Play. Create. Share. A concept Sony introduced to us back in 2008 with Media Molecule’s release; LittleBigPlanet, and since then it’s been a concept that has been adapted by many different games developers, but none more so than United Front Games, the guys and gals behind ModNation Racers.

At a first glance, ModNation Racers might seem to be your typical kart racing game, sponging off previous hits such as Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing. However, if given a chance, you’ll find ModNation Racers to be a pleasant surprise that incorporates many different features to keep the player coming back time and time again. Read on to see what I thought about the game.

What made me want to buy the game ultimately was the creation aspect. The game allows players to create their own mods (racing characters), karts and tracks which then can be published online for other players to experience, edit and enjoy. ModNation Racers is capable of offering many different choices, allowing your mods to look like animals or aliens, giving you the choice of having a hamster wheel or a Duracell battery powering your kart and allowing your race to take place at night in a dry dessert or in the day in a flooded jungle. The choice is yours. Granted, ModNation Racers isn’t as advanced as LittleBigPlanet and what LBP did, it did superbly, but with ModNation there’s an awful lot less learning. Tutorials are optional and the creation process can be as helpful or as unhindered as you want it to be, without having to learn all the advanced features to get the maximum enjoyment from it. The creation of tracks includes bridges, stickers, item pickups, boosters, traps, short cuts, environmental hazards, twists, turns and much, much more!

Without a doubt, ModNation has a lot to offer in terms of creation, but I can’t help but feel there should be more to it. Items are customisable, so if you don’t like the colour of something, then it’s fairly easy to change it. No doubt, we’ll be seeing a lot of DLC coming our way very soon, with more items and tracks to keep us coming back. Overall, I was very impressed with The Creation Station and what it had to offer.

Throughout the story mode you’re treated to several cut scenes between the pre-created tracks, which add a much-needed, and delightful humour to the overall gaming experience. The story tracks hold items which can be unlocked by achieving objectives throughout the race. For example, these may include sliding over three boosters or hitting at least three other karts with weapons in a single race. Throughout each course, there are also five tokens to be collected, which are often scattered around in different hiding places or shortcuts on the track. These tokens can be taken to The Creation Station to unlock yet more desirable goodies for your creative needs. There are a total of twenty-eight story tracks with different modes, which successfully make this one of the most enjoyable kart games I have played.

One major criticism I have with the game as a whole however, are the loading times. It’s a great shame, because for what ModNation is, it is indeed very good, yet the loading times can often be something a PS2 wouldn’t even want. They can appear to be sluggish and off-putting and tend to be at their worse when creating a track or racing online; it will usually take between a minute and two for to get into gear (see what I did there?).

The game also lacks any chance of camera positioning, which, for a racing game, truly sucks! So it can be difficult when there are tight bends or sharp corners. That’s not to say you can’t control the camera full stop. You can, but only horizontally. So, if you’re used to being able to position your camera into a view you’re comfortable with, then think again. It certainly takes some getting used to, but the final result is worth it.

The game offers both online and local split-screen multiplayer modes in which you can race on any published track, which you may then rate, or potentially edit to your heart’s content. A minimum of four people is needed to compete in an online challenge, and a maximum of twelve people can enter any given race or tournament at a time. Voice chat and text messaging enable you to talk with those you are racing and although at times the game can go a bit Destruction Derby and get quite frustrating, that’s one of the joys of it. The career mode gets more difficult as the game progresses and like Wipeout HD, gains a speed class after every stage is complete, making it faster and more enjoyable for the gamer.

ModNation Racers should be praised on its gloriously stunning HD graphics; clear, precise and a marvel to look at. The soundtrack also offers a funky-esque atmosphere to the game play, often incorporating that ‘garage’ feel.

The handling of the vehicles is very firm and perhaps more importantly, feels very natural and during a drift is also very precise. Drifting or ‘skidding’ is often used throughout the game in order to fill up a gauge. This gauge can be used at any time in the race as a shield or a boost. The more drift points you build up, the faster your boost or the longer you shield will last. It’s a great way of incorporating another feature into the race to make it more entertaining and dynamic. Collecting weapons scattered about the track gives you those advantages you might need in making your way to the finish line first. If you don’t use your weapon and decide to collect other weapon pods on the track, then your current weapon will upgrade into something much better. Electric bolts can become thunder storms and mild boosts can become portals into other parts of the track.

To say ModNation Racers is the racing equivalent of LittleBigPlanet is a bit of an overstatement. However, there are elements of the 2008 hit present and it does incorporate Sony’s motto very well. It’s true to say that ModNation Racers looks and plays like a much-developed, better-looking and more dynamic Mario or Crash Bandicoot kart game and it allows nothing new in terms of concept, yet there’s something very individualistic about the look and feel of the game as a whole. It isn’t without its flaws; the loading times certainly can be a pain, and at times the frame rate can drop, but they don’t ruin the overall experience of ModNation Racers. It’s a game I would recommend to any fan of these particular racing games, and anybody who enjoyed LittleBigPlanet; I would certainly recommend you try this, because it is in fact a very, very good game!