August 30, 2011
Pap the Disney Gamer's
Highlights: Mickey's Speedway USA
Developed by: Rare
System: Nintendo 64
In a past Gamer Tuesday article,
I described some of the weirdest Disney games
ever released. One of these happened to be
Mickey's Speedway USA, a kart racing game
developed by English game developer Rare and
published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. While
the idea of Mickey and the gang going kart
racing doesn't seem to be that weird (after all,
they did partake in a polo match featuring many
Hollywood stars as their opponents in one
classic short film), the story behind it all
certainly is.

Mickey Mouse loves his pal Pluto
so much; he gave him a diamond studded collar.
The weasels found out about this and have
kidnapped Pluto. Mickey enlists the help of his
friends, which include Donald, Goofy and even
Pete, to try and rescue him. They do so by going
kart racing across the USA. What a weird rescue
tactic, don't you think?
Wacky storyline aside, if you
are a big fan of Nintendo's Mario Kart series,
then you are likely to enjoy Mickey's Speedway
USA as it loyally follows the concepts
established in that game series. The game
features seven characters to choose from. Each
character features a different set of stats,
such as speed, weight and handling. Much like in
Mario Kart, this affects a racer's performance
on the track. For example, a light character may
handle the best, but his or her top speed is not
as great, while a heavy character has great
speed but handles slowly. In addition to the
default seven, four additional characters can be
unlocked.

As the title states, the tracks
take place across the USA, such as New York,
Atlanta, Los Angeles, Alaska, and New Orleans.
Each track is littered with weapons, a feature
borrowed from Mario Kart's playbook. Some of
these weapons include oil spills and baseballs.
If players find themselves lagging behind, they
can use any of these weapons to attack their
enemies to try and gain the lead. The gameplay
modes in Mickey's Speedway USA will be familiar
to fans of Nintendo's Mario Kart franchise.
Grand Prix mode is a single player mode where
players can race across the United States in
search of Pluto and the weasels. Multiplayer
mode features classic modes such as multiplayer
racing and a battle mode, all for up to four
players via split screen.

Rare is known for putting a lot
of effort into a game's graphical presentation.
During their time as Nintendo's exclusive
developer, they created some of the most
visually impressive games ever seen on the
Nintendo 64. Mickey's Speedway USA proudly
follows that tradition. The menus are playroom
themed, which add a very charming feel to the
game. The classic characters look great in their
3D presentation. Even Mickey's ears have been
lovingly rendered to move just as his head
turns. The tracks are well designed, taking a
lot of inspiration from each State, placing in
the background famous landmarks and locales to
add a lot of visual flare to the track. The
sense of speed is solid throughout, never
dropping even during the busier scenes.

The music will sound very
familiar to Rare fans who have enjoyed their
previous efforts on the system. Unfortunately,
Mickey's Speedway USA doesn't feature any
classic Disney songs. It does, however, feature
a great cast of voice talent borrowed from
Mickey's Mouse Works, which was airing at the
time the game was released. Some of these
include the late Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse,
Jim Cummings as Pete, Bill Farmer as Goofy,
Tress McNeille as Daisy Duck and many more. The
best thing about this is that the voice acting
is very dynamic. The characters are constantly
reacting to the events on the track, such as
being hit by a weapon or taking the lead. They
will shout comments, letting the player how they
feel about what is going on around them. It adds
a great deal of detail, taking great advantage
of the legacy these characters have as well as
the talent behind it all.

Mickey's Speedway USA creates
its own effective spin to the classic Mario Kart
formula. It may not be as in-depth as Nintendo's
own series but it has a lot of charm that Disney
and Mickey Mouse fans will greatly enjoy. The
tracks are very colorful and effective enough
that you will feel patriotic and make you want
to go on your own tour across the USA. It is
certainly a great way to spend some time with
Mickey and friends.