DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing is no run-of-the-mill tie-in
I’m just as surprised as you, but DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing is actually quite entertaining. It even brings its own unique mechanics to the overpopulated scene, iterating on a genre with loaded expectations.
It’s no Mario Kart or Crash Team Racing, sure, but that’s not what I’m asking for. The Dreamworks racer manages to capture plenty of lovely little details I love about its worlds, and they’re worth a highlight.
More often than not, these tie-in games read like a cheap cash grab, leading to a disappointing result: Garfield Kart, anyone?
However, DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing really plays like it has some love behind it. Each kart is decorated with references to the movies these characters come from. Race tracks are quite charming and take place in locations you remember from the flicks, like Far Far Away from Shrek 2 or Berk from How To Train Your Dragon.
Funnily enough, the DreamWorks mascot even rescues drivers with his fishing rod when falling off the stage. Developer Bamtang Games clearly took cues from beloved implementations of other kart racers, but less so in the typical ways that feel like cheapened crossover soup.
However, what’s most important is how the driving feels, and I’m happy to report it’s mostly smooth. Drifting around a corner at the end of the race gave me the boost I needed to win. It’s also thrilling to pull off while you’re in narrower sections of a track.
Admittedly, it does feel a bit slower than other kart racers in the market, but it still manages to deliver a rush of speed as you zip through a piano-like boost pad and edge out the win.
DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing surprised me. It could have just been a run-in-the-mill kart racer, but it folds in a few interesting quirks to
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