Cars

Overview

The most substantial portion of the game is found in the Story mode. Players control Lightning McQueen through an open hub world based on Radiator Springs. Lightning interacts with the many inhabitants to play minigames, learn new abilities, and--most frequently--race them. Players collect 'Trophy Points' for accomplishing the various events, which along with a loose story progression, unlock additional events at fairly regular intervals.

Other game modes include:

• Arcade mode : Play as any unlocked character in any unlocked race or mini game.
• VS Mode: Pick any two unlocked characters to compete in local-only versus racing.

The racing in Cars is very basic and does not feature any weapons like most other cart racers. Instead the player relies on an auto-refilling boost, power sliding, jumping and shortcuts to take and hold the lead. The NASCAR style events do not feature any of these abilities. Like real NASCAR the player must avoid other players and pit effectively.

Cars does not have online play.

Plot

Cars confusingly takes place after the movie. Lightning must re-learn abilities from the residents of Radiator Springs so that he can use them on the track to overtake his greatest rival, Chick Hicks (all of which happens in the movie). After besting Chick on various tracks, Chick challenges Lightning to one final tournament of races. These races take place over each environment of the game culminating with a second Piston Cup victory.

Gameplay

Mini Games

Aside from racing, the game features a small collection of mini-games. These mini games frequently have several stages of increasing difficulty.

• Lizzie's Poscard Hunt - Collect 20 postcards spread out around the game's environments.
• Luigi to the Rescue - Collect tires against the clock.
• Sheriff's Hot Persuit - Chase down down delinquent cars, 3 at a time.
• Tractor Tipping - Mater must avoid spot lights and Frank the Combine to tip tractors.
• High Speed Heist/Lightning Strikes Back - The delinquent street racers make their way through traffic to hijack Mac on the highway, stealing some of Lightning's supplies. The second level is Lightning recovering these items.

Characters

While players play solely as Lightning in the Story Mode, additional characters can be unlocked and played in the VS and Arcade modes. Each character has additional paint jobs that can be unlocked by earning points in Story Mode. Each character is voiced by their original movie voice actor.

Cars requires 5.2GB of space to install on an Xbox 360 HDD.

Xbox 360 Achievements

Tractor Tipping (75G)

-Successfully complete all levels of tractor tipping.

Palm Mile Speedway (75G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Lizzie's Postcard Hunt (100G)

-Collect all available postcards in postcard hunt.

Motor Speedway of the South (50G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Sheriff's Hot Pursuit (50G)

-Successfully complete all levels of Sheriff's Hot Pursuit.

Rustbucket Race-O-Rama (50G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Sun Valley International Raceway (75G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Smasherville Motor Speedway (75G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Monster Truck Mayhem (50G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Radiator Springs GP (50G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Tailfin Pass GP (50G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Ornament Valley GP (50G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

LA International Speedway (100G)

-Win the race by finishing in 1st place.

Tailfin Pass (75G)

-Complete the necessary activities to unlock Tailfin Pass

Ornament Valley (75G)

-Complete the necessary activities to unlock Ornament Valley.

PSP version

Overview

This version of this game is limited to racing, with no open world. Like the console version, the bulk of this game resides in Story Mode. There are different racing mechanics, and a different plot. While boosting and power sliding remain key factors, jumping over obstacles is more prevalent, and players must now draft behind other racers to refill the boost meter. Many reviews indicated that the racing AI is noticeably more difficult than the console versions.

Other game types include:

• Grand Prix: Race in a collection of races organized in Cups.
• Time Trial: Self explanatory.
• Custom Race: Pick a racer, a track, how many laps, and whether or not to mirror the map.
• Multiplayer:This mode allows for Ad-Hoc head to head racing.

Plot

The delinquent street racers disrupt Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen and the local populous challenge the racers to a series of races to chase them out of town.

Characters

Most characters have an alternate paint jobs that be unlocked by beating various time trials.

Nintendo DS version

Overview

While this release does feature traditional racing of only 4 events, the main focus is on the 12 minigames, each based upon a character from the franchise. These minigames heavily involve the touch screen. The DS version does not have a plot.

Cars for DS features ad Hoc 2 player vs racing, and requires two cartridges to do so.

Minigames

Game Boy Advance Version

Overview

Cars for GBA uses is an isometric perspective race game similar to Super Off Road. There are 16 different events to compete in, and as with the other versions, power sliding and boosting remain a staple.

This version features no multiplayer.

Reception

Cars received average review scores although the scores varied somewhat by platform. Many outlets seemed to feel that the title was a better than average movie tie-in with mostly solid mechanics, but ultimately coming up a bit short on length, and on some platforms, features.