Summary
Plenty of games in the past have attempted to dethrone Nintendo’sMario Kartfranchise as the greatest crossover kart-racer. Few have been able to come close, but a strong competitor might have finally arrived withDreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing.The title was released in November 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles, and quickly became a hit.
Rather than assemble familiar faces from theMariofranchise,DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racingcontains a roster and stages inspired by various DreamWorks animated movies, such asShrekandHow to Train Your Dragon. Though the game will see many comparisons to Nintendo’s premier kart-racer, here are six ways in which it’s vastly different.
6Play As DreamWorks' Most Iconic Characters
As previously mentioned, the game trades the heroes and villains of theMariouniverse withDreamWorksfilms. Among the standard roster, there are representatives fromShrek,Kung Fu Panda,Madagascar,How to Train Your Dragon,and the most recent film,The Bad Guys. However, many more characters become available through various unlocking methods.
The unlockable roster adds characters fromTrolls,The Boss Baby, andMegamind, as well as additional characters from the aforementioned franchises. The characters span from iconic to obscure, including Kitty Softpaws and the Wolf from thePuss in Bootsspin-off films, to Tina Templeton fromThe Boss Babymovies.
5The Karts Are Specific To Each Character
LikeMario Kart 8 Deluxe,DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racingalso allows for vehicle customization, with varying stats for each racer. However, the karts themselves are much more specifically designed for each of the default characters, compared to the more broad designs found in theMario Kartfranchise games.
For a character like Shrek, for instance, players can choose from a variety of options for their car’s parts. The iconic ogre’s options are inspired by his swamp home, the Onion Carriage, and a knight’s armor. This is only, however, true of the standard roster. The unlockable characters must select from their various franchise representatives' options. Sadly, there’s no putting Megamind in aShrekkart.
4Trolls Appear As Race Hosts
While a handful ofcharacters from DreamWorks’Trollsappearas unlockable characters, the film franchise is mostly represented in a different aspect of the game. Characters like Poppy, Branch, Barb, and Cooper appear as Race Hosts, encouraging players to make the right moves and succeed. However, that’s not all they’re there for.
The Trolls are also capable of giving drivers “Troll Surprises,” which consist of power-ups like speed boosts or ways to deter competing racers. These Troll Surprises are gained after players collect a certain amount of musical notes while driving. These musical notes areDreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing’s replacement for the gold coins of theMario Kartgames.
3Each Course Explores DreamWorks Films
There are a total of 20 levels based on variousDreamWorksfilms for players to race on, but they’rea little different from the ones fromMario Kart. These tracks are more story-driven, taking players not only through locations familiar toDreamWorksfilms, but through experiences that replicate the plots of each film without disrupting the race itself.
One example is the Dark Forest from2022’sPuss in Boots: The Last Wish. The track shifts in shape throughout the level, taking on the different versions of the Dark Forest depicted in the movie based on which character is holding the Wishing Star map. Other locations include Africa fromMadagascarand Baby Corp. fromThe Boss Baby.
2Unlock Magic Paths For Shortcuts
One major way in whichDreamWorks All-Star Kart Racingdiffers from theMario Kartgames is that players can get a leg up on their fellow players based on how well they race. Players should be on the lookout formagic Lyres found throughout every course, which, when driven through, will reveal Magic Paths that offer shortcuts to further parts of each level.
That’s not the only benefit of driving through these magic Lyres. Sometimes, they will instead lead players to a Golden Lucky Totem, which encourages players to replay every track in order to collect that specific one’s totem. Overall, the game has lots of benefits for those who replay it again and again, making it perfect for parties of DreamWorks fanatics.
1A Variety Of DreamWorks-Inspired Items
LikeMario Kart,items can be collected by racing through themand offer advantages against fellow kart racers. These items, as one would expect, are quite different from the Bananas and Turtle Shells thatMario Kartfans are used to. They’re mostly based on items from the variousDreamWorksfilms represented in the kart racer.
Among the items in the game are Puss in Boots' Guitar, which creates more musical notes for players to gather and activate Troll Surprises. There’s also Poisoned Apple, which sticks to another kart and detonates, like a sticky Bob-Omb. Though many of the concepts between the two racing games are similar, it’s the finer details that make them unique experiences.
