, the general stats on your racer (these come in the form of packages that emphasize handling, speed and other areas that are important to racing) and the color. While not as robust as many other titles with the same feature, it's enough to get you by.
After you've set up your SPOG, it's time to dive into the game. There are a variety of race modes, with Season and Crash and Grab being the two most fulfilling. In Season mode, you tackle a series of six races, fighting three other competitors for top placement. Your place is determined by a few things, which include not only where you finish in the standings at the conclusion of the race, but also the points you receive doing stunts, as well as your overall time. These all come together to determine your final score.
Then, there's Crash and Grab, which has you racing with competitors and crashing into them, allowing you to steal their parts for yourself. Within Crash and Grab, there are two separate modes: Battle and Sudden Death. Sudden Death is an elimination style race, where you can be hurt by weapons and knocked out if your health reaches zero. Battle has you racing against competitors, trying to place first, while crashing into your competition and snatching their parts.
As for controls, there are several options available. You can play with a motion-based scheme, which has you controlling your SPOG like you were playing Excite Truck or Mario Kart Wii. If you have a Wii Wheel, it's not a bad way to play. You can also enjoy the game without the motion-sensitive stuff, while still utilizing the Wiimote, where you hold it sideways and use the d-pad to steer. There's also the Wiimote and Nunchuk, which is pretty much the same, as well as the Classic Controller.
As much as this sounds like a full and worthwhile experience, once you actually get into a race, things change pretty quickly. The levels themselves are pretty plain, offering nothing but dull backdrops and easily-navigable turns and winds. There's the occasional jump or loop, which offers a brief flash of excitement, but the feeling doesn't last. The game never gives you a satisfying feeling when racing, often turning into a boring and monotonous affair.
With its lackluster graphics and slapped-together feel, SPOGS Racing is nothing more than an overpriced download. It's not recommended for anyone, especially when stacked against the other, more worthwhile downloads available on Nintendo's service. We'd suggest you skip this one.
Final score: 3/10
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